The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-10-24
The Poet Joaquin Miller.

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The history of the poets early career is full.
as strange, and even as romantic as could hav'
been anticipated, and the fair lecturer vii
no doubt make her undertaking pay.
Mrs. Miller commenced her lecture by say
inc that she did not come before her audience
as a wronged or deserted wife; she did no
come to complain.
She then touches upon his early boyhood
of his childish admiration for Mexican
bandit named Joaquin Murietta, which caus
ed him toeallhimself joaquin, and tells O.
her own Mflhood days, Of Cape Blanco, th'
gloomy ptZss where she lived and the cir
cnimstanss. .yhich led to hor6rst meeting will
IL. MIE:.ihs Eoh, III this doIcFal place, and
isolated from the companionship of young
women-there was not another young CIR
within thirty miles of Cape Blanco-l be-
came gushingly sensational. TO brighten
the romanee of the ideal world which l had
formed, l clanced to find copy of Lord
Byron's poetry in one of the miners cabins,
and through the wintry weather [ pored
over the book. I read all the beautiful and
naughty things ever written by the great
bard. About this time I wrote the fatal
lines which drew Joaquin Miller to my side.
A schooner was wrecked off Cape Arago, and
I deemed that a fit subject for my verse.
Oregon editors were not then the critical
literary men that they are now, and the lines
were printed Joaquin, or Cincinnatus Mil
ler was then running an express at Salmon
river, in opposition to Wells, Fargo & Co..
Looking overthc columns ofthe village paper,
his dreamy, poetic eye settled on these lines.
He sat down and wrote me letter. His
handwriting was not as good then as it is
now, and lave never bcen able to wholly
decipher it. I answered it to the best Of my
ability, not being able to make out exactly
what it was"
For four 6ne days after Miller arrived, the
pair lived in the atmosphere ofpoetry and then
they we're married. Minnie Myrtle's people
were opposed to the match, but thatmattered
little. lie took his wife where they lived
for six months, and then went to San Fran
cisco, returning to Cape Blanco when his
money was exhausted. The whole dream OF
Miller's life, according to his wife's story, has
been to resemble Byron. For this reason he
had early sought Mary Chawworth, and
selected fne-looking, buxom Willamette
girl for that place, but, of course, never
married her. After his return with his wife
to Cape Blan"o he left her there and pushed
OUT for the sifrrcs~o ~oof Eastern Oregon. In
accordance with his determination to be a
second Byron, he intended this separation to
be permanent and so told her, for said he,
"a man never gets to be famous until ne
leaves his wife or does something atroclous to
bring himself into notice." He met with
little success, however, in Oregon. and so in
the Spring he returned to Eugene City,
where he commenced the practice of law, de-
voting, however, a large part of his time to
literary labors The picture Of his study is
graphic.
"Now. ladies and gentlemen, with your
permission, l will introduce you into tho
poetic workshop. We 50 up an outside stair
way, enter hall, and from thence to small,
dincy room, which is ostensably the Office of
the county judge of Grant county, but really
the poetic workship of the "Poet of the
Sicrras.' And here we behold the artist at
work. There is a long table covered with
black oil cloth and furnished with drawers
Scattered over this table are books, papers,
stationery, and manuscripts. At this table
sits the artist poring over large open book.
He ,,on rests in n spacious inkstand, ready
for use. A page of ffoolscap is spread before
him, on which is written, with irregular
dasbes between them, the words, ever,
clever. over, clover, fire, DESIRE and so on.
We glance at the book spread before him
What is this book? tits copy Of Web
ster's Unabridged Dictionary. The poet is is
searching for euphonious words. We look
at tho Looks on the table. Here is rhymlng
dictionary, late numbers of British and
American reviews, Harper's, Leslie's, Brick
Pomeroy's Democrat, etc.-Upon the shelves
are the British poets, in bound Volumes
arranged in rows; then the American poets
and authors, Victor Hugo's works, the WAY,
crly novels, some Latin authors, ancient and
modern history and biography. There arc
Rollin, Rosseau, Voltaire, Bulwer, and many
Others" ,,.,, l..
Soon after this Joaquin published his
book of poems, joaquin ct al" was elated
by its success. and prepared to goto London;
hut. to his wife's disappointment, ordered
her back to her mothers, at Cape Blanco:
When Mr.. Miller went to London Mrs
Miller returned to her old home, to find the
settlement broken down and ruined.-She a
was there, as hessid in parting letter. LEFT
high and dry, as it were, with no money ana
little baby in your arms"
She became very i'll, and continued SICK
after going to Portland for change OF scene
While she was sick Joaquin obtained di-
vorce from her. The lecturer said, lronlcal-
": "This divorce was obtained in Lane
county, 81 I was not present, and knew little
about the management oft. 1t was part
Of the programme. He had already prepar-
cd sMyrrh,' and the divorce was essential 10 Q
rive force to the poem. Besides he wanted
his entire freedom. l did cvcrythingas was
desred.-He then wrote to me: You had
better marry some good fellow now and set
tlc down. The good fellow has not yet
made his appearance" ., e,