The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
HOW CARMAN MET RILEY
THEY WE'RE INTRODUCED By A MU-
TUAL FRIEND IN WASHINGTON.
Later Mr.. Carman Wrote q Poem Ex-
pIaining the situation-The East
ern Mans Appearance.

Bliss Carman, poet, critic, litterateur,
wbo visited Indianapolis last week TO de-
liver a lecture at Butler College, confessed
IN a representative OF the Journal that
this was his first trip west of Hoboken,
but he made the admission so ingenuously
and with such a matter-of-fact air as to
rob the reporter of half the Joy at round
ing I'D a real New York literary lion so far
from his native jungle. 1t did not seem to
occur TO him that there was any cause for
surprise at his provinciality. although Mr..
Carman would doubtless be torn by min
eled feelings of establishment and commits
seration should he meet an Indiana man In
New York who confessed that he was maxi
ing his first trip east of Brightwood.
us this your first visit to Indianapolis? ''
Mr.. Carman was asked.
.'Oh. yes, this Is my first trip west of
Hoboken," was his reply. and then the poet
changed the subject lightly.
Later in the conversation the reporter re-
verted to the subject with the question,
did 1 understand you to say that this is
really your first trip west of Hoboken?"
Well" replied Mr.. Carman, that is not
quite literally true, but it is practically so.
/ have been down to Washington frequent
" and have run down South from there,
but 1 have not strayed far from my beaten
paths in New York. the Catskills and the
seashore. One falls into a rut easily, you
know"
The first most striking thing about Mr.. Car
man is his personal appearance; the second
is the way his personality bellies his ap-
pearance- Without the slightest intention
Of discourtesy 1t must be said that Mr.. Car
man does not look like other men. Tall
slender. erect and dressed to accentuate
his height; beardless face, large mouth
prominent nose. large brown eyes shaded
by spectacles with thick lenses and a great
mat of dark brown hair, parted in the mid
die, curling over his ears and hanging low
over his collar; clad In dress clothes, with
a long black overcoat, lay-down collar.
flowing black bow tie Of the little-boy-
r-Sunday-schooI pattern If not
color, and topped off with a soft black hat
with fat, round crown, Mr.. Carman was
the cynosure of all eyes as he entered the
lobby of the Denison Wednesday night on
his return from Irvington. The reporter
was waiting for Mr.. Carman; he had never
seen him before and could not recall that
he had ever seen his picture but he did
not need the assistance of the hotel clerk to
find his man-there was the poet beyond
peTadventure of a doubt
NOTHING OUT OF ORDINARY.
Now in New York. in literary Bohemia,
Mr.. Carman's appearance may be nothing
cut of the ordinary, there may be lots of
him there. but in the center of Hoosierdom
he was greeted with frank Hoosier stares,
and the equally frank "who-when- what %
in ha
DORIS However. Mr.. Carman was all I'M
conscious of the unusual interest he created
and there was nothing sufficiently obvious
in the attentions he received to embarrass
him.
Frankly and without, equivocation, Mr..
Carman looked the part of the literary
genius or freak that the humorous
weeklles have made so familiar. In the
grill room, where he kindly insisted that
the reporter partake of his hospitality. he
was found to be modest, unassuming gen.
tleman. without the least affectation,
ready to meet the interviewer more than
half way, but disinclined to talk of him.
self of his work.
THE invitation to come out here was
wholly surprise to me-" he said, las ]
do comparatively little reading or lectur-
ing, but when the letter came IL occurred
TO that Indianapolis was James Whit
comb Riley's home, and / said, Why, OF
course. I'll go there. I want to see Riley
again
"Tn never forget the occasion Of my
meeting Mr.. Riley continued Mr.. Car
man. Il had heard Of him and had read
his poetry for years, but had never met
him until one day in Washington Richard
HOvey and / ran into him on the street
Mr.. Hovey introduced me and we talked
for a little time. That night / heard Mr.
Riley give one of his inimitable readings
j afterward wrote some stanzas on my
meeting with Riley, and to-day, when ]
met him again, 1 asked him IL he had ever
seen the poem 1 wrote about him. He re-
piled in his vigorous but picturesque way,
denouncing me for writing something about
him and then not sending him a copy of It,
j did not have copy with me at the time,
but told him 1 would send him one
The poem to which Mr.. Carman alluded
and which he characterized "as true as
gospel" was written a little over a year
ago. Mr.. Carman was asked for a copy OF
it, and he gave the Journal the only one he
had, receiving the assurance that Mr.
Riley would get TO see it.
The poem tells exactly what occurred
when 1 met Mr.. Riley" said Mr.. Carman
although. of course, l have put 1t in dia.
lect because. perhaps, Mr.. Riley's humor
appears best in the vehicle he uses so eff
fectively himself"
HOW 1 NET JIM RILEY.
guess 1 growed too much.
erowed too much, guess
often think, We'll, pears to
T been better IL I'd grew less
10 know Riley? Well.
When I comes TO the reg'lar test,
OF all tn American poets
l low he's bout the best.
First time I met Jim Riley,
With that crooked smile o. his.
Was in Washington, ID. c.,
We seen that birdlike phiz
Comm along the avenue;
And my friend says, We'll by gee.
II there amt Riley!' And o course,
He introduces
Well, / was tickIed 10 death
Meetin' up that way;
But fore 1 could hunt around
Fer anything purity to say,
Riley just turned his chew.
And turned them quizzical eyes
Looked all over, and smiled,
: II he q discovered prize.
We'll you are a staiwart. amt you:"'
And he kind grinned at me;
Guess your parents used a trellis
training