The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-16

with its great cool shady trees and
Its bumpety brick sidewalks, that
ID so well known to many people
all over the United States? 1t is
In Indianapolis and is the street
where our friend, James Whitcomb
Riley lived for so long. The house
ne lived in was two story brick
house, comfortable and old fashion
ed.
His other home, where he spent
his boyhood and part of his man.
hood, Is in Greenfield, Indiana, a
most inviting frame house in yell
low and white. but he left this
house after his parents died. and
his brothers and sisters left home.
because it was too lonely for him to
stay alone. From Greenfield he
went to Indianapolis and lived in
this big, old house on Lockerbie
street. In this house were many
of his best poems written and all
kinds of stories are told about the
interesting. though unexciting life
of this happy-hearted Hoosier poet.
Riley Found Pennies Scarce.
When Mr.. Riley started down
town, before he had gone very far.
several children would always run
to meet him, and walk with him.
One of these friends was Amber
Locks, the lively red-headed boy.
Riley had given Amber this name,
because he had hair just the color
of HUNS hair: and Hum was a
little brother of Mr.. Riley's whom
the mother had called Amber
Locks.
One time there was a lemonade
stand in Lockerbie street. The
small sellers asked three cents a
glass. No buyers came. perhaps be-
cause the hands of the vendors as
well as the glasses were not COM
fortably clean. A rain came up and
most Of the boys ran to shelter
leaving the littlest one in charge.
Along came the fine Mr.. Riley (for
he was always well dressed) an
and he had no umbrella. That did
not make any difference though.
for he stopped and said he wanted
a glass of lemonade. He stood there
too, in the rain and drank every
drop of it, then left ten cents on the
table and went away. Wait for
change? No, indeed! Every news
boy in Indianapolis knew that Mr..
Riley never waited for change.
Mr.. Riley grew to be quite rich
man, acquiring about half a million
dollars from his verse. Many times
he would scatter pennies among
the children. When caught at this
by some grown-up. he would say.
"You see. pennies are awful hard
to get when you're a boy. Why
there isn't anything as hard as
pennies. I remember" And this
was very true Of Riley, for when
he was a boy. his family was very
poor.
Riley Rode a Broomstiek Well
He was always telling stories to |
the children. always came home |
from down with his pockets stored |
with candy. to be bounced upon by |
the children and always came home !
there, and was intended for them)
and very often he played with |
them.
Now. Amber Locks had Z broom
sticks for horses which were
stabbed behind the woodshed. He
and Riley had named them. Nancy
Hanks, Star Pointer. etc. Riley
knew very well how to ride
broomstick horse with his head
thrown up high. very high. and he
ached TO show Amber how he
could ride. So, one day. he did!
He cantered gaily down Lockerbie
street with his coat tails flying In
the wind. When he stopped, he
was painting and out of breath, but
laughing merrily.
"The Little Boy Who Sleeps"
Sometimes Riley put some Of
these Junior friends Of his into his
books. Once a little boy lived
next to him. whose name was
David. Poor little David had a
spine all crooked and crippled, and
he was eleven years old, but his
one great ambition was to be al
Every day he gathered
the boys near Lockerbie street in
his front yard for training. and he