The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-29

The audience paid Mr.. Riley an un-
mistakable compliment at the close
of the programme, when utterly unlike
the manner of Scranton audiences all
the people sat still for several mo-
ments as if reluctant to waken from
the fair enchanted land into which they
had wandered. lured as were the chill
dren by the Piper Of Hamlin Town.
The musical part of the programme
was exqusitely given. Mrs. o'Brien
never sang better and the peculiarly
rich timbre OF both her voice and Miss
Timbermans seemed to melt into one
exquisite tonal harmony. Mr.. Will
liams made a most pleasing impress
sion and his solo. queen Of the Earth"
was n great triumph, Miss Richmond
accompanying with great taste and
effect. lie responded to an encore. Miss
Tmberman's contralto solo from
Samson and Delilah," with the re-
frain by Mr.. Williams, was thorough
ly enjoyed.
| James whitcomb Riley is perhaps
the sunnlest writer in America today.
He has a genial, kindly face that makes
you think of somebody you have known
before and yet somehow you can never
| pullt Itllltlllbtl NllbB bul IL IL ''iC w
be somebody you have liked His eyes
smile and sparkle through their friend
ly glasses and the blueness seems to
| retain much Of the slty-color they
caught in boyhood. He writes a cheer
| full gospel and leaves out the hard and
| bitter things of life.
Those who are familiar with the pa
thetic little touches in many Of his
1 a a i. E,,1 ff,xn
that he has known any great sorrows,
but he has said good morning" pleas
antly to the world all these years and
it has beamed pleasantly back at him.
BEST LOVED MAN IN INDIANA.
Hence it is that he is the best loved
man in Indiana today and his words
are welcomed friends in almost every
household of the land As he speaks
of THAT Old Sweetheart of Mine "The
Lost Kiss" and when Bessie Died."
in which the sentiment rings so true
and so pathetically sweet it needs a
I new adjustment of vision for the reader
to realize that Mr.. Riley has never
married and that his marvellous in
sight into the child heart and the child
life Is chiefly a vivid memory of his
own childhood, a SORT of mental re-
incarnation that preserves in clear
tonal effects the exquisite, sensitive
sub-consciousness Of the inner self to
be studied in these little people.
For some time Mr.. Riley lived with
his sister, Mrs. Eital, but in more re-
= cent years he has had home with
friends in Indianapolis, in the dearly.
+ loved "Lockerbie Street." familiar in
| 10 pf hof Io Il IL
best work late at night, and those
who know him closest are familiar
= with the strange, brilliant psychica
metamorphosis which he seems to ex'
perence at these times.
Mr.. Riley's description of the history
of his poem "Leonainie" is funny il
the extreme. 1t will be remembered
that he deliberately put up a job" OF
the editor of an Indiana paper, aver
ring that his poem by that name wa
, one of Edgar A. Poe's, accidental.
! discovered. The scheme worked be
, yond his widest antcipations, ant
= even to this day. although the SAT-
. poem is now incorporated in his owl
= works, certain wise critics speak o
it as a true type of the erratic geniu
;. of that meteor OF literature. Poe. l
= proved to the editor conclusively tha
= Riley was a real poet, fact whic
:. he had hitherto doubted. But whic
, the world at large has accepted with
out reserve.
: RECEPTION AT SCRANTON CLUE
y After the reading at the Lyceum NJ
Riley was entertained at the Scranto
club by the members of the phys
= clans Club"
;, DR.. u. A. Capwell presided at til
:, dinner in the absence of DR.. q. l
. Murray, president of the club, who we
=, detained on account of illness. TT
guests were: ]. Whitcomb Riley, Re
:, s. c. Logan. Mayor-elect Moir, F.
; Barker and DR. Kennedy. Members
= the Physicians club present W err
- Doctors Frey, Van Sickle, Keller,Gatc
.. Gardner, Williams. Rea, Barnes, Col
= nell, Logan, Paine, Gunster, OB"ie
-" Smith, Fulton and Capwell.
Speeches were made by Mr.. Rile
Captain Moir Dr. Logan and others.