New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-29
HTNtIE MYRTLE BIILLER.
The Lady MISUNDERSTANDING of Family
History.
,From the Chicago Tribune I

breath of winter was Mrs. Minnie Myrtle
Miller, the divorced wife OF joaquin Miller
the poet of the Sierras, who was at the
Gardner House.
4 Tribune reporter called on Mrs. Miller
last evening. He found that lady busilJ
engaged in her room, in examining with heI
agent. Mr. Mckinnay, the Eastern lecturing
field. and preparing for the work which il
the object Of her first visit to the East.
The reporter was cordially received by
Mrs. Miller, and by her introduced to BIT
Mckinney
MIS-. Miller is lady of medium stature
with a wealth of dark hair, dark brown
eyes, a small Roman nose, firm mouth
and deligatelY moulded Chin-she is, in
deed, a handsome lady. She looks like a
poetegs She wore a dress Of dark brown
color, trimmed with brown velvet OF a
lighter shade, made with oyerdress of
the same texture. About her neck was
thrown a worsted collar.
After being seated and making the neces-
sary remarks regarding the weather, the
reporter asked Mrs. Miller if she anticipated
remaining long in Chicago.
Mrs Miiler-Yes; need rest, and expect
to remain here number Of days.
Reporter-WilI you lecture in Chicago,
Mrs. Miller, before your departure!
Mrs. MiIler-Yes, that was my intentions;
what do you think about 1t, since the wealth
cr is so cOdf
Reporter-I would most certainly delay
INV appearance until the weather mode
rates Chicago people are not exactly hot
house plants, but they do sometimes con
suit comfort.
Mrs. MiIler-Do you think will be re-
eeived well here? fear that Eastern peo-
pie have placed the wrong Interpretation on
my actions. l trust they will know that
my only object in lecturing is to sustain my
children, and that 1 was advised to do it by
our mutual friends tmeaniDg herself and
Mr.. Miller. But what do you think-ought
my subject to be the same as have been
lectuTing on in the West!
Reporfer-M0st certainly; that is the
only reason why at present you draw an
audience.
Mrs. Miller-Well, that's go: and l sup
pose | must continue it, but want You TO
know that it is anything but a labor Of love
with me- 1t is hard work.
Reporter-DO you hear from MI. Miller
often
Mrs. MiIler-No sir; it is now two months
since he wrote to me. But | suppose he is
happy. Indeed, know he is, for he has
acquired that which he most wanted
fame-based on his pOetical labOrs.
Reporter-What was the cause of your
separating?
Mrs. Miller with some hesitancy Well,
l suppose we were too much alike. Ineyer
understood him, and he never knew me. To
this day, | must acknowledge / do not know
him. He always turned everything to
poetry; he loved the beautiful, and the
cares Of family and the regu-
lar life it entailed upon him was IN
suited to his temperament He was never
cruel, as that word is generally applied, but
he was inconsiderate and hasty, and often
made my heart feel sore by these tzaits.
RepOrter-Do you think he truly loved
you at first?
Mrs. Miller-WelI, don't know. was
young and foolish, and didn't know.
thought he was by far the most wonderful
man | had ever seen, and therefore | loved
him. But do not think he can love. He
is too cold. too tickle to love. Besides, he
is for self-but only, permit me to say, for
self in desire for fame as 81 poet. But, af-
ter all, | don't know; he is a contradiction
Of himself, and can't tell much about him
Have You ever seen him2
Reporter-NO, | have not.
Mrs. Miller (lising from her chair and
going TO the dressing stand, upon which
rested q number of card and cabinet photo
graphsl-EIere is his picture and thOsa~Of
my children, His is rot so good as one in
my trunk, but it represents HIM fairly. He
is handsome don't you think so
Reporter-Iesl and he certainly looks
ike poet.
Mrs Miller-Yes, he does This little
boy, Hal, is much like him. All my chill
dreD, three in number are with my mother,
in Portland, Oregon
RepOrter-Do you think that Mr.. Miller
is q born poet, or has he cultivated the
powers he seems to possess
Mrs. Miller-Well, in truth about that | |
would not wish to say much. l glory in |
Mr.. Miller's fame, and we both have rCc6iv- !
ed hearty satisfaction from it. | would do !
or say nothing which would detract from
that. But he always was O very hard stu |
dent, and toiIed long over his poems. After |
they were written he would alter and re-
write until there was little Of the original |
left He never was much of plagiarist,
but he studied closely the woNls used by !
accomplished au hOrS and tried to inCor-
porate them into his writings. | think that !
he has made himself to very great extent,
for don't believe a man SO seemingly cold |
as he is possesses the true poetic split. do
you' But wish him all success, and hope
his future will be only a succession of vic
tories. am poor judge of poetry, or
books, for, in truth, he never wanted me to
read much, or attempt to become as he was;
so l never applied myself.
Reporter-Do you think you will ever re-
unite with him
Mrs. Miller-No; I never expect it. 1t
would not be to the happiness of either of
us. We are now forever separated But
when | think over it all, our marriage,
which you must know was consummatod
after three days courtship, it seems like
4 dream.
Reporter-Does he never write to you
now, or send you money!
Mrs. Miller-ue has sent me perhaps $50
since last June. n, t long before left San
Francisco he wrote to my mother, and il
closed her two photographs of himself. He
has plenty of means, but he does not lavish
i on me, and, indeed, ] don't believe he
spends freely on himself, for he was always
Reporter-Did he begin his poetic labor
when young3
Mrs. Mil1er-Yes; he was but twenty two
when his first poem was published. | have
t here in an old scrap-book. You will OK
use the appearance OF the book
Mrs. Miller here handed the reporter a |
mall book containing MIR. Miller's first
published poem. The following is the be-
ginning and ending of the poem:
For the Oregon Democrat
The Miners Grave.
BY GMBs GAsrIH.
miner in his cabin lay, dying, far away
rom home and hears that loved him in circle ,
md oomTade stood beside him, and while he
hathed his brow
lie saw that life was sinking and huttering faint
and low; ,
lie raised him on his pillow, and the man essayed
to speak,
While tie last drop of fes blood lit up his CHASTITY
cheek |
am going" said the miner, and he drew his com
hat his faint and dying whisper might not escape
Down the dark and Iowly valley and D MESSAGE 4
You must bear |
o one who has mourned for me as I have mOurned =
for her I
a Drou6 and s+a+a1r ,,eDsio-, 4, 49, ~ I r