The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-11-22
A Good Story on Joaquin Miller.
Washington Correspondence Chicago Times.l


Now comes the news that the erratic
poet of the Sierras isnearing Washington.
In anticipation of his coming / heard two
ladies discussing him.. "He is the soft
est, silHest Ounce with women--too fool
ish to respect. had such an admira-
tion of his splendid poetry, and when l
was introduced to Joaquin Miller he
said in the most affected way, The
dear, little white hand, how beautiful ?
and in afew moments told me to put my
hand in my muff out of his sight or he
should go mad"
At dinner party, or lunch, to which
he was invited by literary lady of
Washington, the lady of the house told
him sheshad made and baked the bread
herself, = Very good bread, ma'am,
but am. used to better; can make
better myself. l was brought up to it.
/ like it with good, thick crust ON the
bottom. This hasn't it; it isn't baked
on the bottom" The lady, much con-
fused, minated that it was pretty good
bread for. blue-stocking to make, she
thought md she had prided herself on
it. "Oh, it's very good bread, above
the average, butt could make better"
A young lady present, tingling with
modification at h S rudeness, asked him
innocently, a few moments after, "Mr.
Miller, have any of your poems been
published?" This question, at the time
when the whole world was filled with
talk of Miller's Songs of the Sierras,"
staggered the eccentric genius. He as
sured her they had appeared in book
form, and showed his chagrin at such a
question, asked by the prettiest girl in
the room. He did not know she es-
capped giggling, with some of her friends,
to the other room as soon as lunch was
over. az was bound I would take him
down." said the jeweled maiden, laugh
ing till the tears filled her eyes at the
thought of Miller's confusion. "The
conceited ape, he shall never know that
/ can repeat half his lovely verses from
memory. He is poet, but fool"
Such is the conversation that / over
heard. Can it be possible that this pert
beauty's story of joaquin is correct9
That the dashing horseman that l saw
this summer riding like mad through
Saratoga streets, or laying his bright
tresses in the perfumed air around
Frank Leslie's Interlaken" on the
banks of Saratoga Lake, is in private
conversation a very boor? That his
personnel repels, as his genius attracts? :?
Poor Joaquin-fery-souled, not bound
by bands Of etiquette, like other mortals.
l understand that he folded his cloak
about him and said he didn't want to
know those people, and stalked moodily
from the house, where crowd had been
invited to meet him.
At another time he entered a lady's
parlor, and kicked his shoes off in the
corner and sat in his stocking feet.
"Oh, Mr.. Miller, want to introduce q
young lady to you" {" You had better
introduce me to the young lady if you
know anything about the rules of
politeness," he blurted.
These are the mere eccentricities of
genius; the finer feelings of tuneful
soul, which Minnie Myrtle and those
four babies Jared too roughly in their
Western home. Now loosed from all
domestic bonds, he scars aloft, and,
singing as he goes, delights the multi
tude who, when he comes to earth, are
dazed to find him the commonest barn
yard fowl.