The Short Stories

James Whitcomb Riley was born on October 7th 1849. Riley began his career writing verses as a sign maker as well as submitting poems to newspapers for publication. Helped by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow he began to work at a succession of Indiana newspapers. During the 1880’s a series of poetry tours helped his rise to prominence, first in the mid-West and then nationally. His style he became widely known as ‘The Hoosier Poet’ became increasingly popular and helped to create and formulate a Mid Western identity. However his drinking became a problem and at one time he was too drunk to perform which created a minor scandal. But his popularity was soon back on track and these performances helped to make him both wealthy and an admired poet. During the 1890’s his children’s poems including such classic favourites as Little Orphant Annie and ‘The raggedy Man’, were put into books and sold millions of copies. It was an almost unique situation for a poet: popular and of means. In all he authored around a thousand poems. Riley was also a talented story writer and here we publish a collection of his short stories.