The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-10-07
All Indiana Joins in CeIebration of
Sad Birthday Of Popular Au.
thor, Whose Face is
Wreathed in Smiles
MANY N0TABLES
ATTEND BANQUET
Fellow Writers Of Fame and Public
Men Of Note Participate 10
Program; Hero will
Read New Poem
By United Press.


indianapolis, Oct. when James
Whitcomb Riley climbed out Of bed
on the second floor of his roomy. old.
fashioned brick house, deep in the
shadows of dreamy old Lockerbie
street today he found all Hoosierdom
bowing and scraping at him in smiling
recognition of his sixty-second years
beginning.
Lockerbie street is a little rustic
village highway. with rambling old
trees and battered brick walks lining
its dusty ribbon of road Riley never
wanted it improysa. He had to write
poem of just how he felt about it
to keep the councilmen from fixing 1t
all up. His other protests went un-
needed, but the poem saved the day,
and this instant, though the modern
city sweeps in macadam lines and sky
scraped visage out in all directions
from 1t, Lockerbie street is still, ana
doubtless will remain-just Lockerbie
street.
Not far over the hills from the city
lies the Little Town o. Tail Holts and
few miles further on is TIL Old
Swimmin Hole. On country roads
down through the state you might. II
you searched right well. find cross
roads signs, merchants legends
daubed on rough boards, relics Of those
long gone days when Jimmy Riley
rambled over the hills and far away.
Today the world bows low to James
Whitcomb Riley, "The Hoosier Poet;
and genial smile such as no one In
the world but Riley ever could con-
coct, wreathes his great big. boyish
face and-well, it just all seems
mighty good.
Children in every township of
ninety-two counties recited Riley
poems and heard stories Of the man
whose fame has overtaken him while
he yet lives.
Indianapolis was the gathering place
Of thousands of Riley's admirers.
Notable men of letters came far from
all directions to honor natures poet
A busy day was outlined for Riley.
Some doubt was expressed that he
could follow the program without Sc
verely taxing his strength, which has
broken in recent years. This morning
Riley visited schools here where the
children had been drilled in many
pretty honors to him. Riley made no
secret of the fact that he treasured the
tribute paid him by the children.
Favorite Riley poems were for the
first time interpreted in dancing and
music. At the Murat theatre IAN
Afternoon With Riley" was produced
quite ambitiously Little Orphan
Annie" The Circus Day Parade" and
other favorites we're interpreted By
young women of the social set.
The banquet at the claypool this
evening in Riley's honor will be repre-
sentative -Four hundred invitations
we're sent out
The list of speakers for tonight In
cludes William Allen White OF EN-
poria. Kans., who will tell Of THE
Day We Celebrate; John H. Finley.
commissioner of education of the state
of New York; George Ade, Young =.
Allison of Louisville; Albert ]. Bever-
idge: Senator John w. Kern; Vice.
President Thomas R. Marshall; Ellery
Sedgwick, editor of Atlantic Monthly
and Col. George Harvey, Charles
Warren Fairbanks will be toastmaster.
Riley had been hoping for lots OF
sunlight and high temperature today.
This, he said, has been most out
rageous summer. Il haven't been able
to get up a perspiration but twice"
Riley dislikes cold weather. He
spends his winters in Florida. He Is
not writing now either for the hand
that served him so well SO long Is
''mullish,"
"And poems can't be dictated. you
know"
However. he did write new poem
for today, and will read Il tonight.