The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-07-27
JAMES WHITCOMB
RILEY DIES.
Beloved Hoosier Poet Passes Away AT
Indianapolis.

James Whitcomb Riley passed away
at indianapolis Saturday night at ten
thirty. The cause of his death was
paralysis. from which he suffered u
violent stroke Saturday morning.
The poet was the son OF Reuben A.
Riley, lawyer and political speaker
of Greenfield, Ind The Younger Riley
could not be brought to the dull routine
of school days. but he was wise in the
lore of streams and fields. His mother.
who was Elizabeth Marine. before her
marriage. was a writer Of verse
Instead of preparing for the practice
of law, as his father wished, the son
apparently prepared for nothing. and
when he left home, he turned itinerant
sign-painter to make his living. W hat
be carried from the little schoolhouse
was some sympathetic knowledge of
literature impaired by his teacher, Lee
o. Harris. himself poet.
For ten years. Riley roved the Ohio
Valley. painting commercial signs on
fences and farm. outhouses. He had
the trick of brush and pencil. and clev-
erly drew sketches illustrative of the
virtues of merchandise advertised in
the signs he and his fellow artisans
made to bloom on the roadsides. He
was naturally musical. and shone as a
fiddler in the villages at which his party
stopped at night. He played for dances
and at concerts in country hotels. and
he wrote rhymes which sometimes
found their way into the country news
papers.
He led this cheerful. free and easy
life until late in the 70s. when he took
employment as a writer for newspap
er at Anderson, lid. He had now be-
gun to write verse steadily. but with
little encouragement from publishers.
In the early 500. Mr.. Riley settled in
indianapolis. and began writing verses
in "Hoosier" dialec. for the Indiana
polls journal. for small salary. He
sent some of his poems to Henry Wads
worth Longfellow, and they received
his praise. A volume was published,
and 1.-THE IIoosier poet" began to win
a public.
He was graphic reader of his own
verses, and for fifteen years. or until
1898, he made tours Of the country. ap-
pearing in public entertainments with
great success, both alone, and in assoc
citation with the humorist, Bill Nye.
who was his intimate friend.
Publication Of books of poems year
after year brought Mr.. Riley wealth
and wide recognition of his literary
genius, Many of his poems are of
imaginative fantasy or are gently phil,
osophic. In 1902, he received the de-
gree of Master of Arts from Yale Uni
versity, and in 1904, the University of |
Pennsylvania conferred upon him the
degree of Doctor of Letters.
In July, 1911, the poet presented to
the city of indianapolis property valued
at SIS. 900 for site for public library |
and school administration building.
Mr.. Riley never married but he was
a lover of children, whose spirit he
OWNED so intimately, and of family life.
At the request of the Governor Of
Indiana, the relatives of the poet allow
ed the body to lie in state at the Indi-
ana capital Monday night and thousands
passed by to pay their last respects to-
the illustrious dead. Funeral services
were held at the poets home Tuesday
and were private according to
the wishes of the poet. Afterwards
the burial took place in Crown Hill
Cemetery, Indianapolis. Thousands of
kilograms were received by the family,
them one from Vice President
personal friend of Mr..
Riley. 1t read;
ITO die for ones country is to reach
the heights of glory; to live for hu-
so that each ucceeding age will
be happier is to attain Immortality.
This IS the record of James Whtcomb
Riley. Rest to his ashes and peace to