Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1919 — SPEECH THAT “MADE” RILEY [ARTICLE]

SPEECH THAT “MADE” RILEY

diana Poet That la Well Worth Recalling. After many disappointments In fortune, James Whitcomb Riley was employed, at a few dollars a week, as w'rlter on the Indianapolis Journal. Shortly after, Llje Halford, who waa afterward private secretary to President Harrison, came to the paper as managing editor. He decided to cut down expenses and began by discharging Riley as his first victim. The blow was a hard one for Riley, and he was discouraged and about ready to give up in despair. But a couple of days later there was a political convention tn the city and one of the men nominated was a big fellow who had never made a speech In his life. He was called on to speak, and, shifting from one foot to the other In perfect agony for a moment, he blurted out: “Gentlemen, I thank you for this nomination. I can’t make a speech, hut I can tell you one thing: The ticket you’ve nominated today Is goin’ to win ‘when the frost ts on the punkin’ and the fodder’s in the shock.’ ” That speech took the house by Storm and It was evident that the delegates and the spectators had read this poem of Riley’s which had appeared in the paper just a few days before. The circumstance brought the papev back to Riley’s rescue, and his first bopk, “The Old Swimmln’ Hole and ’Leven More Poems,” was published and made a great hit. The original copy of this book recently sold for 22,500. «