The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-10-04

busy thorOughfares in In
EaF dianapolis is Lockerhie
S4AR street. Scarce two blocks
RTtgtH9 in length It resembles moth
FL11AzlG5S ing so much as a country
III tame. Great elm trees line
d&8 EM the sides and meet to form
S ssA ~ bower Of shade. It is
~ unpaved, for its leading
resident" does not like
paving, and when, several years ago,
-hs city council insisted that It
SHOULD be converted into a conven-
.j0ndl city street with a paving of
brick, he voiced his protest in
3snem beginning:
such a dear little street II is, nestled
away
GTJn. the noise OF the city and heat Of
Che day.
IV cool shady coverts Of whispering trees.
NSlsh their leaves lifted up 70 shake hands
with the breeze,
watch In all it's wide wanderlngs never
may meet
with resting-place fairer than Locker
Die street,
That poem has long been famous
and Lockerbie street remains as it
always was, nestled away from the
loise OF the city and heat of the day"
It's leading resident is no less a
,2erSonage than James Whitcomb Ri
ley, recognized as the greatest of liv-
EE American poets and whose name
- one the best known literary critics of
he world treat with a profound re-
7pect Here in Lockerbie street he
aives quietly, unostentatiously in a
large brick house that breathes the
very spirit of comfort, but which
makes no pretentions to elegance
And 20 this spot countless friends will
SFead their way on Monday, October
Z. 50 extend their congratulations and
Eeiicitauons, the occasion being the
poets birthday.
This will begin what is to be known
throughout literary circles as Riley
~eek," and which will mark the great
E.St ovation ever rendered an Ameri-
ran writer. This celebration will not
b. confined to indianapolis either. for
0Rariy every city in the United States
iilas enthusiastically taken up the
dsG and arranged exercises to be
ee5d during this week in honor of
James Whitcomb Riley. Every ono
seems anxious to pay tribute to the
man who has brought sunshine into
thousands of lives.
Only q few months ago there was
sadness in many hearts, for the word
had gone forth that Mr.. Riley had
been stricken with an illness from
E-hioh he could never recover. But
today that sadness is changed to joy,
for S9g. Riley has been spared to cele-
5raIe another birthday. He is not
1nly alive, but practically as well as
ever he was. He is always happy
and although he no longer strolls
through the Indianapolis streets as
umce be did he is still a familiar
TIgdre, and every day he takes long
rides in his big touring car. He is an
enthusiastic motorist and one of his !
principal delights is to take his |
friends Cor a spin around the city or
through the country in the vicinity Of
indianapolis.
in 1853, in the little country village /
~ reenfield-scarcely even a village |.
10 ehOse days-there was born James !
Whitcumb Riley, the son Of Reuben |
Riley, a lawyer and man known for |
his fearIessness and unconventionality, !
The boys mOther--a Marine-was a
gentle and naturally poetic woman, !
and it was from her that Riley in
derited his ability as rhymester.
The young lads life, in his earlier
years, was not marked by any unus-
aal event. His was the life common
10 boys in small towns. Beyond this, |
nothing much is known-there is |
aothing else to know. He attended |
school irregularly, more often than |
not a truant-as he himself has pic |
TIRED barefoot, Drowned by summer
Suns, happy and care-free, listening
90 a. voice no other boy could hear,
keeping his heart open and his soul
Tree-a heart and soul that have
never grown cid.
a did not go to school very much"