in early 1874, riley returned to greenfield to become a full-time writer. in february, he submitted a poem titled "at last" to a connecticut newspaper the "danbury news". the editors accepted it, paid him for it, and wrote him a letter encouraging him to submit more. riley found the note and his first payment inspiring. he began submitting poems regularly to the editors, but after the newspaper shut down in 1875, riley was left without a paying publisher. he began traveling and performing with the adelphians around central indiana to earn an income while he searched for a new publisher. in august 1875, he joined another traveling tonic show run by the wizard oil company.