The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-09-07

be his soul by certain shifting and staring of his
eyes he is pltied as whose mental gearing
has sand In II.
Bliss Carman, former editor Of the Independent
md poet Of note, was one Of James Whitcomb
Rey's closest friends. After the Indiana
songsters death on July %, Carman told much
about Riley to Mr.. Joyce Kilmcr Of the New York
Times Magazine and Mr.. Kmcr in turn told it
to the public
Some 30 years ago Carman was introduced 10
the already famous Hoosicr. Riley's keen bird
like eyes surveyed the tail frame of the new and
young acquaintance. "Gosh, you're stalwart,
ain't YET" he remarked, grinnng. q guess your
parents must have trained you on trcllls"
Then, as reported by Mr.. Kilmcr Carman went
10 say
1.-THE next time saw Riley was In Philadelphia.
j went to read before the Browning society, and
] don't mind telling you that was scared to
death. When got out all alone on the stage and
saw a thousand people staring up at me ! felt
more like running away than doing anything else.
But when saw Riley down in the audience,
looking at me In his quaint, friendly way, then
i felt all right. wasn't afraid to read my
poetry to Riley,
"Aftcr the reading was over Riley tucked me
under his arm and said: Now let's get around
TO the hotel and Wen take or our shoes and
get a chew of tobacco and be comfortable
more piquant because Riley was so very pune
bilious and scrupulous in all his personal habits.
He always was Immediately dressed | never
knew him even to make so much of n c0nccS-
sion 10 comfort as 20 put a smoking jacket
or a lounge coat. But he liked TO 20 to his room
and stretch himself his bed and talk. And
he never talked about anything but literature
chiefly poetry. ~ .yf ffa ~ .i "a 'ntS7 s'a"Sb9a-
D. Riley had a great fund Of knowledge Of
nd kun lItg NJ ,ut NJ thn
verse. lie delighted particularly in rdiculousy
bad newspaper verse
"Rlley liked 10 read poetry aloud. when went
to his house Of an evening, he generally was whit
ing for me with some favorte book ready to
read aloud
what sort Of poetry did he prefer7'
His tastes covered a wide range Two poets
to whom he was especially devoted Long
fellow and Swinburne.
Riley liked LongfcIlow's dircctncss and sim
plIcity. The things that pleased him in Swim
burnes work the music and the def crafts
manshp.
after Riley had received his degrees from
come 81 the colleges he seemed to feel that he
ought to be Enown as poet, rather than as
llumcriSt aud writer Of dialect verse. He tried
hard 10 live up to the name Of poet, ana wanted
his nonsense rhymes Of his vngaboudngc forgot
ten Yet his y"ruacular verse, or he called IT,
MS dialect verse, WINS his chief contribution 10
literature.
Riley vus Just u poet That was all ne ever
cared 20 be. lie was not Interested IN anything
hut poetry. lie knew nothing Of politics he had
not voted for 30 years, Aud ~ FOR philosophy,
he had nothing but contempt for the modern
thinkers
There was something very pathetic and charm
ing about lNlry's t"nacy in holding the serious
poet pose. His nonsense was just one of bis ways
OF writing which happened TO prove populur:
when be got II chance 10 write IN another way
Row eagerly he seized II, and how porsistcntly he
ciung 10 II
his last years wore the happcst ~ his NE,
] think He had his own car and rode around
Indianapolis and Is suburbs every day, generally
taking with him some friend. He Uns hunorod
and loved ana ! think We felt that NE had been
good 10 him.
"Rileys father n lawyer. His grandfather
10 Indiana from Pennsylvania His grand
mother his mothers side was Pennsylvania
Dutch His fnthcr was Irish.
Riley had many prciudces. lie dsllkcd Poe
very much. lie dsliacd Pocs character SO much
that he could hardly read his poetry. OF course
he must have liked poes music and splendid
metrcal effects
"Ot course, YOU know the story Of Rilcys IN
NOUS imitation Of Poe1 He had taken a position
the staff Of an Anderson Ind. paper and the
e1itor Of rival paper kept ridicung him. Riley