The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-27
AN OLD SWEETHEART OF NINE.

AN OLD SWEETHEART OF NINE.
When one begins 10 talk /, favorite and
popular poems by James Whitcomb Riley,
the list speedily becomes long. There is no
one favorite above all others. no two, no
ten. But il seems altogether probable that
no person in making out such a list for HIM
self would omit An Old Sweetheart or,
as many know it better, That Old Sweet
heart Of Mine;'' or would fail to put IL
among the first. Away back in the seven
ties. when the poem made its first ap-
pearance in the columns Of the Indian
apolis Journal, IL attracted immediate at
~tention, was copied far and wide and
added much TO the growing fame Of the
then but little known young writer. Later,
when the poet went upon the platform he
included this production in his repertory
and IL came to pass that when he did not
name IL in any given programme the
audiences called for IL. Though they had
heard 1t once. they wished to hear il again.
and yet again. There was that in the
blending OF gentle humor. pathos and senti-
ment that caught the common fancy, and
few OF Mr.. Riley's admirers but find
stanzas Of the sweet. old poem lingering
in their memory.
To dream the old dreams over is a luxury divine
sweetheart of mine.
And again I feel the pressure of her slender
As we used TO talk together Of the future we had
When / should be a poet. and with nothing else
But write the tender verses that she set the
music to.
When I should be her lover forever and a day,
And she my faithful sweetheart till the golden
And we should be so happy that when either's
lips were dumb.
They would not smile in heaven till the others
kiss had come.
But those who were acquainted with the
poem as II appears in print often had a
sense of unfamiliarity with the lines as
they were recited in the authors express
sive and inimitable style and going home.
sought the poem and reread IL In a puz-
zled way. 1t is now made known that the
version in the books differs from the one
used for recitation in that the latter in
cludes seven additional stanzas, not all at
the beginning or end, but scattered through
It. So long as he continued to use IL in his
public readings Mr.. Riley declined to per-
NIT the publication of the complete poem.
Now that he has virtually retired from the
lecture field, however. his publishers. the
Bowen-Merrll Company, have gained his
consent to its use, and have taken adj
vantage Of the privilege to issue II in a
volume by itself and in most elaborate and
decorative holiday form. The cover is de-
signed by G. Alden Pierson, the decoration
of the pages by Virginia Keep, and the
full-page Illustrations. one for each stanza,
are the work of Howard Chandler Christy.
These drawings are in delicate tints and
show the popular artist at his best. AL
together the volume Is one of the most
artistic of all the Christmas books. and
undoubtedly the handsomest ever issued
by this house.
While IL would be unfair to reprint here
all the additional stanzas. these two may
be offered simply to show how well they
keep the spirit of the original lines:
o childhood days enchanted! o the magic of the
With all green boughs to blossom white, and all
bluebirds TO sing
When all the air TO toss and quar-, made life a
And changed the chiIdren's shout and laugh to
shrieks of ecstasy.
With eyes half closed in clouds that ooze from
lips that taste, as well.
The peppermint and cinnamon. I hear the old
And from recess romp in again from Black
mans broken line
To-smile. behind my reader. at that old sweet
heart OF mine.
The book bears this graceful dedication:
Inscribed to George C. Hit, the begin
ming OF whose steadfast friendship was
marked by the first publication of these
verses which now. expanded by writer,
honored by publisher, and masterfuliy
graced by artist, seem to be a worthier
symbol of the authors grateful and affec-
tomato regard for his earliest friend"
The fortunate possessors OF copies of the
first edition of Mr.. Riley's first book-the
tiny volume entitled
The Old wimmin Hole and Leven More
Poems'-will recall in this connection that
II bears as its publishers imprint the name,
George c.. Hit"
The volume will be ready for the public
next week and will undoubtedly be In great
demand.