The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-11
POET RILEY'S NEW BOOK.
Concluded from Ninth Page.)

ing so much and doing so much, and yet
destitute as to any musical taste-he can
only whistle bass" Mr.. Riley evidently
appreciates the boyhood law Of compensa-
ton. Who ever knew lad. otherwise
gifted, that could whistle we'll? Noey Blk
lers pucker-music is regarded as "phe-
nomenally unmeodious'' by Cousin Rufus,
who knew notes, while Uncle Mart vouch-
safes that
.,Noey couldn't whistle 'Bonny Doom
Even; and, he'd bet couldn't carry a tune
Ii it had handles to it,
The creative hand of Noey at last brings
him great measure of fame; his master
piece in snow is praised in song, the APP
prentice poet of the town honoring the
work with ''panegyric scroll of rhyme"
1t was an artist indeed that painted grapes
so natural the birds pecked at them, but
what are the critics to say of the boy who
makes q Snow Man 80 fierce and sassy"
that the children had to "git ust to him.
before they ceased to be afraid? In the
frosty studio of the door-yard this work of
sculptured snow evolves itself faster than
any stone ever chased by Grecian chisel,
yet the processes are none the less fasci-
mating because they merely produce "a
Snow Man'-ffnished off with eyes made
out of walnuts,' and whiskers wrought of
buggy cushion stuffin'."
But the old Snow Man
What a dubious delight
He grew at last when Spring came on
Alone he stood-all kith and kin
OF snow and ice gone;
Alone-with constant teardrops in
His eyes and glittering on
His thin pathetic beard of black!
o hero of a. hero's make!-
Let marble melt and fade,
Snow
That Noey Bixler made!
HUMBLING OF PRIDE.
While any day that gave the children
Noey was notable and dear, the narrative
records his advent one day when the two
little boys, Pohnty and Bud. CARRIED for
a holiday, were going back to Noeys house
with him:
And by the time that each
Had one of Noey's Misunderstanding their
speech
And coyy anxious. in their rev attire,
To wake the comment of their mute de-
Noey seemed rendered voiceless. Quite a
They watched him furtively. He seemed to
smile
AS though he would conceal it: and they
Him look away. and his lips purse and
In curious. twitching spasms, as though he
Be whispering-wh in his eye the white
Predominated strangely. Then the spell
Gave. way, and his pent speech burst audi
"They WIZ two stylish little boys.
and they wuZ mighty bold ones.
Had two new pairs o hritcheS made
out o their daddy's old ones."
Old friends of the poet at Greenfield. Ind.
ever remind the visitor, when talk turns to
Riley. of the celebrated Bear Story he used
to recite in child dialect in his amateur
days on the rostrum- At this period in his
life prophets were divided to whether
"Jim'' Riley was a born poet born
actor. and the recital of the Bear Story
Admit help to settle the controversy: so
they at last agreed that he was both
euperlatively both. In the minds of his
friends fate had little choice when it
brought Riley to the forks of the road-the
way led to ultimate success in either direc-
ton: to the stage or to the world of poesy.
Many time since has this same Bear
story been told by the poet. and many a
laugh has it aroused, all at the plight of
the little boy who was freed by a bear. and
had to stay all night in sycamore tree,
and didn't have anything to eat but the
apples he picked off this self-same treas
the little boy relates it. For the first time
this inimitabie story in child dialect, and
now in verse, makes it's appearance in
print.
the Hired Man ana the nireo girl,
.sFloretty'' are sweethearts, and his humor,
capricious raiIlery and homespun love-rak-
ing are altogether delightful. He has this
to say of Floretty's sperience" in the
kitchen:
-"Speakin' o. bread
When she come here to i've The Hired
Man said
.Never ben out o. Freeport fore she come
Up hereof course she needed 'sperience
some
Gu ore day when yer Ma was goin' to set
The risin' fer some bread she sent Fiorett'
To bofry leaven, Fcrost at Ryans'-So
She went and asked fer twelve.--She didn't
know,
But thought, whatever 'twuz. that she
could keep
One fer herse'f, she said. 0 she wuz deepw
Gathered in the sitting-room in the even