The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-11-08

sMilfon.s
 It vas the first word that the born poet had spoken during the interview, and his voice was ss very sweet and music al that the editor looked at him curiously, and wondered if he had sister.
 Milton is that all
 aThet's his first name," exclaimed Mir. MeCorkie.
 The editor here suggested that as there had been another poet by that name
 Milt might be took for himi Thet's bad ]. reflected Mir. McCorkle with sim pie gravity. "Well. put down his hull name--Milton Chubbuck.n
 The editor made note of the fact. !" I'll set it up now," he said. This was also hint that the interview was ended. The poet and patron, arm in arm, drew towards the door. {" In the next weeks paper" said the editor, smilingly, in an- swer to the child-like look of inquiry in the eyes of the poet, and in another moment they were gone
 The editor was as good as his word. He straightway betook himself to his case, and, unrolling the manuscript be- gan his task. The wood-peckers on the roof recommended theirs, and in few moments the former sylvan seclusion was restored. There was no sound in the barren, barn-like room but the birds above, and below the click of the com posing rule as the editor marshaled the types into lines in his stick, and arrayed them in solid column on the galley. Whatever might have been his opinion of the copy before him, there was no indication of it in his face, which wore the stoiid indifference of his craft. Per haps this was unfortunate, for, as the day wore on and the level rays of the sun be- gan to pierce the adjacent thicket, they sought oct and discovered an anxious ambushed figure drawn up beside the editors window-a figure that had sat there motionless fer hours. Within, the editor worked on as impassively as Fate. And without the born pSet of Sierra Flat sat and watched him as waiting its decree.
 The effect of the poem on Sierra Flat was remarkable and unprecedented. The absolute vileness of its doggerel, the gratui,ious imbecility of its thought and, above all, the crowning audacity of the fact that it was the work of a citizen and published in the county paper, brought it instantly into popularity. For many months Calaveras had languished for a sensation since the last vigilance com mittee nothing had .yanspired to dispei the listless ennui begotten of stagnant business and growing civilization. In more prosperous moments the office of the Reeoyd would have been simply gutted and the editor deponed'; at present the paper was in such demand that the edition was speedily exhausted. In brief. the poem of MT. Milton Chubbuck came like a special providence to Sierra Flat. It was road by camp fires, in lonely cabins, in faring bar-rooms and noisy saloons, and acclaimed from the boxes of stage-coaches. t was sung in Poker Flat with the addition os local chorus, and danced as an unhallowed rhythmic dance by the Pynhic phalanx of One Horse gulch. known as "The Festive Stags of CalaverzS" Some unhappy ambiguities of expression gave rise to many new readings, notes and eommen- taries, which, regret to state, were more often marked by ingenuity than delicacy ot thought or expression.
 Never before did poet acquire such sudden local reputation From the seclu- sion of McCorkle's cabin aad the ob- scurity of culinary labors he was called forth into the glowing sunshine of Fame. The name of Chubbacl was written in letters of chalk on un,ainex' walls, and carved with a pick cn the sides of tun- neis. A drink known vaEiousy as The Chubbuck Tranquili1er," or "She Chub- buck Exzlter," was dispensed at the bars. For some weeks a rude design for a Chubbuck statue, made up of illuysra- tions from circus and mslodeou posters, representing the genius of Caiave.as in brie1 skirts on flying steed, in the act of crowning the poet Chubbuck, was visible a: Keeler's Ferry. The poet him. self was overcome with invitations to drink and extravagant congratulations The meeting bet~een Colonel Ssarbotsle, Of Siskiyou, and Chubbuck, as previously arranged by our " Boston" late of Roar. ing Camp. is said to have been inde scsibably affecting. The colonel en- hraced him unsteadily. "l could not re- turn to my constituents at Siskiyou, sir, 1t this hand. which has grasped that of the gifted Prentice and the lamented Poe, should not have been honored by the touch of the god-like Chubbuck. Gentle men, American literature is looking up. Thank you, will take sugar in mine" It was Boston who indlted letters of congratulation from H. w. Longfellow. Tennyson and Browning tc ca.sn.-k. deposited them in the Sierra Flat DOS, ofnce, and obligingly consented to dictate the replies
 The simple faith and unaffected de- light which these manifestations were re- ceived by the poet and his patron might have touched the hearts of these grim masters of irony, but for the sudden and equal developments in both of the variety oi weak natures. Mir. McCorkle basked in the popularity of his protege, and be- came alternately supercilious or patron izing toward the dwellers Of Sierra Flat :; while the poee, with hair carefully oiled and curled, and bedecked with cheap jewelry and Haunting red handkerchief paraded himself before the single hotel. As may be imagined, this new disclosure