Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-16
JAMES wAIrcoMs RILEY.

This day, the anniversary OF our
dear, loving, Joyous, singing poet
surely a most fitting occasion for
American children. or children any
where to celebrate!
In our house few days go by that we
do not cheer ourselves with the read
ing of his happy verses. r &c.,.
Something there Is somewhere IN
the magic volumes to touch, the mood
of the hour ..s-. r..' -
1t is some II years since sat by
the poets side and talked Familiarity
with him, and he is now az he was
not then, an old man. -. = =
But once in q while he sends me a
letter with all the old warmth and
friendliness. :, Shortly after his severe
illness or few years ago, In answer
to my note of regret, his private seere-
| tary wrote: j., - H..
mr.. Riley was delighted to hear
| from you again-and wishes me to tell
you Whist pleasure your letters give
him, and return the old greetings to
you. AS you know, he cannot use
the pen and make you the reply he SO
much desires to send.H+ :" Since then
the poet has gradually improved b
health at his home and under Florida
| palms, 80 that he now feels as we'll
f"as he ever did in his life" q
The terrible war must be q source
of great. grief to him, for he cannot
bear. to hear OF sorrow and suffering
in others, His heart lis as tender as q
child's., .$lsF .-%z .,'s-e.:S = 80 ~
He told me once that In order to
avoid disagreeable news he never read
newspapers and what ! see N a recent
sketch The told me, that he eseheWs
political talk and, knows absolutely
nothing of world AFFAIRS. 81 80. 80
When Mr.. Ware, John Clark Ridpath
and myself talked one evening about
1.-THE Hawaiian revolution, Mr.. Riley sat
Eby taking no part In the conversation.
Afterwards he laughed and said to
Enie: "It's all Greek to me. Ignorance
of these matters saves me. from dis.
1 tressful paftizanship." !.
/ To some of your readers the follow
ing clipped from S The Pacific Unitari.
Ian OF Nosernber 1sfl, nlax.hg 6t M
lterest: E3 ~ =: IS ! sS,'
I. ."The death, of,Mr. Ware t.ItohquiiP3
/ some months. ago brings to- mind q
pleasant outing it was my privilege to
spend-with him, James Whitcumb
Riley, Myrons Reed, Frank Stanton and
J. G. Ridpath. , ~ = RI 49,. Z
"Myron 'Reed, who was minister, of
the People church. or temple In lien:
yer, had come east to see to the pub,
location of his new book, Temple
Talks :. ~ Xxx = .
81 sat with him on the veranda of
our lodge until the wee sma, hours
one night to hear him tell me all about
his intimate association with Riley,
whom he discovered in a literary
way. Riley's manuscripts which were
at first refused by the publishers,
would later by these same publishers
have been purchased at fabulous
prices. Such is fame! 5
"A few months later it was my sad
duty to write Mr.. Reeds obituary for
a Boston paper, as was staying Ii
the city at the time of his death.
"Ridpath was a 'voluminous
writer " rather unliterary and care
less in his methods. l remember be
asked me about some Hawaiian
events, and when told him, he quick
ly took out his note book In reporter
style and said: Well, l had put that
down differently in my revised His
tory Of the World" 4 must change
it.
The best thing he has done is his
sketch of his friend Riley-clear, par
ticular-loving:
Dear Riley (who lies sick) was In
evidence everywhere, always happy
and smiling. He read some of his
poems, told stories and made Jokes
simple, unaffected, countryffed, If you
like
y had some heart-to-heart talks
with him about his work, his friend
Bill Nye, and other things.
'"One day he looked at me quiZzi
cally and said, You remind me Of Sol