Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-09

many of the ronances, but after all. that
s,annot be helped The strenuosity of the
heroes and hcroincs. not TO mention tlleir
"reminiscences and cnivalry, could not well
ne iinned scve on sombre background
There is something Intensely dramatic in
the first story-"The Pearls of Lo-eto." 1t
the tale Of q lover,-a fierce, inpetuous.
zlntractablc lever who ROBBED the shrine
Of the Virgin and killed a priest In order
that he might secure the gems his haugh-
" lady demanded. The other stories give
the reader on mixing OF their contents
by the titles they hear. They are: THE
Ears Of Twenty Americans, he wash
Tub Mail" The Conquest 3f Donna ia
cooa,' - Ramble with Eulogia,' The
isle Of Skulls THE Head OF d Priest"
La Pcrdida," "Lukari's Story" Natalie
lvaniloff.' "a Memory of Fort Ross.
The Vengeance OF Padre Arroyo The
Sells Of San Gabriel. WHEN the Devil
was Well E. r. G.
THE BOOK OF JOYOUS CHILDREN
James Whitcomb Riley. illustrated by
]. w. Vawter Charles Scribner's Sons.
New York.
For sale here by the Bell Book and
Stationery Company.
In this work we have the pratting of
babes and the !isping of Stockings set to
-hythmic music and when we open Its
pages we forthwith enter the realm OF
children Mr.. Ri!eys charm as q diaier'
poet has perhaps overshadowed his repu
alton as a writer of juvenile verses
hough his ability in the last-narled direc-
ion is great and almost unique Nearly
everybody attempts to write poetry for,
children and nearly everybody makes q
failure of it. Something more than mere
L. cd fnr tl,:c artak king
indeed we know Of nothing more difficult
The writer ambitious for fame among on,
little ones must he a master of the pSy-
biology of children as we'll as of the sim
oier methods OF versifica lions. He mus
know what the youngsters want: he must
understand their minds and their intelec-
ual limitations; he must abandon hope
OF pleasing adults as well as infants-iE
short he must think as child James
Whitconb Riley does this-at least most
Of the poems in this vo.ume show tina:
he has done it. though we ca plainly see
where he occasionally steps aside anf at
empts to amuse the grown folks And
that he does anause US with these digres
sions we do not deny. for few sweeter
songsters than he have ever sung ir
America In the more serious verses
there is unbounded humor and pathos
that racks the heart. but when in the
nursery we love best those poems which
forthwith attract the attention of our
little ones. The very Joy of our children
is conta gious when we read these seiec-
tons and it is for them that we are
chiefly grateful to Mr.. Riley.
No comment on this book would be com
plete without some allusion to the pic
lures by Mr.. Vawter. Both his line aud
wash dra wings show an exceptional de-
gree of skill. not only as a delineator Of
children, but as an interpreter of the
text
The poems we give below are fair sa m
pies Of the verses In this volume. The
first, besides being onamatopoetic. has
Just the right sort of ring for children
Read 1t carefully and then try it on your
young folks. Here 1t is:
When Dicky was sick
In the night. and the clock.
AS he listened. said Tick
Atty-tick-ally-tock.
He said that IT said,
Every time 1t said Tick,
1t said Sick" instead,
And he HEARD 1t say Sick"
And when II said '.TicA-
Atty-tick-a tty-tock,"
He said it said Sick
Atty-sick- atty-sock!
And he tried to SEE then.
But the light was too dim,
Yet he HEARD 1t again
And twas TALKING to him.
And then 1t said Sick
Atty-sck- atty-sick!
You poor little Dick
Atty-Dick-atty -Dick!
Have YOU got the nick
attjoS? Hi Send ,or Tc~
To hurry up quick
observation-disclosures
And heat hot brick
Atty-bCick- atty-brock.
And rickle-ty wrap It
And clicke-ty clap it
Against his cold feet
AI-ty-weep-aty-
THERE he goes. slapit-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
But here are some lines which, ever,
thought not lofty In sentiment, will APP
peal to the toddiers:
Our dog Fred,
Eft the bread.
Our dog Dash
Et the hash.
Our dog Pete
Et the meat.
| Our dog Davy.
ct the gravy.
Our dog Toffy,
Et the coffee.
Our dog Jake
ct the cake.
| Our dog Tip
Et the dip
And-the worst
From the first
Our dog Fido
/ ~ tne pie dough
| The foIlowing-fTon a child's VIEW
| points as musical as Poe's Annabe! LIE.
| as full OF action as Anthony Hopes Pr
t soner Of Zenda'' and as lofty II sentimen
! as Millions Paradise Lost"
| a daring prince. OF the realm Rangs
Dhune.
! Once went up in a big balloon
/ That caught ana stuck On the horns
the moon.
And he hung up there til next day noon
When all ST once he exclaimed, loot
toGt"'
/ An then came down II his parachute
of NO. kfr