The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-02-27
JOAQUIN MILLER.
euFcKrnrp cAuEER OF THE roET or THE
sfEEnAs.

vb,eh h, a on tho walls Of Mr.. Redpath's
study l.. New York, the reporter OF the
Chronicle. who has been giving recently
the Rist OF conversations With Mr.. kedpatti
ou lis "reminiscences OF well-kDown lee.
tarsrs, noticed the photograph of joaquin
Miller, with the poets ii. nature on y.
Rrpurter-Yen know Mr.. Miller, ! see
j. R.-Youi California Byron IN mocca-
sins? Oh, Yes. I heard OF him before /
saw him--unce ia while, not q lite solnn-
tarily-from bright Boston lawyer, Dick
Spoiiord, the husband of The gifted move.
lat, who made her maiden name of Harriet
Prescott famous one before she dropped
it inside the railing Of the altar. More
than once Mr.. spJfiord stopped me In the
street when was going at double quick
ON busiuess-and played tho role OF the
Ancient Mariner, making me take the re-
luctant bridegroom's part, and
lie held me by his giittcrng eye
While he talked with enthusiasm about the
new California poet.
Rep,-But be isn't California;.
]. Ron. now don't split hairs. Joa-
auin was once arrested for stealing horses
in California, aud IL that doesn't make hIn
n citizen OF your Stste, What do yen eE-
pect Of poet before you naturalZe him I?
There ought to be reason IN all thugs, II
Won make the terms so hard yon'iI drive
immigration away from tbe State. Spot
ford wanted me to trap Joaquin az a lee
turer. told him my sentiments 90 that
subject agreed with those of Barkis. Once
he announced that Miller WIS cunning to his
bouse and he would bring the Sierra poet
to the Bureau and introduces him 10 me.
INTRODUCTION TO THE POET.
Well, one day Spoffoid came into the Blu
reau aud marched rapidly across th room
to the desk where was writing
.Mr. Redpath," he said, loo me intro.
duce You 10 Mr.. joaquin" lie turned
around and flushed. We 10th looked at
the door, There was Miller standing right
in the doorway. looking all around the
walls nj the portraits of the celebrities
for whom we were managers. lie turned
his back and walked slowly around the
walls, examining the pictures at his leis-
ure, Dick was embarrassed and | was
amused. Miller was dressed in a summer
suit, but he wore big Panama hat with
broad brim-noU new one, either-and
his long yellow hair hung in ringieis down
bis shoulders. had lived for years ON the
frontier and saw that the poet meaut no
ofiense. but was only taking IN the lay OF
n new ranch" When he reached my desk
Spofiord introduced him.
How are you. Redpath ~ said Miller Ia
the most indifferent tones, hardly looking
at me aud carelessly extending his hand.
said In the same tone and IN the same
manner, How are you, Miller p and kept
on talking 10 SponOrd az he continued ex
aiming the pictures. He came In prett,
often. after that visit, but his manner hard
iy changed, until one morning, after Mrs
Liyermore, who had Just come from Kan
sas, had been telling him some incidents o
my life there, he came up, shook hands
cordially, and said he didn't know | was I
western maa-that he had been afraid
was one OF those Boston snobs, tool
some friend who wished to meet him To hi
room at the Revere House. A Mexican
saddle and red blanket lay on the floor
and what with pistols, wild cat skins ant
other Western chase trophies, the room
looked as Bottom did to Ounce "'ransla
ted" don't believe any room Ia Boston
ever before or since, was so uniquely fur
nshed. A few day afterward l gave tn
gifted young exile Of Erin. Boyle Oheiiiy
q note of introduction TO Miller. IN which
said that the bearer was poet and hat
been transported for life to 4 penal colony
and IL seemed to me they ought to kno'
each other. That note pleased joaquin
ana hlDGG IUAI. Win but VI INV tSthOn@pt
have been on the best Of terms with tn
poet ever since. You see, we had anothe
fraternal bond OF unioD--l had once beef
arrested on the charge Of stealing horse
myself, | am the only man who has eve
visited Joaquin Miller in bis own privat
dwelliug in this city.
mLLER's MYSTERIOUS DEN.
Rep Where is IL?
j. R--I arm under pledge not 70 Eel
anybody where 1t is. IL is a French hat
up two flights. in quiet street near one
the great thoroughfares. The little parlo
IL his study. IL IL richly and daintily Inn
pisbea room. The windows are hung wit
heavy curtains of Florentiae tapestry. whic
In decorate with tbs SKINS of the Tailor
mia lion. Ihe furuiture.is OF ebony, inlai
with ivory, and the upholstry Is rich an'
artistic. There In an expensive yeive
Garnet on the floor. Everywhere-0ve. th
chairs. on the sofa, on the floors AID On tn
walls-are the trophies OF the chasa--''ani
every skin" as he said, that grows II
California; His holsters and pistols wer
hung up near the door. There were littl
dainty arrangements OF ornaments tina
seemed to me 10 indicate the delicat
taste of woman; but although the poe
has caused one OF his characters to sa
that athem's bad lot fur tho women q
writes poetry" there was no other visibl
evidence of any feminine presence. Ii
has portraits of bis favorite di-ugbte
Maude, the Duchess, Mrs. I.angtry an
other OF his English lady friends Oh til
walls. He has no books. He never had
library. He is like the Frenchman Emel
son tells about who said, "When want
book write one.v He had only nj
4. a. fxr .Af ha, .rar h
poems. n present from his publishers; Oh
nth. Edward Sears "Nonsense Songs,
which be described as the greatest boo
ever written in this world, and present;
ton book of poems, which he said WASH
worth -. He gave 1t TO me. and SUI
enough It wasn't worth the price indie;
ted. Miller said he didn't read man
books; be went to church every Sunda.
not TO the heightened churches. but ofte
to the negro churches, and where ther
were live preachers. He thought he WI
pretty well posted In the Bible. He Shove
the fullness of his knowledge OF the Scril
lures when be remarked that he lived SOM
times here and sometimes AZ hotel; th;
he was like Moses when the Hebrew lead.
went 40 days into the mountain-he needle
seasons OF utter seclnsion when be wante
TO think and write; and then, when he fe
he ought to go among men, be took
room ut the hotel.
Rep. But 1t was Christ, not Moses.
J. R.--So / said; but he thought q
though my acquaintance with lngerso
made me sort Of authority on Moses,
be was right about ito days was &
vorits period with the Jews, anyhow. i
confessed that he didn't own Bible.
Rep.-How old IS Miller?
J. Rife was born on the 10th Of M
vember, 1S42--so he is nearly 3S. He So,
he doesn't cultivate eccentricity. He sal
he acted In the East and Europe just !
he had always acted on the coast. but |
soon as he found out how other folks acte
he acted like them. asked him II he ha
ever heard ID said that ho only prctende
10 be iame--because Byron was lame i
laughed heartily when asked the question
He said he bad never heard that story. NJ
Byron was lame In his right foot: be bin
self was wounded In his left leg.
the STORY OF HIS LIFE.
Y Reporter-Do you know the story OF b
iiiep
J. R.-.yes. -One day caught HIM IN
communicative mood and | asked HIM
thousand questions, more or less, and ps
down his answers in shorthand. He SUI
posed was only making brief notes, 80
have got q complete autobiography.