Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-09
NO PITY WANTED.
The John Swinton Paper of New
York publishes the following:

Auc JUN CWlHtou IapeT OF new
York publishes the following:
Even while Joaquin Miller, the
wild Western poet, was riding the
courses of the sky, he sprang to earth
and took service as the driver of a
little newspaper nag. Too bad, too
bad! thou enchanter Of the Oregon
thou yellow haired hero of the Mo
docs! And now Joaquin Miller may
be seen about town any day. trying
to find theme for ten dollar news.
paper article. l urge him to the
| skies.
The pity and urging are both un.
necessary. Suppose he does search
for texts for ten dollar articles; sup
pose he has to work hard and does
not receive much reward, he needs
no pity; because were he to have but
q crust for his dinner, there is no rich
man among all the rich men in New
York who can have such guests as
cluster around his table. The COM
mon man. looking in at the window,
would report, perhaps. that there
was nothing but = shabby man, a
rough table and crust of bread in a
dingy room, but that would only fur
nish new proof tkat the human eye
is a most imperfect organ. There
would in fact be q room thronged
with glorified beings, rare men and
beautiful women; the crust would
expand into sumptuous feast; the
water in the cup would be converted
into wine richer than smoky Tokay
the cup itself would turn to gold, and
drops upon the rim would become
brilliants; there would be feasting
first, interspersed with wit Of the
age, later there would be toasts and
songs. and uneXtinguished laughter.
The voluptuary of the East eats of
the extract Of hemp, and sinks into
the sleep that is peopled with delici-
GUS visions. Joaquin Miller needs
no hasheesh. The angel that bent
smiling above his cradle, knowing in
advance that the blasts of the world
were to blow rudely upon him, left
the gift with him to bring to his side
at all times the company to charm
him; left in his call voices that are
always full of melody, left where his
eyes could always search them out,
radiant forms to be his companions,
He needs no pity. Were he to starve
there would be az assemblage around
his couch that would charm away
every pang; he has defense and
friends which the duller brains Of to.
day know nothing Of; he has bank
account as mysterious as that of
Monte Christie, which he draws upon
to build his castles and to furnish
them, and if they are but castles of
the air which quickly dissolve, they
are about as substantial as any that
mortals ever build, when we Judge
from the standpoint that for all, their
houses are to stand but a day. Nei.
Their does Joaquin Miller need to be
urged to the skies. He dwells there
at all times save when the call of du-
ty forces him down to the old work
ing world. 1t is not Joaquin Miller
that requires pity, rather it is the
rich man who is so poor that he has
nothing bat gold left, and who a. he
rises in the morning and retires at
night is consumed with the fear that
his treasures may be taken from him
and all will be lost. Those are the
men to be pitied, not men of the Mil
Ter kind. whoi can in thought make
the desert fragrant and beautiful
with flowers; in solitude people all
the region around with radiant forms.
and from utter silence call into life
celestial harmonies.