The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-08
Topeka Audience of 1900 De-
lighted With Hoosier Poet.
Recited His Poems in His In
imitable Manner.
KEPT'IN GOOD HUMOR.
Listeners We're Bubbling Over
With Laughter.
Mr.. RiIey's Dislike for Railroad
Travel.

James Whitcomb Riley talks through
his nose. a little like William Allen
White, and he acts somewhat like
Stuart Robson. The 2,7O0 people at the
Auditorium last night enjoyed his read
tngs thoroughly although it was at
times quite difficult to hear. Mr.. Riley
himself complained about the size of
the hall. When called out for an en-
core before his closing number he said:
"I'H have to throw myself on your
mercy, because my voice is all dragged
out. The requirements of the hall are
rather severe, and l must rest a little
before my closing number which is
quite long" Mr.. Riley thanked the
audience profusely for it's evident annre-
citation of his work.
Governor Bailey introduced Mr.. Riley
last night and he did it we'll For an
hour or so before the show, the governor
was calling on the distinguished author
at the Throop. When Riley was told
mat the governor was planning to call
on him. he said:
We'll, after I get something to eat,
and a bath, and a shave, and couple of
hours rest, 1 guess the governor will
ma me to be an amiable sort of a cuss,"
Riley left for Wichita on the mid
night train. A Topeka man who had
assisted in the management of the
show at the Auditorium said to him
while he was making his preparations
to leave:
row, Mr.. Riley, and get a good nights
sleep here?'
Young man. said Mr.. Riley whose
dislike for railway travel is proverbial,
II have found by experience that if
can get on Pullman car and lose a
couple of hours in sleep, I am just that
far ahead of these railway hounds
Riley started the first laugh last
night when he came to that verse of
his opening selection, Thoughts fer
the ToiSP0fIrq Srnd Fla - which
as follows:
''They's been a heap O. rain, but the
suns out today,
"And the clouds of the wet spell is all
cleared away,
''And the woods is all the greener, and
the grass is greener still;
at may rain again to-morry, but
don't think it WILL
There doesn't seem to be anything
especially funny in that, but it was the
way the poet drawled it out; you would
have thought it was the old Indiana
farmer himself who was talking
Riley's nasal twang seems to be part
of his stock in trade; at any rate, it
fits many Of his best poems admirably
AS a second number, Mr. Riley gave
"Tradin' joe the story of the rich old
stockman who with his friend Marshall
Thomas, sets out to marry the Widow
Gray while Mr. Thomas courts the
widows daughter.
An enthusiastic encore brought Mr.
Riley again on the stage, and he recited
the story of the man who tries to tell
funny story. You can't kill him, so
you have to listen to him." said Mr..
Riley in explanation
The next selections were "Out to Old
Aunt Mary'S'' and Down to the Capt.
tal," and as an encore, Mr.. Riley, gave,
by request, IAN Old Sweetheart of
Nine
Next came the famous peanut story
a prose selection which gives Mr.. Riley an
opportunity to show his great inperSOn-
alton powers He took Off, the Boston
school teacher with his bombast and POM
posity in a manner which kept the audi
ence in continuous whirl of laughter.
Most of the people in the audience prob
ably considered this the star number of
the programme.
The closing number was devoted to a
selection from several children's poems,
closing with that famous little gem, Lit
tie Orphan Annie, or. as it is more gen.
orally called The GoDun Will Catch You
If You Don't Watch Out" Mr.. Riley'S
rendition of this oft-recited poem was
matchIess.
Sandwiched in between Mr. Riley's num-
bers on the programme were vocal solos
by George NJ. Champion, man whom
the programme called a basso- cantante.
MI Champion has fair voice, but it was
not suited to the requirements of the Au-
ditorIum and his part of the programme
One of the most entertaining features of
the programme were the short descriptive
and Introductory talks which preceded
each selection. They served to give the
audience Mr.. Riley's own idea of some
of his famous characters.
While on the stage Mr.. Riley has a Pc
culiar little mannerism which seems to
TT in very well with most of his verse.
He likes to stroke his chin with his thumb
and first finger. Whenever he was not
using his hand for gesturing he had one
Of them busily at work on his chin. Per-
hays that's the way they do in Indiana
Mr.. Riley was attired in evening dress
with a white vest. Governor Bailey wore
a Prince Albert.