The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-06
HooSIER POET ON STRIKE.
Mr.. Eimore Warned by james whitc,mb
Riley to Beware of the Publishers.

CRAwFoRDsvILLE. Ind. June "a fewniles
from this city. the Athens OF Indiana. there
lives In the village OF Alamo. a poet. Jams II.
Elmore by name. just before James Whit
comb Riley made his tour to the East, nmore
had conference with him at indianapolis
about the best method OF dealing with iniqu-
tous publishers. On his return. Elmue said
that Riley had agreed with him that II twas i'm
possible to get a fair royalty from publisher
1t was better for the poet to keep hi, sacred
product TO himself. Further than this Elmore
and Riley had & long talk about tie great
poets. Elmore said. Elmore was torn and
brought up in Alamo. and he has neer jour
neyed far away. In relating the story OF his
trip to Indianapolis he said:
l didn't get a publisher. because he best
could do was to get an offer OF 10 percent. and
you bet I'm not going to give the chlren OF my
phenomenal fancy to the world for the fun OF
the thing. II cant get a fair royIty. as the
other great poets get l will keep nv poems to
myself. 1now have seventy eight POEMS all
first class. and novel ready for tn, publisher.
My poems are Just about tho arttb. Poetry
writing comes natural TO me. and Al have to
do is to sit down and grind 1t out. lhave won
derful imagination. and don't rave to see
what write about. l wrote tina good poem
on the Monon wreck without evr seeing the
wreck.
"Of course. I haven't the advantages that
Longfellow and Bryant had. md II could
travel like they did would be al right. I have
fooled around with the Democntic party In the
hope OF getting some office that would let me
get out. but so far haven't succeeded. Long
fellow went over the blue ocea seven times at
the Governments expense sc 1t Is no wonder
that he is good at poetry writing. II they
would send me around that way could do the
same
ena b called on James ThsSSomS hIey and
h hIs n He was pleased and ave me some vaq,
for he said: Make 'em siR their names for It
PEI before You publish It. or wien the book is out
there myself and know Ito dashetes !"
That good poem on tie Mopon wreck"to
Teh an h aesdens nss wtsSp The ss
printed 10 one OF the loca papers. The poem
begins thus:
The train 10 coming yo.der near,
bsn Sss p s SasE tb Gssr
Ready for the steppin on.
signal waved Gays al is we'll,
And now we hear heparting bell.
The engineer opes. tb steam chest throes.
Then swifter than a art she goes.
r, Mile after mile the trdn speeds along Sugar
Creek Bridge is passd and then comes the
wreck:
She strikes against broken rail.
When all the cars does derafli
And down they plnge into the deep.
depth Of more tan sixty feet.
She rolled over tut fore and aft,
The occupants tuning justlike shaft
Before she reachs this moVrnful place,
Where each the thers soul embraced.
silence fell upn the crew,
As II they knewlot what TO do.
Then came sad md lAmenting cries,
From wreck @ cars az thick as flea.
The descriptionof the wreck and the painful
through
stanZas. and concludes as follows
But there the,lay on the crimson snow,
Their hearts lave ceased to ebb and dov.
Quite as coldks . frozen chunk
With a lady sheart upon . stump.
Aud yonder n the wreck SEQ
A man that fpinioned down by tho knee
And hear hin calmly for to say,
Cut, oh Gu my leg away |"
This is one q the poems which Mr.. Elmore
expects will I've after him. He does not pro-
pose to give Up to the publishers. and he de-
clares that this world viii not have long to wait
before his n~el and his poetry will be pub
lished. In tho meantime he Is making ready
for the haryet on his farm.