New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-08
JOAQUIN MILLERS WIFE.

A TRIBUTE FROM THE POETIC HERMEMOR
4 ROMANTIC STORY OF LOVE, MARRIAGE, sEPARA-
TON AND REUNION.
JOAQUIN Miller in an article sent from New-York
10 The San Francisco Chronicle pays tribute t" the
memory OF his wife, Minnie Myrtle who died in
this CITY yeal ago This is done in accordance with
a promise which each made the other in San Fran
cisco when she seemed to see wreck and storm
and separation for rs OH the of life long be-
fore il came, and even while we were newly mar
ried, very hopeful. young and strong and happy"
Mr. Miller thus describes how lie first met Minnie
Myrtle:
II was while was riding Mossman q Niillers
nouy express from Walla Walla TO Millersburg in
fhe miues of Idaho, IN the summer OF 1851, tOat l
first was attracted 10y her Writings in the newspa-
pers | wrote her and had replies. Then when
came down from the mountains and embarked III
journalism she wrote TO ME and our letters gre
ardent and full OF affection Then mounted nay
horse and rode hundreds OF miles through the val
leys and over the mountains. tl came TO the sea,
AT Port Oxford then ilOurishing mining town and
there first saw Minnie Myrtle
Tall dark, and striking IN every respect, the Drst
Saxon woman had ever addressed had IL All her
own way AT once She knew nothing AT All OF my
life except that was expresslnan and country
editor / knew nothing at all Of hers but found
her, with her KIND. good parents SURROUNDED Oy
brothers and sisters ana the pet ana spoiled chld OF
The mining and lumber camp. In her woody little
world there by the sea she was literally worshpped
by the rough miners and lumbermen and tue heart
of the bright and merry girl was Drumming iuu Oh
romance. hope and happiness arrived on InuIS-
day On Sunday next were married! Oh, To
what else but ruin and regret could such romantic
folly lead? Procuring horse for her we set out at
once TO return to my post far away over the noun
tains.
When the couple, after wild ride reached home,
they found that Mers newspaper had been sup
pressed. They went to San Francisco, but after
some time returned TO Oregon, where Miller bought
some cattle, and with his wife, baby and party
Nof friends set out for new mining camp Canyon
City. IN Eastern Oregon.
And what q journey this OF ours over the
Oregon S.erras. driving the believing cattle In The
narrow trail through the dense woods up the steep,
snowy mountains, down through the roaring canons;
Ii was wild. glorious, fresh, full OF hazard
and adventure Minnie had made willow basket
aud swung it TO her saddle-horn, with the Growing
laughing as she leaped her horse over the fallen
logs OF made full hand with hip and lsSso slash
ing after the cattle But when we descended the
wooded DIOuntans TO the open plain on the eastern
side of the SierTas the Indians ready TO receive
us, and we almost literally had to fight our way for
this wOman was one Of the truest souls that ever
saw battle
Reaching the mines in safety Miller practised
law mined foue ht Indians and indeed the bust
est Of men id trying all means to get on" He was
meantime elected Judge of the county and had be-
gun TO write the Songs OF the Serras" But over
work broke down his health. and though young in
years he became old and thoughtful"
Well all this you can see did not suit the merry
hearted aud spoiled child OF the mines at ALL Then
she was not so ambitious as was. then she had not
such a strange. wild life behind to haunt her. She
becam, the spoiled child here that she had been ~
her fathers and naturally grew impatient at my
persistent toll and study. But she was good all
the time good and honest and true IN All things
lei me saw here once for all. that woman
can put a finger any stain 10 this woman's wLole
record of life, so far truth and purity 20. But
sne was not happy here. impatient OF tne doil mo-
notopy of the exhausted mining camp and longing
for tine sea aud :he old hume that almost oysrhung
tho sounding waters, she took Der Two children ana