The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-07
SIGNAL HONOR TO HOOSiER POET BY
 STATE OF INDIANA
Business Men, Poets and Writ CTS of Nation Wide Prom thence Dine James
 Whitconb Riley.

1 Indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 7-James Whitcomb Rt1ey's sixty second birth 1 day came today, and, just to, make it more memorable than any that has preceded it, the entire state joined | him in celebrating it.
 This year was picked for honoring the poet because the citizens of In- 1 diana wished to pay him tribute while | he would be fully able to take part in 1 and enjoy it. In addition to the weight of years, MT. Riey has felt the burden of ill health. He has reached that season of his life when the frost is on the punkin', an the folders in the shock and the state of his birth and lifelong residence felt that 1t didn't want to delay longer the com plete and formal expression of it's love for him. Governor Samuel M Ralston re- gently issued a proclamation ascking every community in the state to set aside the day for the honoring of 'Indiana's most beloved citizen His plan was to have business suspended as much as possible. The procIama- ton is being generally observed in every city, town and village, from Indianapolis down to Greenfield, where MT. Riley was born, and Carle- ton, the tiny hamlet, under the name of Tailbolt, the praise of which the. poet sang with the lines: You kin boast about yer cities, and
 their stiddy growth and size, And brak about yer county -seats,' and
 business enterprise, And railroads. and factories, and all
 sich foolery- But the little Town O TailhoIt is big
 enough for me!''
 Greenfield took particular interest in the celebration. Many of it's older inhabitants remembered James Whit comb Riley as a little boy, unknown to the world except as the son of Cap tain Reuben Riley, a highly respected citizen. Also it recalled that it is sit uated on the banks of the Brandy wine, the little stream whose joys the poet chronicIed in t@Th' Old Swirnnqin' Hole," and of which he had said, that, wandering up and down it, he had more fun to the square iEch, than ever anywhere
 Governor Ra1ston, Mayor Joseph F. | Bell, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Mer- edith Nicholson and George Ade had | charge of the celebration in Indian apolis. In order to lend nation wide | interest to it, they invited celebrated | persons from all over the country to | attend. Many acceped.
 William Alien White came from | Kas.; pr. John H. Finley | and Colonel George Harvey from New | York; EIlery Sedgwich from Boston | and Young F. Allison from Louisville, | Ky. to help honor MT. Riley. sn
 The list of Indiana citizens taking | part in the celebration is big. In ad- | dition to the members of the com nnittee of arrangements, there were l former Senator Albert J. Beveridge, | Senator. Kern, Vice President Mar shall and others.
 ! The program of the day called for an entertainment in a local theatre in | the afternoon and a banquet at which | MT. Riley was to be the guest of honor | in the evening. It was expected that the poet would read a new poem at | the banquet
 At the entertainment several of MT. l Riley'ss poems, including HThe- Rag<I gedy Man. and Little Orphant l were set to music by MT. Dancers from Anna Pavlowa'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 have been compelled to reject scores of appeals for accomm odations as there are seats for but 400. Former Vice President Charles w. Fairbanks will be toastn1aster.
 The coming of his birthday in Octo- Der has a peculiar happiness for MT. Riley, he said the other day. It is his favorite month, as he attestS in his poem, "Old October In it he says: tidyeti on 1 -fe1yar': .OIdetaoi etaointh. oi tI love OId~October so.
 can't bear to see her go Seems to me like 1osin' some Old-hone relative CT chuIn= Pears like sorto' settin' by 4 Some old friend at sigh by sigh