Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-08


comh Ri,ey. aided by the state anu ma
t;or today celebrated one of the nap
piest birthdays Of his life. He was 'ne
honor guest at theatrica!
in the afternoon and tohishe
a banquet given in his honor.
More than 1000 of the poets llieno.
greeted him at the theatre. "A
of his poems had been set to mus'o INV
these were interpreted by dancers Soi,ie
of the most prominent men IN the "oii0
of letters spoke at the banquet.
The flood of congratulations which mas
noured in on Mr.. Riley for the past Two
weeks reached its crest today. IheFe
were CHEEKY messages from people In eV-
ery walk of life. The poet evinceo d
keen delight at each Of these tributes
One of the unique presents received al
the Riley home was birthday caAe
shaped and colored like puH'phii'
browning 1t was a layer OF frostihs' i
typified Mr.. Riley's poem tn frost 10
on tn Pun'kin." A card bore the mes
sage that the donor desired to De KNOWN
only AS "Old Aunt Mary
Two blacksmiths sent gifts. One was
a handmade silver horseshoe. The othef
d
attached saying: This is big enough
for all the knocking you will ever "ah'
to do
Indiana polls, Ind, Oct. flames
Whitcomb Riley's siXty-secono VII III
day came today, and, just to MAKE ~
more memorable than any tnat mas
preceded it, the entire state joined MIN
in celebrating it.
This year was picked for honorlns
the poet because the citizens OF III :
diana wished to pay him tribute "hlie
he would be fully able to take part III
and enjoy it. In addition to the welghs
of years, Mr.. Riley has felt the burden
Of i'll health. He has reached that sea-
son of his life when the frost is on
the punkin', an the folders IN the
shock and the state Of his birth ana
| life long residence felt that 1t dldn I
want to delay longer the complete and
formal expression of it's love for him.
| Governor Samuel NJ. Ralston recent
| ly issued a proclamation asking 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 proclamation is being
generally observed in every city, town
and village, from Indianapolis down to
Greenfield, where Mr.. Riley was born.
and Carleton, the tiny hamlet, under
the name OF Talbot. the praise of
which the poet sang with the lines:
You kin boast about yer cities, and their
| Study growth and size,
And brag about yer County-SeatS, and
| business enterprise,
And railroads. and factories, and all SIGH
foolery-
But the little Town O. Talbot is big
enough fer me-
! Greenfield took particular interest in
the celebration. Many Of it's older in
habitants remembered James Whit
comb Riley as little boy, unknown to
the world except as the son of Captain
Reuben Riley. a highly respected citi-
| zen. Also it recalled that it is situated
on the banks of the Brandywine, the
little stream whose joys the poet
chronicled in TIL Old Swimmin
Hole" and of which he had said, that,
wandering up and down it, he had
more fun to the square inch, than ever
anywhere.
Goxernor Ralston, Mayor Joseph F.
Bell, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Mere
ditn Nicholson and George AIDE 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 accepted.
William Allen White came from
Emporia, kans. DR.. John H. 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-
dition to the members of the commit
! tee of arrangements, there were For
mer Senator Albert ]. Beveridge, Sena-
Kern, Vice President Marshall and
others
The program Of the day called for
an entertainment in local theatre in
the afternoon and banquet at which
Mr.. Riley was to be the guest Of honor
in the evening. 1t was expected that
the poet would read a new poem at the
banquet.