Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1916-09-08

II he exhibits what Is supposed to
be his soul by certain shifting and staring Of his
eyes he is pitied as one whose mental gearing
has sand ip 1t.
Bliss Cafman, former editor Of the Independent
and poet Of note, was one Of James Whitcomb
Riley's closest friends. After the Indiana
songster's death on July %, Carman told much
about Riley to Mr.. Joyce Kilmer of the New York
Times Magazine and Mr.. Kimer in turn told 1t
to the public.
Some 80 years ago Carman was introduced to
the already famous Hoosier. Riley's keen bird
like eyes surveyed the tall frame Of the new and
young acquaintance: "Gosh, you're stalwart,
amt YET" he remarked, grinning. II guess your
parents must have trained you on a trellis."
Then. as reported by Mr.. Kilmer, Carman went
on to say:
"The next time saw Riley was in Philadelphia.
I went to read before the Browning society," and
l don't mind telling you that was scared to
death. When got out all alone on the stage and
saw thousand people staring up at me felt
more like running away than doing anything else.
But when I saw Riley down in the audience.
looking at me in his quaint, friendly way. then
felt all right I wasn't afraid to read my
poetry to Riley.
"After the reading was over Riley tucked me
under his arm and said: Now, let's get around
to the hotel and we'll take of our shoes and
get chew of tobacco and be comfortable
lou Know, SUCH remarks 6S Iul8 were 6AA lNo
more piquant because Riley was SO very pune
tlious and scrupulous in ali his personal habits.
He always was Immediately dressed. never
knew him even to make so much of conces-
sion to comfort as to put on a smoking Jacket
a lounge coat But he liked to go to his room
and stretch himself on his bed and talk. And
he never talked about anything but literature.
chiefly poetry.
"Riley had great fund Of knowledge Of
poetry and knew lots Of out-of-the-way homely
verse. He delighted particularly in ridiculously
bad newspaper verse.
"Rlley liked to read poetry aloud. When went
to his house Of an evening" he generally was walt
ing for me with some favorite book. ready to
read aloud"
"what sort Of poetry did he prefer?
"His tastes covered a wide range Two poets
to whom he was especially devoted were Long
fellow and Swinburne.
"Riley liked Longfellows direstness and sim.
plicity. The things that pleased him in SWIM
burne's work were the music and the deft crafts
manship.
.After Riley had received his degrees from
some Of the colleges, he seemed to feel that he
ought to be known as poet, rather than as
humorist and writer Of dialect verse; He tried
hard to live up to the name Of poet, and wanted
his nonsense rhymes of his vagabondage forgot
ten. Yet his vernacular verse, or, he called 1t,
his dialect verse, was his chief contribution to
literature.
"Riley was just poet That was all he ever
cared to be. He was not interested in anything
but poetry. He knew nothing Of politcs-he had
not voted for 30 years. And as for philosophy,
he had nothing but contempt for the modern
thinkers
There was something very pathetic and charm
ing about Riley's tenacty in holding the serious
poet pose. His nonsense was just one of his ways
Of writing which happened to prove popular;
when he got a chance to write In another way
how eagerly he seized 1t, and how persistently he
chung to it!
His last years were the happiest Of his life.
think. He had his own car and rode around
indianapolis and its suburbs every day, generally
taking with him some friend. He was honored
and loved, and think he felt that life had been
good to him.
aRileys father was a lawyer. His grandfather
came to Indiana from Pennsylvania. His grand
mother on his mothers side was Pennsylvania
Dutch. His father was Irish.
"Riley had many prejudices. He disliked Poe
very much. He disliked Poes character so much
that he could hardly read his poetry. OF course.
he must have liked Poes music and splendid
metrical effects
"Of course, you know the story Of Riey's IA
nous imitation Of Poe? He had taken a position
on the staff of an Anderson, Ind. paper and the
editor Of a rival paper kept ridicuing him. Riley