Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-05

tho heads Of Annals Of the Poor, Hoosier
Verse, Character Sketches and Rhymes
of Childhood.
AN INTERESTING CAREER.
Mr.. Riley is a younger man. perhaps,
than most people suppose. but his career
has been an interesting one. He was born
in Greenfield. Ind. about forty-aye years
ago. Both on his fathers and on his
mothers side he is descended from an
Cestry OF character and ability his mo-
theirs people. especially. being remark
able for those qualities of sympathy.
sensibilty, tender heartedness. humor.
&C. which his poetry indicates that he
himself possesses in large degree. "A a
boy he lived TO the full the bOy-life char
acteTistic Of the country village OF the
West OF the last generation. And in the
fields. the lanes. the fence corners. the
roadsides, the "cricks." the "swimmin'-
holes" &c. that boy-life affected, he en-
toyed the advantages Of an education
that was much more agreeable 10 him,
and that has proved much more valuable
10 him than any he ever obtained at
school. I'm fact, he was but an Indifferent
school pupil-tO put the matter even mild
~ His father wished him TO become a
lawyer. as he himself was. But the ma
ture-lover had no desire for law or any
a trade" Accordingly. he was "appren-
ticed to an old Dutchman," who was
sign-painter.
WENT OUT TO PAINT SIGNS.
Finally he concluded that he would
read law with his father" But Il didn't
seem 10 get anywhere. Forgot as dill
gently as 1 read" Then one day patent
medicine doctor happened to come along
The man had q nice rig and two fine
horses. and young Riley craved permits
sion TO go along with him and paint his
advertisements for him." The permits
sion was granted and Il rode out OF town
behind those horses without saying word
10 any one" In short he ran away from
home. Riley remained with the doctor
for a year. in which he travelled about
through many States.
Having returned homo from his patent
medicine sign-painting adventures ne
Organized what he called a business eX-
petition on my own account lie got
together four or five young fellows IKE
himself-"all musical" "all hardy falnt-
ers " zone" he says. could whistle IKE
a nightingale. Another sang like an
angel. Another played the banjo Rilcy
himself "scuifled with the Viohn ana
the guitar" The Graphic Company -
this was its name-would invade Town
and capture it by music and swell gar
ments. I'VE dressed loud. You could
bear our clothes an incalculable distance"
Then they would make bargain with
leading firm in the place-the hignas EST bid
dor tbev could get-to paint the firms adj
vertisements on all the roads leading TO
tho town
ENTERED UPON LITERARY LIFE.
lie finally entered a newspaper office in
Anderson. Ind. and began his literary
career by writing humorous rhymes as
"advertising locals "doggerel." he call
ed them, but we may be sure among
them shone many a spark 81 lrue genius.
AT the same time he wrote many rhymes. |
with the serious intention of having them. |
if possible, recognized rs poems. But he
could not get them published. Even COM |
positions whose worth he had tested |
those that would please people when ia |
stand up and read EN- TO th-n'-'would |
be returned promptly Ly every magazine |
TO which he offered them for publication.
But HOOsier dialect was TOO Tow down
for the average magazine editor
Finally. in a freak of bOyish indlgna-
tion-to prove that what editors reaily
wanted was not originality, out lmltd-
i0n-he devised the scheme or wrluns
poem I'm imitation OF Poe. and OF paiming
Il off on tho public as real poem OF
Poo's recently discovered. Inc schehe
was very skilfully planned. ana very
leftIy executed and successful beyond
.nything the clever deviser Of IT had ever
dreamed From ore end of the country
o the other "Ieonainie' was hailed as
irritable "fnd"-a bit Of genlus's most
,enuine ore Riley had his revenge. He
,ad some trouble, however, In proving
hat he was not an intentional forger.
Je lost his newspaper position. but i'm
nediatsly got another and better one
m the Indianapolis Journal come ana
indale the editor The turn in the tide 1
'ad come Soon appeared On 1888 THE
,IS swImminhole" and "'Leven More
,oens." Indiana recognized her own.
he "Hoosier Poet was acclaimed by ms
omnatrIots everywhere. But when. IN
RIG the volume In prose and verse ap- .