Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-07-19

McCorkle.
The editor here suggested that as there
had been another poet Of that name,
Mllt might be took for him! Thet :
bad" reflected Mr.. McCorkle, with simple
gravity. " Well, put down his hull name,
Milton Chubbuck.''
The editor made note of the fact. "I'll
set it up now" he sold. This was also a
hint that the interview was ended. The
poet and patron, arm-in-arm, drew to-
ward the door. - In next weeks paper, y
said the editor, smilingly, in answer to
the child like look of inquiry in the eyes
of the poet, and in another moment they
were gone.
The editor was good as his word. He
straightway betOok himselftO his case, and
unrollng the manuscript, began his task. .
The woodpeckers on the roof commenced
theirs, and in a few moments the former
sylvan seclusion was restored. There was
no sound in the barren, barnlike room but
the birds above, and below the click of
the composing rule as the editor marshal
ed the types into lines in his stick, and ar
rayed them in solid column on the galley.
Whatever might have been his opinion Of
the copy before him, there was no indica-
tion Of it in his face. which wore the
stOlid Indifference Of his craft Perhaps
this was unfortunate, for, as the day
wore on and the level rays Of the sun be-
gan to pierce the adjacent thicket they
sought out and discovered an anxious am
bushed figure drawn up beside the the edi-
tors window, a figure that had sat motion
Iac Tor NNf+hfr ba 81: :t0,. al
on as steadily and impassively as fate
And without the born poet of Sierra Flat
sat watching him as waiting its decree.
The effect Of the poem on Sierra Flat
was remarkable and unprecedented. The
absolute vileness Of its doggerel, the gra-
tuitous imbecility Of its thought, and
above all, the crowning audacity Of the
fact that it was the work of a citizen and
published in the county paper, brought it
Instantly into popularity. For many
months Calaveras had languished for
sensation since the last vigilance commit
tee nothing had transpired TO dispel the
listlessness Of stagnant business and grow
ing civilization. la brief, the poem Of
Mr.. Milton Chubbuck came like a special
providence to Sierra Flat. 1t was read by
camp fires, in lonely cabins, in flaming bar
rooms and noisy saloons, and declaimed
from the boxes of stage coaches. 1t was
sung in Poker Flat with the addition of a
local chorus, and danced as an unhallowed
rythmic dance by the Pyrrhic phalanx Of
One Horse Gulch, known as The Fes-
tive Stags of Calveras Some unhappy
antiquities Of expression gave rise to
many new readings, notes, and cOmmenta-
ries, which, | regret to state, were more Of
ten marked by ingenuity than delicacy of
thought or expression.
Never before did poet acquire such sud
den local reputation. From the seclusion
Of McCorkle's cabin and the obscurity Of
culinary labors, he was hauled forth into
the glowing sunshine of fame. The name
of Chubbuck was written in letters Of
chalk on unpainted walls, and carved with
a pick on the sides Of tunnels A drink
known variously as The Chubbuck
or The Chubbuck EXalt-
er, was dispensed at the bars. For some
weeks a rude design for a Chubbuck
statue. made up of illustrations from cir
Gus and meIodeon posters, representing the
genius Of Calaveras in brief skirts on
flying steed in the act Of crowning the
pOet Chubbuck. visible at Keeier's
Ferry. The poet himself was oyerborne
with invitations to drink the extravagant
The meeting between
Colonel Starbottle, Of Siskyion, and Chub
buck as previously arranged by our Bos-
ton late Of Roaring Camp, is said to
have been indescribably affecting. Col
Starbottle' embraced him unsteadily. ~
could not return to my constituents at
Siskyion, sir, if this hand, which has
rrasped that Of the gifted Prentice and the
Iamented Poe, should not have been hon
ored by the touch OF the god-like Club
buck. Gentlemen, American literature is
looking up. Thank you, / will take sugar
in mine 1t was Boston who indited let
ters Of congratulations from Fl. w. Long
fellow, Tennyson, and Browning to Mr..
Chubbuck, deposited them in the Sierra
Flat Post Office, and obligingly consented
to dictate the replies.
The simple faith and unaffected delight
with which these manifestations were re-
ceived by the poet and his patron might
have touched the hearts of these grim mas
tiers Of irony, but for the sudden and equal
llltuA III DOlii VI tut ' di iCA VI wan
natures. Mr.. McCorkls bask ed in the
Of his protege, and became al
ternately supercilious or patronizng toward
the dwellcrs Of Sierra Flat while the poet
with hair carefully oiled and curled, and
bedecked with cheap jewelry and Haunting
red neck handkerchief, f,paraded himself be-
fore the single hotel As may be imagln-
ed this new disclosure of weakness afford
ed intense satisfaction to Sierra Flat, gave
another lease of popularity to the poet
and suggested another idea to the facetious
&" Boston"
At that time a young lady popularity
and professionally known as the " Califor-
MIA Pet" was performing to enthusiastic
audience in the interior Her speciality
lay in the personatiOn of youthful mascu-
line character as gamin of the street
she carried the honest miners heart by
storm A saucy, pretty brunette, she had
preserved a wonderful moral reputation
even under the Jove-like advances Of
showers of gold that greeted her appear
ance on the stage at Sierra Flat. A
prominent and delighted member Of that
audience was Milton Chubbuck. He at
tended every night. Every day he linger-
ed at the door of the Union Hotel for a
glimpse of the 4" California Pet" 1t was
not long before he received note from
her-in "Boston's most popular and ap-
proved female hand-acknowledging his
admiration. 1t was not long before "Bos-
ton, !" was called upon to indite a suitable
reply. At last, i'm furtherance of his
facetious design, it became necessary for
:. Boston to call upon the young actress
herself, and secure her personal participa-
tion. To her he unfolded plan, the sue