Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-12-23
"A Remarkable
s. Man B
By JdmesWhtoomb Riley

hilu uWlndied down to the inSignifican
yes ana of course" verbOsity that 4
not worth the giving away. He dwell
with particular fondness upon litera
lure frequently asking me what work:
most admired. and pointing out tn,
beauties and excellence of old author,
shakespeare, Milton, Pope, Dryden
ana IA host of others long dead and
gone. whose works live on eternally
All these. as they were successfully re,
viewed. he quoted in manner that
evinced Il thorough knowledge of their
worth.
Al last, after no little artifice and
strategy. l drew him to his own his
tory which grew Enthusiastically inter
estlng as he proceeded. His father.
passing rich, had educated him for the
ministry; but the profession did not
SUIT him-or, rather, he did not suit
the profession; for to be frank he was
rather inclined in his young days to be
Sraceless dog" and so, when il be-
came evident that he must shift for
himself, more at the instigation of lit
erary friends than from any ambition
or choice. he entered the field of jour
nallsm. beginning at the bottom of the
ladder-the bOttom-and gradually ris-
ing from the compositor's case to the
very rung of editorial success-when
there came a crash.-a flaw in the
Srain-and that flaw Well. no mat
ter! The nOblest minds had toppled
from the height. and crumbled to the
merest debris of pauper intellect. The
grandest tomb the finger of the nation
could point out was glutted with such
tOod. Did he not remember poor Prem
uce, and, In memory, recall him now
as wildly as though but yesterday, en-
tering the Sanctum of the Louisville |
journal, with the Old-time greeting: |
'Ah. Charles; ready for work. I see.
Well. here am I-punctual as Death"
Ana then. after good stiff brandy,
which he could hardly raise to his lips
With both trembling hands. Door
'eorge! how he would dictate, so rap
dIY That he (Charles) could scarcely
tut 1t down, although a clever hand
{ writing in those days. Served as
manuenSis for five years. and trans
ribed with his own hand, "'Tis Mid
lights Holy Hour" at ten O'Clock in
he morning, and had the poem entire
aady for the cOmpositor at half past.
L such times ii was nothing uncom-
ION for George to say, "Well done,
lou Good and Faithful the big end
the day is left you to transcribe as
our pleasure may dictate. Only bear
mind, l shall expect little gem |
'om your individual pen for tomor-
)w's iSsuew
And do you writer" 1 broke in alb
lptly.
Il used to write" he answered, as
Tough loath to make the acknowl-
igment-"that is, l sometimes rode
egasus as a groom might ride his
aster's horse-but my flights were II
'ver high-never hight" II
For what reason, may 1 inquire?
rely you had no lack of inspiration
it'll such men as Prentice about your
"Ay, there's the rubi" he sighed
tn negative shake. "The associa-
IN OF great men does not always tend
develop genius; the more especially
len ones subservient position causes
e TO degenerate into a mere machine.
t 1 found some time, of course. for
rse-making; and, chiefly owing to
kindly encouragement of Mr.. Prem
e. L gave to the world as he was
'ased to say. many little poems; but
them those that survive today are
grants, like myself, and are drifting
out at the mercy Of the press" Here
old man sighed heavily and me-
lnicaliy fumbled his pencil. II
was growing deeply Interested in
strange character before me, and
hough the faces Of the group smiled
me significantly. was not to be be-
led from my new acquaintance.
There is question:" said /. 81
nld like to ask you. since from &C.
experience you are doubtless well
'rmed upon IT. have often heard io'
'rgued that the best production of SUI
hors-poets in particular-are writ W
under the influence of what they NC
please to term inspiration Can .ne
enlighten me as to the truth Of ert
assertionr" II
oo clio
can say In reply" said the old &C.
/, with his unwavering eyes fixed a.
mine-"I can say in replv that
best productions of authors-poets STR
written under the 90,
fence of what they are pleased N Co. o.
inspiration have seen II 90
ed" pea
low prOved?" / asked. MI
listen. Take. for example. an in wb,
&c l will cite: A man worn and ,ho
ebled by age, whose eyes are
ned almost to sightlessness whose NJ
!, once clear and vivid as the light AZ
ay. Is now wavering and tickle ms MY
wind: and yet at times this in Sil
&c comes upon him like an ava 20,
lie. and as irresistible: voice cries An
tie! write! writer nor does he Re
:, when he has obeyed that sum- An
: what his trembling hand has IT
en-. Further proof that this is him,
e inspiration is that his fragmen- reve
VIII oItenumes be In his
xact manner and diction of writ. dixie
ing since passed away; and 1 am fair
led they are produced at the di. sine,
dictation Of the departed. I near
thisl" 80