Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-24
WRITINGS BROUGHT BOTH
FAME AND FORTUNE
Gained Praise Of LonsfeIlow and
Others-Prominent in Literature
ltinerant Sign Painter Before He
Entered Literary Work-Was 63
Years Of Age.

reclined on his bed again. Miss
Ciementa Prough, the nurse, resumed
her vigil, and, noticing that The poet
seemed not to be resting easily, APP
preached his bed. Mr.. Riley died be-
fore she reached his side.
MIR. Rley's death was due to pa
ralysis. He suffered a violent stroke
about 1880 o'clock in the morning, and
the members of his household were
greatly alarmed, but under DR.. Garlic
ton B. McCullough's ministrations the
poet seemed to improve and early
Saturday evening was regarded as
much better. Information was given
to the public that Mr.. Riley was in
no danger, but within few hours he
was dead. Members Of Mr.. Riley 5
family were summoned Immediately
They are his brother-in law, Henry
Eitel; his nephew, Edmund H. Eitei,
and his niece, Miss Elizabeth Eitel.
Mr. Riley suffered his first violent
attack of paralysis July 10, 1910.
Suffered Second Stroke.
He recovered and seemed to be in
good health until he was stricken
second lIlIle. lAS Sli chC N"oSSN -
complete paralysis of his right side.
The severity of the stroke wore away
somewhat until the poets hand
seemed the most affected. Mr.. Riley's
determination to battle the illness was
shown at that time when he set about
laborously 10 learn to write with his
left hand.
For several years Mr.. Riley has
spent his winters in Florida, where ne
went accompanied by members OF his
household He returned only last May
and never felt better" as he eX-
pressed il, on his arrival Since that
time he has been in excellent spirits
and seemed unusually strong DR..
McCulloush said. Mr.. Riley had been
able to go TO his publishers frequently
and was out in his automobile every
day, even as late as Friday. The COM
bination of high spirits and bodily
strength convinced friends that he
was far from being on the verge OF
fatal illness.
"Riley Day" Observed.
Mr.. Riley was born in 1893, but was
reticent as to his exact age. one OF
the most unique celebrations in the
country was held in his honor Oct. I,
1915, when Riley Day was observed
by a banquet in Indianapolis, and in
schools of the country attended by
more than 100000 children. Men
prominent in business and politics
from all over the country assembled to
do the poet homage at the celebration,
and many congratulatory messages
we're received from abroad on that
9 1otA
not appeared at public gatherings TO
any great extent, but in nice weather
was on the streets of indianapolis in
his automobile every day.
Mr. Riley never married. His near
est living relative is sister, Mrs.
Mary Payne. of New York
Born Of the Middle West.
James Whitcomb Riley, born of the
middle west, sang the joys. sorrows.
fancies and humors of it's folk, largely
in its own dialect. The world was so
touched by his inspiration and the
realism of his homely symbols that he
was one of the few, that devoting their
lives to poetry, gained a fortune.
The poet was the son of Reuben A.
Riley, lawyer and political speaker
of Greenfield, Ind. The boy could not
be brought to the dull routine of
school days, but he was wise in the
.ora &c streams and fields. His
mother, who was Elizabeth Marine, be-
| fore her marriage, was writer Of
verse and Riley in later life attributed
some of his impracticability.
Instead of preparing for the practice
Of law, as his father wished, the son
| turned itinerant sign painter. For ten
years he roved thru the Ohio valley,
painting signs on fences. He had the
| trick Of the brush and pencil and
cleverly drew sketches illustrating the
| virtues Of merchandise. He was
naturally musical and shone as a I'D
dler in the villages at which his party
stopped at night. He played for
dances and at concerts in country
hotels. He wrote rhymes, which some
times found their way into country
newspapers.
Perpetrated Poe Hoax.
He led this cheerful, free and easy
| life late in the 70's, then he took en-
ployment as a reporter on news
| paper at Anderson. Ind. In 1877, for
| the purpose, as he said Of proving that
he could write poetry Of value, he per-
petrated the Poe hoax which for years
was a literary sensation. He wrote a
poem in the style Of Edgar Allan Poe,
| to which he gave the characteristic
title of 'T,eonaine," and it was offered
to the public as hitherto unpublish-
ed product Of the genius of Poe.
One Of the stanzas was:
''Leonaine-angels named her,
And they took the light
OF the laughing stars and framed her
In a smile Of white,
| And they made her hair of gloomy
Midnight and her eyes Of bloomy
Moonshine and they brought her to me
In the solemn night"
In some quarters the poem was ac-
cepted as genuine; in others it was
denounced as fraud. After the con-
troyersy had waged for months Riley
confessed.
Toured the Country.
In the early sos he began writing
verses in 'tHoosler' dialect for the old
| Indianapolis Journal. He sent some OF
| his poems to Henry Wadsworth Long
| fellow and they received his praise. A
volume was published and the
"Hoosier poet" began to win pub
| Iic He was an excellent reader of his
own dialect verses. and for the follow
ing fifteen years, or until 1898, he made
| tours of the country, appearing in
public with great success both alone
| and in association with the humorist