The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-06-29

spontaneous like, in course you pays
Thet's why Mister Editor never printed
your poetry"
"What name shall put to II" asked
the editor.
Milton"
1t was the first word that the born
poet had spoken during the interview
and his voice was so very sweet and
musical that the editor looked at him
curiously, and wondered if he had q
sister.
"Milton is that all ?"
"Thet's his furst name,' explained
Mr.. McCorkle.
The editor here suggested that as
there had been another poet of that
name
"Milt might be took for him ? Thet's
bad," reflected Mr.. McCorkle with sim
pie gravity. "Well, put down his hull
name-Milton Chubbuck."
The editor made q note of the fact.
"Ill set it up now," he said. This was
also hint that the interview was ended.
The poet and patron, arm in arm, drew
toward the door. "In next weeks
paper" 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 as good as his word.
He straightway betook himself to his
case, and, unrolling the manuscript, be-
gan his task. The woodpeckers on the
roof recommended theirs, and in few
moments the former sylvan seclusion
was restored. There was no sound in
| the barren, barn-like rooms but the birds
above, and below the click of the COM
posing-rule as the editor marshaled the
types into lines in his stick, and arrayed
them in solid column on his galley.
| Whatever might have been his opinion
of the copy before him, there was no in
dication OF it in his face, which wore
the stolid indifference of his craft. Per-
haps this was unfortunate, for as the day
wore on, and the level rays of the sun
began to pierce the adjacent thicket,
they sought out and discovered an anx-
ious ambushed figure drawn up beside
the editors window,-a figure that had
sat there motionless for hours. Within,
the editor worked on as steadily and i'm
passively as Fate. And without, the
born-poet of Sierra Flat sat and watched
uinl tS WdllluS ltS u6CTee.
The effect of the poem on Sierra Flat
was remarkable and unprecedented
The absolute vileness of its doggerel,
the gratuitous imbecility of its thought,
and above all the crowning audacity of
the fact that it was the work of citi-
zen, and published in the county paper,
brought it instantly into popularity.
For many months Calaveras had Ian
guished for sensation; since the last
vigilance committee nothing had tran
spired to dispel the listless ennui begot-
ten OF stagnant business and growing
civilization. In more prosperous mo-
ments the Office of the Record would
have been simply gutted and the editor
deported; at present the paper was in
such demand that the edition was speed
lily exhausted. In brief, the poem of Mr..
Milton Chubbuck came like special
providence to Sierra Flat. 1t was read
by camp-fres, in lonely cabins, in far
ing bar-rooms and noisy saloons, and
declaimed from the boxes of stage-coach-
es. 1t was sung in Poker Flat, with the
addition of chorus, and danced as an
unhallowed rythmic dance by the Phyr-
ric phalanx OF One Horse Gulch, known
as 1.-The Festive Stays of Calaveras."
Some unhappy antiquities of expression
gave rise to many new readings, notes,
and commentaries, which, 1 regret to
state, were more often marked by ingen-
uity than delicacy of thought or express
sion.
Never before did poet acquire such
sudden local reputation. From the Sc
clusion of McCorkle's cabin and the OBJ
scurity of culinary labors, he was hailed
forth into the glowing sunshine of fame.
The name of Chubbuck was written in
letters of chalk on unpainted walls, and
carved with pick on the sides of tun-
nels drink known variously as :" The
Chubbuck Tranquilizer," or "The Club
buck Exalter," was dispensed at the
bars. For some weeks rude design for
a Chubbuck statue, made up of illustra-
tious from circus and melodeon posters,
representing the genius of Calaveras in
brief skirts on flying steed in the act
of browning the poet Chubbuck, was
visible at Keeler's Ferry. The poet him
self was ,overborne with invitations to
drink and extravagant congratulations
The meeting between Colonel Starbot-
tie, of Siskyion, and Chubbuck, as pre-
viously arranged by our "Boston," late
OF Roaring Camp, is said to have been
lndescribably affecting. The Colonel en-
braced him unsteadily. al could not
return to my constituents at Siskyion,
sir, if this hand which has grasped that
of the gifted Prentice and the lamented
Poe should not have been honored by
the touch of the godlike Chubbuck.
Gentlemen, American literature is look
ing up. Thank you, will take sugar
in mine" 1t was Boston" who indited
letters of congratulations from H. w.
Longfellow, 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 de-
light with which these manifestations
were received by the poet and his patron
might have touched the hearts of these
grim masters of irony, but for the sud-
den and equal development in both of
the variety of weak natures. Mr.. Nc
Corkle basked in the popularity of his
protege, and became alternately super
cilious or patronizing toward the dwell
ers of Sierra Flat while the poet, with
hair carefully oiled and curled, and be-
decked with cheap jewelry and Haunting
neck handkerchief, paraded himself be-
fore the single hotel. As may be imag-
ined, this new disclosure of weakness
afforded intense satisfaction to Sierra
Flat gave another lease of popularity
to the poet, and suggested another idea
to the facetious " Boston"