Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-16
JOAQUIN MILLER'S WIFE.
A Romantic story of Love, Mar
riage. Separation aud
Reunion.

died IN this city q year ago. 1hls II
done In accordance with promise
which each made the other in San
i Francisco, when "she seemed to see
wreck and storm and separation for us
on the arena of life long before il
came, and even while we were newly
married, very hopeful, young and
strong and happy" Mr.. Miller thus
describes how be first met Minnie
| Myrtle"
1t was while was riding Mossman
& Miller's pony express from Walls
Walla to Millersburg, in the mines OF
Idaho. in the summer of 1861, that |
first was attracted by her writings in
the newspapers. | wrote her aud had
replies. Then when [ came down
from the mountains and embarked in
journalism she wrote me, and our let
tiers grew ardent and full OF affection
Then | mounted my horse and rode
hundreds of miles through the valleys
and over the mountains, till | came to
the sea, at Port Oxford, then -four
ishing mining town, and there first
saw Minnie Myrtle"
Tall, dark and striking in every re-
spect, the first Saxon woman had
ever addressed had it all her own way
at once. She knew nothing at all OF
my lite except that was an express
man and country editor. | knew
nothing at all of hers, but | found
her, with her kind, good parents, sur
rounded by brothers and sisters, and
the..pet and spilled child of the min
ing and lumber camp. In her woody
little world there by the sea she was
literally worshiped by the rough
miners and lumbermen, and the
heart of the bright and merry girl
was trimming full of romance, hope
and happiness. | arrived on Thurs
day. o. Sunday next we were mar
riedl Oh, to what else but ruin and
regret could such romantic folly lead?
Procuring horsel for her we set out
at once to return to my post far away
over the mountains"
When the couple, after. wild ride,
reached home, they found that Mil.
ler's newspaper had been suppressed.
They went to San Francisco, but
after some time returned to Oregon.
where Miller bought some cattle, and
with his wife. baby and party of
friends, set out for a new mining
camp, Canyon City, in Eastern Ore.
gon.
And what a journey was this OF
ours over the Oregon Sierras, driving
the believing cattle through the dense
wood, no the steep, snowy mountains.
down through tie roaring canonsl
1t was wild, glorious, fresh, full OF
hazard and adventurel Minnie had
made willow basket and swung it to
her saddle horn. with the Growing
and good natured baby inside, looking
up at her laughing as she lesped her
horse over the fallen logs, or made a
full hand with whip and lasso slash
ing after the cattle. But when we
descended the wooded mountains to
the open plain on the eastern side Of
Sierras the Indians were ready to re-
ceive US, and we almost literally had
to fight our way for the next weeks
journey day and night. And this
woman was one of the truest souls
that ever saw battle"
Reaching the mines in safety, Miller
"practiced law, missed, fought Indi-
ans and indeed was the busiest Of
men in trying all means to get on"
He was meantime elected Judge Of
the county and had begun to write the
Songs of the Sierras." But overwork
broke down his health, and though
young in years he became "old and
thoughtful. "
We'll, all this, you can see, did not
suit the merry hearted and spoiled
child of the. mines at all Then she
was not so ambitious as | was, then
she had not such strange, wild life
behind to haunt her. She became the
spoiled child here that she had been
at her fathers and naturally became
impatient at my persistent toll and
study. But she was good all the time;
good and honest aud true in all things
and in all ways; understand that dis
tinctly. And let me say here, once
for all, that no man or woman can put
a finger on any stain in this woman's
whole record OF lite. so far as truth
and purity 20. But she was not happy
here. Impatientof the dull monotony
of the exhausted mining camp and
longing for the sea and the ole home
that almost overhung the sounding
waters, she took her two children and
returned to her mother, while sold
the little home we had built and kept
together, the new orchard and lanes Of
roses we had planted together, and
remained there in camp, promising to
follow her.
A year later the poor, impatient
lady, impulsive always and angry that
| should have kept so long away"
brought suit for divorce.
This so put me to shame that |
abandoned my plans and in rage and
disappointment formed a collision
with her lawyer 20 give her a pre-
tence Of that which she prOfessed to
desire
The sham decree was published to
the world. And it was perhaps qoite
ten years before she by chance met
some one who told her the truth.
"Sbe had married, but at once left
all and came to me here. | had seen
her form but once for nearly a dozen
years. And such years. Let me not
recite any Of the horrors they hold in
this connection; and yet ! heard from
her all the time, aud while she wrote
against inc aud lectnred about me and
did all that made my life so miserable
she did not really mean my ruin but
thinking me strong and prosperous
and happy. she exhausted her wit and
sarcasm on me and laughed that she
might not weep. But in time she
drove me nearly mad and / left the