The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-17
Mr.. RILEY is HERE
The eEHOosier Poet" Dimes With
Eugene Ware.
Talks Enthusiastically of His
Admiration and Friendship
FOR THE KANSAS POET
He Win be the Guest of Mr..
and Mrs. Ware
At a Supper After the Enter
tainment Th.iS Evening.

A small man with large eye glasses
a pronounced Roman nose and pleas
ing face sat at the cable in the Throop
hotel at noon today At his right sat a
tail man with iron gray hair and Of
large frame The small man was
James Whitcomb Riley and the Otner
was his friend, Eugene F. Ware, OF
Topeka The respect of Mr. Riley for
Ironquiu was apparent in every word
he uttered and after he left the table
he talked about their friendship
Il have known Mr.. Ware for many
years" said he. I was working on
the indianapolis Journal about ten
years ago. and one of our editors was
Tom Lewis, a very reticent man. lie
avoided people as much as he could,
and had little to say, and when Tom
laughed. we knew he had something to
laugh about. one day he came into
the room and told us about Mr- Hic
Jones He said it was written by a
man out in Kansas whom he did not
know and he supposed he was law
yer from the subject matter of the
poem. and greed that its author was
gifted man.
THAT was my Introduction to Iron
quill and the friendship has continued
ever since AIr Ware is excessively
modest. He is one of the few men
who has preferred to place his special
gift in the background. He lives the
every day life of a citizen and makes
his gift subject to his Wnims. Very
few gifted men are able to do that.
They must fix their attention on that
single object and all else is forgotten.
Charles A Dana was a most mar
vellous man in this respect. He al
ways insisted upon keeping abreast
with the times lie preferred to min
gle with the affairs of every day life
aud I think that he and Mr.. Ware are
the only two gifted men I ever knew
who were not dominated by their gift
They make it serve them. LongfelIow
it is true was that way to some extent
for he was a teacher for many years
but after awhile he gave that up and
gave himself entirely over to his writ
ing"
Mr.. Riley grew enthusiastic and when
he was questioned about his position in
this respect he said: 7 am trying to
do it. I am afraid. however, that I
shall never be able to succeed. I made
a failure Of the newspaper business. I
did not fill the bill. OF course wrote
poetry, more than they wanted. but I
was never able to adapt myself to civ-
cunstances- could never do what
people wanted me to do. Even now
when an editor asks me to write some
thinS ] tell him to tell me the thing
about which he does not want to have
anything written and ] viii write about
that There is that perverseness in my
nature which I can never overcome 7
am afraid"
Mr.. Riley went to bed this afternoon
ana left instructions at the hotel office
that he was not to be disturbed on any
account I should not like to offend
any one said he. but it is essential
that l should have some rest. I don't
know whether or not I am getting. old
but / cannot get along very we'll with
out an afternoon nap"
MT and Mrs. Ware viii give a supper
at the hotel this evening c0nplimentarv
to Mr.. Riley. 1t will be given after the
entertainment which will he i'm the
Crawford Opera House