River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-12-13
Good Story of Joaquin Miller.

Washlngton Correspondence Chicago Times.
Now comes the news that the erotic
poet of the Sierras is nearing Washington.
In anticipation of his coming heard two
ladies discussing him. Gle is the soft.
est, silliest Ounce with wOmen--to toe fool
ish TO respect. had such an admiration
of has splendid poetry, and when | was
introduced TO joaquin Miller he said in
the most affected way, The dear, little
white hand, how beautiful and in few
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 Washing
ton, the lady of the house told him she
had made and baked the bread herself.
Every good bread, ma'am, but am used
to better; / can make better myself.
was brought up TO it. / like it with a
good, thick crust on the bottom. This
hasn't IL; il isn't baked on the bottom. y
The lady. much confused, intimated that
il was pretty good bread for blue-stock-
inc Il, make, she thought, and she had
prided herself on it. ooh, it's very good
bread, above the average, but | could
make better"
A young lady present tingling wits
modification at his Tudeness, asked him
innocently, few minutes after, MIR.
Miller, have any of your poems been pub
lishedi" 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 assured 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 escaped giggling with some
of her friends, to the other room as soon
as lunch was over. "Iwas bound would
take him down." said the jeweled maiden,
laughing 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 correcti
That the dashlng horseman that ! saw
this summer rioing like mad through
Saratoga streets, or laying his bright
tresses in the perfumed air around Frank
Leslies "Interlaken" on the banks of
Saratoga Lake, is IN private COhNeiSdlioi
a very boorl That his personnel repels,
as his genius attracts Poor Joaquin =
fery-souled, not bound by bands of Ell
quette, like other mortals. / understand
that he folded his cloak about him and
said he didn't want to know those people,
and stalked modify from the house,
where a 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 a
young lady to you" "You mad better
Introduce me to the young lady if you
know anything about the rules opOlite- ]
ness" he blurted.
These are the mere eccentricities OF
genius; the finer feelings of tuneful
SOU, which Mime Myrtle and those four
babi = Jared too roughly in their West
err home. Now loosed from all dones
tic bonds, he scars aloft, and, singing as
he goes, delights the multitude who,
when he comes to earth, are dazed to
find him the commonest barnyard fowl.