The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19


DUT the joke proved too successful. All
- over the country 'Leonanie' was
copied. The best known critics in the
land wrote ponderously pro and con re-
garding the poems authenticity Bos-
ton publishing house, having life of Poe
in preparation, wrote to the Despatch
asking for the original manuscript of
"Leonanie." Riley, appalled, at the turn
that the situation was taking, wrote re-
peatedly to the Kokomo editor asking
him to turn of the current and to end
the whole matter before it became too
serious by an explanation to the public.
He felt that, like Frankenstein, he had
builded up monster to destroy him.
But the editor of the Kokomo Despatch
insisted on continuing the joke, though
he thought it prudent to decline TO send
the manuscript to the Boston publishing
house. Eventually the Despatch. warned
IN time that its rival in Kokomo was in
possession of the facts, disclosed the true
authorship of "Leonanie."
o revert to Mr.. Dickey's book There
= is chapter on Riley's pen names.
mot until he had published his first book
did the poet abandon the use of mons de
plume and as he said, set his full name
at the dashboard of the whole endurin'
alphabet But even after that he was
fond of signing fictitious names to letters,
such as Doc Marigold, Uncle Sidney,
Brother Whittleford, The Bad Haroun,
Troubled Tom, Old E. T. Mark, James
Popcorn Riley and to literary editors
James Hoosier Riley. the Whitcomb Poet
At other times, particularly when chat
ting with friends, he was Truthful James.
Philiper Flash, the Remarkable Man and
an Adjustable Lunatic. j. Whit or Jay
Whit was his first pseudonym in prose,
affixed to sketches long since consigned
to the phantom past'-stories too scant
of genius or talent for publication. In
poetry he first signed himself Edyrn' to
such baubles as "A Backward Look and
others, manuscripts now stained by the
passage of half century"
A PRACTICAL joker from the begin
"A ming, he met the fate of all practical
jokers in having the joke occasionally
turned on him. There was a certain Dr.
Smith who waited for years for his re-
venge. The opportunity came when
Delhi rendered Riley, then at the height
of his fame a public benefit. 1T was
writes Mr.. Dickey, "a memorable evening,
the poet was at his best in his recitations
nd Jeff
ton. That night Riley slept in Dr.
Smiths office, in little room separated
by thin partition, half way to the cell
ing from the main Office. The next morn
ing woman called at the office while
Riley was still sleeping She had a biting
tongue and a prejudice against all forms
of entertainment, and the doctor knew it,
Here was his chance.
A S the patient rose to go DR.. Smith
"A said: BY the way, did you hear
Riley last night?' Yes she answered
Did you even waste money so recklessly
before? asked the doctor, contributing to
the severity of the criticism he was Ger
tain would follow never did, said she
The Hoosier Poet comes up here to our
town sponsored by Billings. Mark Twain
and Longfellow. Burdette says he is pure
gold; / say he is pure gabble-if / had
my money back Scarcely had she
uttered the words when flip over the par
tition came a silver half dollar.
In few minutes Riley came through the
partition. 'Wee-well' smiled the doctor,