The Tupelo journal., 1902-10-31
Two Hours with Riley.

Are you a lover OF hnmur, pathos
dialect, children. old folks, in short,
human nature, both sublime and ridicu-
lOus? Then you must love James
Whitcombe Riley. Do you care to be
moved first to tears and hen to smiles?
You will read Riley. Is your heart
responsive to the sweet chords of SYM
pathy. does it tang to the tune of child
hood, natural frolicsome boyhoOd and
gir1hood? You love poetry then, such
as our HOosier poet can write for us,
James Whitcombe Riley the Indian
author OF so many wonderful gems of
literature. We spent a few hours with
him, in spirit, on Saturday afternoon
last, in the home of Miss Vivian
Holmes. An exhaustive study OF the
works of this author was. of course,
impossible. Time is too short these
busy Autumn days in the country.
But we had given what golden hours
we could to preparation for the meet
ing and it seemed almost too rich a
largesse of Joy for our pains, so happy
was the result Of the afternoon.
Miss Vivian Holmes has a wonder
full talent for dialect reading, and her
rendition of Grandfather Squeers,"
U1hD IlCU ull vi uuIlOI, It's WOTUiN vi
Riley's w hearing. The Old Man
response to a toast, prose article, was
the selection OF Mrs. l.. .. Carruth who
reads ever with care, feeling, and beau
tv. On this occasion her voice lent
itself peculiarly to the above fire re-
pose. Mrs. Dixon gave an original
biography of the author which met
with much favorable comment, being
both comprehensive and finely composed
The little boys Story of the Bear, did
you ever read it? Should you have heard
| Mrs. Holmes as she told it in the poets
words you would have laughed as we
all did, until teary around the lashes.
''The Nine Little COLLINS is a most
laughable sketch, which owing to the
absense Of Miss Lora Carruth was read
by a substitute. Mrs. Goodlett feeling
ly responded to her name with 1.-The
Happy little Cripple" a pathetic piece,
not unknown to Riley's admirers who
regard it as one of his finest bits of
childish pathos. Envoy" that psalm
of poetry, the last thing in Child
Rhymes was next touchingly read by
Mrs. Belle Lilly, her voice vibrating
with rare feeling inspired by the beauti-
full lines on fire dreams.
A contest in keeping with the pro-
gram came next. fifteen authors potriats
adorned the wall, nameless and fa-
miliar-yet puzzling to all OF us in spite
of the well known faces. The Hoosier
poet himself, of course we guessed at
once, and wrote his name on the hand
kerchief %leatiet. daintily executed in pen
and ink by the hostess, but some of the
x,,,;to,x ~, 90 ,,,,ll L,,n ~. ~ lnf,,
our 0 Shakespeare could it
be? side by side with the bland counter
ance of Anthany Hope, our latter day
writer Many guessed awry on Har-
riet Beecher Stowe, but Holmes was
known to all. After the results OF the
contests were made known, a reward
gift for the most correct list was
graciously rendered by the young hos
tess,-a dainty copy Of Goldsmiths
Deserted Village finely illustrated.
The next course was Epicurean in
form, -unfermented grape juice punch
with layer cake accoinpaninents. Even
our friend the Poet would have decend-
ed to earth then, as the Bumper vas
filled and reflled with Natures gift OF
the Vintage.
Long life to thy writings, our beloved
Hoosier Poetl Long may they wave to
gladden. the hearts OF children. men,
women and youths lone touch OF
makes the whole world kin
and James Whitcombp Riley has found
that touch, and bequathed its secret to
children OF his brain.
TO Miss Vivian Holmes belongs the
praise for a most ciarning afternoon
Beautiful and talented herself, she well
knows the art OF graceful entertaining.
One of the highly honored guests pres
ant upon this o%ccssiun. was Mrs. Nat
n most winsotne, lovable little
lady, Il special friend OF the hostess.
A GUEST.