Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-10-07
ALL INDIANA IS
IN CELEBRATION
Governor Of State Makes Special Re-
quest That People Observe Birth
dag Of James W. Riley.

Indianapolis. Ind. oct James
Whitcomb Rley's 62nd birthday came
today. and. just 10 make it more mem
orable than any that has preceded it,
the entire state joined him ia ceIe-
bratug st.
This gear was picked for hou0rIng
H rhe poet because the citizens Of Iudj-
ana wished to pay him tribute while
he would be fully able 20 take part in
and enjoy il. In addition 10 the weight
of years Wr. Riley has felt the bur
. den Of lil health. He has reached that
f.. season of his life when the frost is
On the punEin'. an the folders in the
shock" and the state of his birth and
lifelong residence felt that It didn't
want 10 delay longer the complete
and formal expression of its love for
him.
. Governor Samuel M. RaIst0u recent
. Iy issued q proclamation asking every
! community in the state to set aside
the dag for the honoriug of "Iadiana's
most beloved citizen" His plan was
TO have business suspended as much
. as possible. The proclamation is be-
I ing generally observed in every city,
/ town and village, from Indianapolis
/ down to Greenfield, where Mr- Riley
/ was born, and Carleton, the tiny ham
let. under the name of Talbot. the
praise Of which the poet sang with
the lines.
. You kin boast about yer cities. and
their stiddy growth and size,
4 And brag about yer county-seats, and
I business enterprise,
+ And railroads. and factories, and ali
zich f0oIerv-
But the little town q. Talbot is big
4 enough fer me-"
4 Greenfield took particular interest
+ In the celebration Many Of its older
inhabitants rememb ered James Whit
comb Riley as q little boy, unknown
/ to the world except as the son Of Cap
tain Reuben Riley. a highly respected
citizen Also # recalled that it is
situated 0u the banks of the Brandy
wine. the little stream whose joys the
poet cbronicLed iu 9TH Old Swimmin'
Hole" and of which ne had said. that.
wandering UP and down it. he had
more fuu to the square inch than ever
anywhere"
Governor RalstoH. Mayor Joseph =. /
Bell, Charles Warren Fairbanks. MeT-
edith Nicholson and George Ade had
charge of the celebration i'm Indian
apols la order to lend nation wide /
interest i'm it. they invited celebrated
persons from all over the county to
attend. Many accepted.
William Allen White came from EN- (
pOria. kan. DR. John IT. Finley and (
Colonel George Harvey from New
York, Ellery sedgwich from Boston, (
and Young F. Allison from Louisville, .
ky. to help honor Mr.. Riley.
The list Of Indiana citizens taking
part in the celebration is big In ad- .
ditjOU to the members of the commit
tee of arrangements. there were for (
mer Senator Albert J. Beveridge, Sen /
ator Kern. Vice President Marshall, /
and others.
The program Of the day called for (
an entertainment ia d local theatre /
in the afternoon and e banquet at +.
which Mr Riley was to be the guest /
of honor iu the evening Il was ex-
Becte6 that the poet would read new
poem at the banquet
At the entertainment. several of Mr
Ejtey's poems, including The Rag
gedy Man" and Little Orpbant An
mic" were set to music by Ward
Stephens Dancers from Anna Paw
Iowa's company Interpreted a number
Of the verses
Hundreds who had hoped to attend
the banquet this evening Will be dis
appointed The committee in charge
has been compelled to reject scores
OF appeals for accommodations. rs
there are seats for but 400 Former
Vice President Charles w Fairbanks
will be toastmaster.
The coming of his birthday in Octo-
Der has a peculiar happiness for Mr.
Riley. he said the other day It is
his favoFite month. as ne attests in his /
poem. Old October" In it he says.
r. II love Old October so.
7 cant bear to see her go
Seems 10 me like I0siu' some
0ld-h0me relative er Chum-
Pears like sort O. settin by
Some old friend at sigh By sigh
Was a-passin' out O. sight
Into everIastin' night"
James Whitcomb Riley was born at
Greenfield, Ind, Oct 7, 1853, the son
OF Captain Reuben A. Riley and Eliza
beth Riley. He first began c0ntribu-
tons to Indiana papers in 1873. His
dialect poems brought him his great
est fame His first book appeared /
under the pen-name, BENZ. F. John
son Of Boone" Among his best known
poems are Little Orphant Annie"
The Raggedy Man" "Leedle Dutch
Baby. Tn Old Swimmin' Hole An
Old Sweetheart o Nine" and How
John Quit the Farm"
WeITingtop,s Coolness