becoming increasingly belligerent toward his father, riley moved out of the family home and briefly took a job painting houses before leaving greenfield in november 1870. he was recruited as a bible salesman and began working in the nearby town of rushville, indiana. the job provided little income and he returned to greenfield in march 1871 where he started an apprenticeship to a painter. he completed it and opened a business in greenfield creating and maintaining signs. his earliest known poems are verses he wrote as clever advertisements for his customers.