The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-05-26
JOAQUIN MILLER'S ROMANCE.
MARRIED, DIVORCED AND AT LAST
REUNITED WITH HIS WIFE.

ana separation Tor us on the arena OF Ill
long before it came, and even while W,
were newly married, very hopeful, youn!
and strong and happy. And so twent.
years ago this spring, while we were liy
ing in the top of Il house on Fulton street
San Francisco; with this singular and sat
notion in her head, she one evening hal
playfully said that whatever came to us
if | died first she would write me wei
before the world and let none do IN,
memory wrong. And she expected tn,
- ne promise of me. And from that time
SO far from forgetting the foolish cove
nant, she reminded me of it ever after
She reminded NE of it in san Francisco
IA few days before her death. last May
In the fuliilment Of this promise | now
undertake this most delicate and mos
difficult task. For it is on my conscience
that the occasion is opportune and that
cannot we'll conclude these sketches Of
my life in the Sierras at this time with
ont trying, after years delay. to keeI
this covenant and solemn promise OF
twenty years ago. 1t was while | was
riding M0ssman d Miller'S pony express
from Wal'a WalIa to MillerSburg, in the
mines Of Idaho, in the summer of 1>G1,
that | was first attracted by her writings
in the newspapers. | wrote her and had
ron win I Il
the mountains and embarked in Jour
nalism she wrote to me and our letters
grew ardent and full of affection Then
mounted my horse and rode hundreds
of miles through HE valleys and over the
mountains, till came to the sea at Port
Oxford, then furnishing mining town.
aud there first saw Mime Myrtle
Tall. dark and striking in every re-
spect. this first Saxon woman had ever
addressed had it all her own way at once.
She knew nothing at all of my life, ex-
cept that | was an eNpreSsman and coun-
try editor. | knew nothing at al! of hers.
but | found her with h-r good parents,
Surrounded by brothers and sisters. and
the pet ana spoiled child OF the mining
and lumber camp. In her woody little
world there by the sea she was literally
worshiped by the rough miners and Ium.
herman. and the heart of the bright and
merry gal WAS trimming full of romance,
hope and happiness. | arrived on Thurs
day. On Sunday next we We're mari led
Oh. to hat else but ruin and regret
coul'! such romantic folly lead > Procur-
Ing horse for her, We set out at once to
return 10 my post far away over the
mountains. These mountains We're then
as now, and ever viii be- reckon cross
ed only by dim, broken trial, with
houses twenty and thirty miles apart
for the few travellers.
The first day cut we came upon a great
band of elk. Toward evening | drew a
revolver aud with wild delight we dashed
annng the frightened beasts, and follow
ing them gnitc Il distance we lost our
way. Au': So We had to pend our first
night together, tired, hungry, thirsty,
sitting under the pines on the hillside.
holding on /" our impaticns horses We
reached my home all night. however, at
length, alter ii week ride. but only to
find that ny paper had been suppressed
By the Government, and We resolved 10
1.
we found neither fortune nor ii lends in
the great city. AID 50 returning 70 Oregon
] bought a haId oi cattle ana we set out
with our baby and Il party OF friends and
relatives to reach the new mining camp,
Canyon City, i'll Eastern Oregon. In
tact, had gone before to spy out the
land. We fought the Indians and got
some iooth"ld and we selected this luca-
ton for our future home.
And what a journey was thus of ours
over the Oregon Sierras, driving the
beliown cattle i'll narrow trail through
the dense woods, up the steep, snowy
mountains, down through the roaring
canonS, IL was wild, glorious. fresh, full
of hazard and adventure. Minnie had a
willow basket aud swung it to her saddle
horn, with the growing and good natured
baby inside, looking up at her, laughing
as she leaped her horse over the fallen
logs OF made full hand with the whip
and lasso slashing after the cattle. Bat
when we descended the wooded moan
talns to the open plain on the eastern
side of the Sierras the Indians were ready
to receive us, and we almost literally had
to light our way for the next week 5
journey, every day and night. And this
woman was one of the truest souls that
ever saw battle. | think she never, even
i'll the face of death, knew WHAT fear
was. She was not only wonder full
but very adroit in the use
of arms. She was much better shot,
indeed, than myself. In our first little
sklrmish on this occasion had taken 20
sition on Il hill with few men, while the
by the others i'll blight in the foothills
below to prevent stampede. And thus
intrenched We waited the attack of the
Indians, who held the further point of
the ridge on which | had stationed my
men. Suddenly Minnie, baby in arms.
stood at my side and began calmly to
discuss the situation and to pass merry
remarks about the queer noises the bull
let's made as they iiattened on the rocks
about US and glanced over our heads.
finally got her to go down, or, rather, to
promise to go down to camp for the bet
ter safety of the baby. But in a moment
she was back. She had hidden the laugh
ing little baby in the rocks, ana now GUN
i'll hand, kept at my side until the brush
was over and the Indians beaten off.
Here is one leaf from her journal, or
rather, l think, her recollections of the
journey, which she left me along with
her other papers when She died:
Zone night of that journey | shall not
soon forget. There has been some fight,
ing ahead Of us and we knew the foe was
lurking in ambush. They made Il kind
Of fort Of the freight and while we lay
down in the canon, baby and |, away III
on the high sharp butt, joaquin stood
sentinel. And say this Tonight in hi,
behalf and in his praise, that he did
bravely and saved his loved ones from
peril that night. That he stood on tia,
dreary summit, target for the foe and
no one but me to take note of his vaIol
stood till the morning shone radiant.