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The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley

in ten volumes
Riley, James Whitcomb (1849-1916)

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VOLUME I
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VOLUME II
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VOLUME III
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VOLUME IV
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VOLUME V
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VOLUME VI
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VOLUME VII
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VOLUME VIII
  
THE EDGE OF THE WIND
  
THE HIRED MAN'S FAITH IN CHILDREN
  
THE LOVELY HUSBAND
  
THREE SEVERAL BIRDS
  
THE BED
  
HOME-FOLKS
  
AMERICA'S THANKSGIVING
  
TO EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN
  
WHEN WE FIRST PLAYED “SHOW”
  
WILLIAM PINKNEY FISHBACK
  
A GOOD MAN
  
JOHN CLARK RIDPATH
  
HIS HEART OF CONSTANT YOUTH
  
THE PATHS OF PEACE
  
THE TRIBUTE OF HIS HOME
  
AMERICA
  
EVEN AS A CHILD
  
THE HOOSIER IN EXILE
  
THE QUEST OF THE FATHERS
  
TO THE MOTHER
  
NEW YEAR'S NURSERY JINGLE
  
FOOL-YOUNGENS
  
A GUSTATORY ACHIEVEMENT
  
BILLY AND HIS DRUM
  
A DIVERTED TRAGEDY
  
THOMAS THE PRETENDER
  
TO MY SISTER
  
THE SOLDIER
  
A CHRISTMAS GLEE
  
NO BOY KNOWS
  
HIS PA'S ROMANCE
  
TO JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
  
THE BOOK OF JOYOUS CHILDREN
  
ELMER BROWN
  
THE RAMBO-TREE
  
FIND THE FAVORITE
  
THE BOY PATRIOT
  
EXTREMES
  
INTELLECTUAL LIMITATIONS
  
A MASQUE OF THE SEASONS
  
LITTLE DICK AND THE CLOCK
  
THE KATYDIDS
  
THE NOBLE OLD ELM
  
EVENSONG
  
AN IMPROMPTU FAIRY-TALE
  
THE TWINS
  
THE LITTLE LADY
  
“COMPANY MANNERS”
  
THE GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED PEOPLE
  
THE BEST TIMES
  
“HIK-TEE-DIK”
  
“OLD BOB WHITE”
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A SESSION WITH UNCLE SIDNEY
  
A SONG OF SINGING
  
THE JAYBIRD
  
A BEAR FAMILY
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SOME SONGS AFTER MASTER-SINGERS
  
CLIMATIC SORCERY
  
THE TREASURE OF THE WISE MAN
  
OLD GRANNY DUSK
  
FIRE AT NIGHT
  
THE YOUNG OLD MAN
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SOME CHRISTMAS YOUNGSTERS
  
TWILIGHT STORIES
  
“GO READ YOUR BOOK!”
  
WHEN UNCLE DOC WAS YOUNG
  
THE LISPER
  
A MOTTO
  
A SIMPLE RECIPE
  
HER LONESOMENESS
  
ALMOST BEYOND ENDURANCE
  
THE TOY-BALLOON
  
THE OLD DAYS
  
TO A POET ON HIS MARRIAGE
  
LOCKERBIE FAIR
  
THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA
  
PROSE OR VERSE?
  
BILLY MILLER'S CIRCUS-SHOW
  
IT'S GOT TO BE
  
CHRISTMAS SEASON
  
ART AND POETRY
  
THE CHILDREN OF THE CHILDLESS
  
HOOSIER SPRING-POETRY
  
THE VOICE OF PEACE
  
A DEFECTIVE SANTA CLAUS
  
WHAT LITTLE SAUL GOT, CHRISTMAS
  
GENERAL LEW WALLACE
  
ON READING DR. HENRY VAN DYKE'S VOLUME OF POEMS—MUSIC
  
HER SMILE OF CHEER AND VOICE OF SONG
  
THINKIN' BACK
  
SIS RAPALYE
  
TO BLISS CARMAN
  
A SONG O' CHEER
  
CHILD'S CHRISTMAS CAROL
  
I' GOT TO FACE MOTHER TO-DAY!
  
NAME US NO NAMES NO MORE
  
HENRY IRVING
  
LINCOLN—THE BOY
  
NICHOLAS OBERTING
  
RABBIT
  
A SPRING SONG AND A LATER
  
OURS
  
OLD INDIANY
  
LONGFELLOW
  
WITH A CHILD-BOOK
  
THE DOCTOR
  
ABE MARTIN
  
MORNING
  
THE LOVELINESS
  
A PARTING GUEST
  
“OUT OF REACH”
  
MY FOE
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SOME IMITATIONS
  
THE ROSE-LADY
  
A HOOSIER CALENDAR
  
THE LITTLE WOMAN
  
WHAT TITLE?
  
YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER
  
THE REST
  
WE MUST BELIEVE
  
THE HIRED MAN'S DOG-STORY
  
PERVERSITY
  
HER POET-BROTHER
  
GRAMPA'S CHOICE
  
A LITTLE LAME BOY'S VIEWS
  
A VERY TALL BOY
  
THE RAGGEDY MAN ON CHILDREN
  
'LIZABUTH-ANN ON BAKIN'-DAY
  
GOLDIE GOODWIN
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VOLUME IX

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2127

PROSE OR VERSE?

Prose or Verse—or Verse or Prose?
Ever thus the query goes,—
Which delight do we prefer—
Which the finer—daintier?
Each incites a zest that grows—
Prose or Verse—or Verse or Prose?—
Each a lotus-eater's spell
Wholly irresistible.
All that wit may fashion, free-
Voiced, or piped in melody,—
Prose or Verse—or Verse or Prose—
Which of these the mastery knows?
'Twere as wise to question, friend—
As of this alluring blend,—
The aroma or the rose?—
Prose or Verse—or Verse or Prose?
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