Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-13


ing over a large open book. His pei
rests in a spacious inkstand, ready 70
use. A page Of foolscap is spread beforl
him, on which we see written, with ir
regular dashes between them, the word
neutrality-suspicious. fre = desire
and so on. We glance at the boOI
spread before him. Its a copy Of "Web
ster's Unabridged Dictionary" Thepo
ct is searching for euphonious words
We look at the books upon the table
Here Is a rhyming dictionary, late
numbers of the four British ReUieosi
BIGckl0o0d's Magazine, the Atlantic and
Overland Monttiies, HarPer'si Lestiesi
Dick RBarogs Democrat, Nc C0rmicks
Almanac, etc. We glance up at the
books upon the shelves. The British
poets in bound volumes are ranged in a
row. Then the American poets and au-
thers, Victor HugO's works, the Waiver
~ Novels, some Latin authors, whose
names L never even learned; ancient and
modern history and biography. The
works Of various authors, too numerous
TO mention, are carefully arranged upon
these shelves. ROllin, ROsseau, Vol
taire, Tom Paine, Maeaulay, Dickens,
BuiWer,f and many Others. On the
other side of the house is the law library.
A large family Bible, bound in Turkish
morocco, lies carelessly upon the end Of
the tabls. Is this Bible used? you ask.
Indeed il is. Every evening at q certain
hour the poet opens this Bible, draws
his huge inkstand closer toward him,
gives the already disabled pen a fierce
thrust into its depths, and reads. He
reads rapidly, for his eye is quick and
his perception ready.
off a fOotstep is heard in the hall, be-
fore the door has time to swing open,
this volume is across the poets knees,
and the perplexed, legal seowl on his
brow. But the visitor, unless he is a IA
vorite, does not remain long, although
the Judge talks eloquently of,the science
| OF law: laws his white hand Familiarity
upon his shoulder, and blandly insists
upon his sitting still. Why does he not
remain? The room is small; there is
but n window, and that is closed. In
one corner is a large bar-rOom stove. Be
hind this stove is a wooden box heaped
with dry firewoOd. Mr.. Miller arises
when his visitor enters, shivers a little,
g Y he is not well, feels chilly, opens
the door, and fills the stove with wood.
In a few minutes the stove is red hot,
and the visitor sits tanning himself with
AIELC4NLtCh . ZllNtlAANAA1 Ii ~ 81 Vi
dure il no longer, when he arises and
goes out. The artist then closes the
draught, opens the window, andresumes
his work. THAT is the only way / ear
do he would say to me; they would sit
and talk for hours i'll didn't make il too
warm for them.' 1 give thisfo for the ben
eft of industrious lawyers who are bored
with visitors. But Joaquin was as quick
and cute in perceiving genius or or1g1-
nality in people as in books, and as care
full in culling gems from conversation as
from authors.U
And so Mrs. Miller went on with an
ecdOte after anecdOte Of him whom she
called Hthe distinguished poet" In his
imitation of Byron, Mrs. Miller thus
took him off:
"During the preparation Of these
poems through which Joaquin expected
to win a fame in London he was eX-
excessively ByrOnic, and l charge the
great bard indirectly with many Of his
little foibles. Joaquin had an incorrect
idea of Byron, and being such an i'm
FASHIONED admirer of him, it was not
strange that he did, almost impercepti-
bly, to himself, fall into an imitation Of
many of his whims. Lord Byron said
that he did not admire a learned wO-
man, ergo Joaquin professed a horror Of
literary women. He kept his literary Ii
brary in his lawofice, and WhenI would
ask him for any information in litera-
ture, politics, science, or current topics,
he would tell me not to seek to know
anything; that | was more attractive TO
him as l was. Lord Byron, for the sake
Of being witty, said that he could not
to see beauty eat beefsteak, and,
in consequence, my poet always spoke
Of women who enjoyed a good meal de-
-isively-called them 'gOrmandiZers'
and the like. He never liked to see me
of much food. OF course l was
Interested in making myself agreeable.
[ had a desire to please my poetic hege,
lndI went hungry until l became quite
pale and interesting; but il was all in
7ain, for my poet went down to the
shades of Oregon and made love
% a bouncing Willamette girl who
weighed two hundred pounds avOirdu-
lOis, and who ate all she wanted"
This little episode of the fathers ten
Ter regard for his children is peculiarly q
ich:
joaquin, as you know, is very &c
entric in his dress. He was always very
in his tastein making any little ]
purchase for myself or the babies. He
IWays taught me to disregard jewelry s
nd ornaments, but last winter he sent y
daud q little present in jewelry-I sup ,
ose to encourage the child in her stud
IS. Maud was In anxious anticipation
{ this present, for he had written her {
lr months that he had q lOcket and 5
hahn for her, which he would send as
as he got his photograph ready for {
!, and hoped she would be q good girl. y
ust before 1 left Portland it came. l
aceived a package of papers in the mail,
nd upon unrolling them out it dropped
"a huge chain, which looked like the
all of a magnificent serpent, and a
uaint looking lOcket. Ipicked it upten-
erly; l looked at it; tested it; il was
rass, and must have cost him about I
twenty-five centsI But you know it isn't
ne value Of a gift which makes it pre- II
Mrs. Miller drew a touching picture Of
er desOlate widOwhOod after JOaquin's v
eparture for London, and closed her
in the following glowing satire: a
at must not he imagined that what l
ave said tonight will wound the pride I
: injure the feelings Of joaquin Miller t
lOuld this reach his ears. Pollock, in
iprobatjng the practice of duelling, says Il
rat wise men could never tell what \
onor meant, or why that should be
He'd honor which makes nan murder ?,
an and break the laws of God In y
y observations of the various positions
which men move in the world, 1
ink l have discovered what honor is. v
be dishonest merchant who will allow o.
to be sued by his washerwOman OF
Id who will cheat his workmen out Of
Ieir ages if he has a note matured in IL
.e bank will strain every nerve TO meet W
because he has honor at stake" Il
The lecture was a complete success
roughout, and will stamp Mrs. Miller %
possessing as much genius as does her al
fled husband. W
\