Your Beautiful Hands [Early Manuscript of "Her Beautiful hands"] Riley, James Whitcomb Manuscript,Poetry

Really a tremendous manuscript, and quite early according to the accompanying letter, from the "People's Poet Laureate" James Whitcomb Riley. The earliest date we find this poem appearing is 1888, both in newspapers as well as his collectionPipes O'Pan at Zekesbury,as simply "Beautiful Hands." It would later appear in various collections as "Her Beautiful Hands," including an unreleased recording of Riley reading the poem for The Victor Talking Machine Company in 1912. The direct recipient of the poem was Mrs. Alice Westcott who was placed in Earlham College in Richmond, IN and then married to a noted lawyer in the area by her father in 1868, shortly after the family migrated from England; Alice was 12 years old at that time. Her uncle and cousins, last name of Morrow, were friends of James Whitcomb Riley and introduced the two in 1873 while Westcott's husband was in France finishing his education. During that meeting, Riley told her she had beautiful hands, bringing about teasing from her cousins, even in front of the young poet himself. So, he quoted the poem at length for them. The story continues, as Riley gained local attention publishing a few poems in papers, he was to be in attendance at the Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876, but Westcott could not attend due to not having a travel chaperone. The following year, she went to visit and work for her father on the family farm. He brought up Riley and asked if she had "had a flirtation" with him. She replied "not at all. I did admire him he was so good and fine - and he was much quoted - and then I thought about beautiful hands again and wrote and asked him for a copy. I have never seen it in print." Riley's note that accompanies the manuscript gifted to Alice Westcott reads: "The only scrap of the poem you desire, I find so securely fastened in an old scrapbook that I am forced tocopy it for you. Hope you will find it nonetheless acceptable." It is likely to us, then, that this poem was a very early piece from Riley, and one (of perhaps many) that were circulated by recitation for years before they saw print. In any event, an important work showcasing the nostalgic, sentimental early writing of the popular American poet whose voice has too often been dismissed by critics. Holograph poem signed by Riley, on rectos of two 8x5" leaves in ink. Accompanying presentation note in Riley's hand in pencil, signed with his initials, on toned and worn scrap paper, all in envelope with contemporary inscription in another hand. With the manuscript are 2 chain of ownership letters, the first from a Mrs. Alice Westcott describing how she became the recipient of the poem from Riley. Folds, toning, and a few light stains to the manuscript. The other letters in similar, very good condition