Arizona citizen., 1871-06-17

1.-THE HEATHEN CHrNEE. ."-In conver- sation with Capt. Whipple, we gathered a few items of interest relative to the early struggles of Francis Bret Harte-the Poet of the Period. We presume MT. H. $ pop ularity will not suffer by their publication, and public curiosity may be excited all the more in the personal history of he who so effectually laughed away "Chinese Cheap Labor" Previous to his engaging in the | business of fighting Indians, our informant owned and edited The Northern Californi- an, published at Eureka, Humboldt Co. In 1858, young Harte (thcn perhaps 9 years of age) applied for the position printers call the devilship' of the office. The pro- prietor naturally hesitated as to the policy of having such an old devil in the house as regular thing, but poor Harte pressed his opportunity, and the Good Samaritan de-
 cided in his favor. He remained with MT. l Whipple about two years, and acquired as much of "the art preservative" as persons of his age usually learn in that time that is, make an indifferent typo, at least. But he had the grand opportunity secured for shooting his ideas while earning his bread For he was worse off than nothing before. hand financially, besides having the cold shoulder of the community to all intents as marked so to speak as his own "Out- casts of Poker Flat ;"-nct that he did not try any honorable occupation that offered whereby he could keep soul and body to- gether. He took a job of splitting rails, but his success in that role will not add to his chances for the Presidency. In short, he was what this charitable world would call general failure; what Californians more specially designate as 'an incapable. , The humor and philosophy of Tapiey and Micawber predominateC. in him so largely, however, that no amount of pecuniary ill., luck or jibes at his personal appearance,- could have induced him to enact the role of One More UnfOrtunate,' in Humboldt Bay. He looked beyond. In early days up there, the mails were very irregular, and this doubly annoyed the young author, for while he had mind interested in affairs beyond those dark forests, the people jeer- mentioning due him by post. He had lit erally mo place like home to lay his head, until the occasion in question. His bene- factor enabled him to pay his debts, and finally get an introduction to San Francis co people which terminated to his great advantage. MT. w. had faith in him from the first, but confirms what we have sus
 pected, that rte-notwithstanding his "Plain Language of Truthful James" so frequent remarked" and his many racy and easywOrded prose creations-has a natural hankering after the incomprehen- sible in style; mixture of the classical and transcendental. Such dialogues as these were not infrequent in the Eureka room editorial: Editor (with proof-sheet iii one hand and finger in the present-arms posish) -' Frank, what in - does this mean Can anybody understand this ?" Devil "I can, -" Editor" We'll, you must not forget that our readers prefer something they can interpret themselves, without the aid of God, man or devil"
 Captain Whipple informs us that he had very good luck with his Humboldt Bay devils generally-turning out no less than three from that office capable of taking | care of themselves in respectable way. Hence we insist that he be allowed to re- main in Arizona and have fair show at putting the Apache on the right track.