Connecticut western news., 1916-08-10
Hoosier Poet, Who Died the Other Day at Sixty-five, Was Loved by Children of United States as No Other Author.

ley stories have come from his friends, for he was far too modest to exploit his wealth of repartee, though it was always on tap.
 For instance, during a visit to Louis vile, Ky, Riley had an encounter with a woman reporter who evidently was not entirely familiar with the history of the Hoosier bachelor poet. After strenuous efforts she finally caught him at the telephone. and the following con- versation ensued:
 'Ts that MT. Riley?"
 "Yes. This Is Miss"-
 Miss Jones of the Courier-Journal. I've been trying all day to get an inter view with you, MT. Riley"
 "Ah, would it were now a view in stead of an interview" said the poet gallant1y.
 ''Oh, thanks! How long will you re main in Louisville MT. RileyY
 "Only a short time"
 "Is your wife with youw
 "No, ma'am, she is not"
 "Where Is she may I askp'
 "You may ask, my dear Miss Jones, O0b Anu IL fCly ullISulL IO dA5 WCls Il am in absolute ignorance as to her whereabouts. For aught know to the contrary she may right now be at the other end of this telephone"
 There was much laughter and after ward an effort to resume the interview, but in vain. MT. Riley had escaped Crops by the Gallon.
 One day Riley was medftatively look ing over fence at his farm at field of rye when a neighbor, who was driv- ing by, stopped his horse and asked: I Hello, MT. Riley! How's your rye doing?'
 "Fine, fne!' responded the poet
 ''How much do you expect to clear to the acre?"
 "Oh, about four gallons" answered Riley soberly.
 A friend who attended Riley's first return to his native town of Greenfield, Ind, is responsible for another. The poets visit was to give a reading, the proceeds of which were for some char itable purpose. It had been many years since he had visited the old town, and dS LuG dhdlL 1clu Uccu WGll uuN Cl LlSGu people poured in from all sections of the county.
 Riley arrived on an evening train. The "old band" was at the station to meet him. The poet was put in low necked carriage with a reception com mittee, and, headed by the band, pro- cession was formed of citizens, and they paraded the business streets.
 A very old man leaned up against the Gymond House, a hotel of Riley's day, and as the carriage passed he squinted one eye and out of the opposite corner of his mouth said
 "I've seen the time in this here burg when they would have got brass band to git Jimmie Riley out of town"
 Loved Children's Stories.
 Riley's love for children was prover- bial, and none knew it better than the youngsters of his neighborhood. It was of one of these that he was fond of tell ing this story: =.
 A certain young mother was striv- ing to bring up her small son in a proper Christian manner. His day ended with the usual short prayer at his mothers knee before going to bed
 One night she was called away and returned to find him snuggled under the warm blankets.
 Did you say your prayers, dearw she inquired.
 Nope" was the answer.
 Are you not going to say them?''
 "I didn't say 'em last night nor to- night" said the small heathen cheer fully, ian then if nothin' happens to- morrow night I won't say 'em any more at all"
 The poet was averSe to social func- tions. On one occasion, however, he was induced to attend literary" dinner in Indianapolis, given in honor of a novelist of that city. Riley had been asked to take in to dinner the sister of his host, an excellent woman though anything but literary"
 The conversation touching upon the beauties of Chaucer, about whom a certain set of the city was then culti- vating a fad, a spirited discussion en- sued, during which the bewildered sis ter caught from time to time only the name "Chaucer."
 At last she whispered to Riley: ''Who is this MT. Chaucer they're talking about so much? Is he very popular in society,""
 Madam solemnly responded Riley, "that man did something that forever shuts him out of society,"
 "Heavensw exclaimed the worthy dame. And what was that?"
 He died several hundred years ago. :" said Riley.
 Major James B. Pond, who once mar