The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-07

60 forward, although Prentice milford with
his dry, meditatiye and fragmentary style
could only tell this.
One evening In London as he sat talking
and telling over for the twentieth time his
delightful moonlight walks and talks on tie
tiowery hillsides of California ne finally
looked at me and said with that low, quiet
chuckle peculiar to himself as If laughing
away down in his bootheels:
DO you know how cow gets up%
Yes, do. A horse gets up when he IS
down with his head first, but cow don't"
He chnckled quite while and then went
on: "Yes, | know now, but only found Ii
out that last night. You see. she had been
telling me over and over again that l was
too sober and thoughtful; didn't have
enough fun in me. Wel-chuckle, chuckle,
ehuckle-as we got back nearly to the gate
there lay their big cow in the trail. and so.
TO please her, IL suddenly struck me that IL
would be funny TO jump on the old COW
You see. she was lying there right in the
way. and-chuckle. chuckle. chuekle-oh,
lord scoot, scoot You bet COW gets up
the wrong way. Over her head and down
the hill like frog to where her father stood
by the gate-chuckle, ehuckle. chuckle-he
helped me back to my cabin"
And did that break the engagement"
Break the engagement! 1t broke my
nose and nearly broke my neck: broke up
the school, too for couldn't show my face
for mouth. so / went down to the CITY and
went to work for Joe Laurence on the Era.
But whether it was the break and cross in
bis love affair. or what, Prentice never In the
city quite equaled the work done at that
time under the oaks with his sweetheart;
and SO he must again be going, this time TO
Europe.
1 met him at the home Of Ina ID. Coolbrith
by appointment, and to the delight OF all
he pulled out two handfuls of gold before
he had fairly got his hat of.
Took me three days; first day / walked
up and down all day outside and looked at
the bank; second day l went iD and asked
If l could see Mr. Ralston saw him through
the glass, and ran away. But the third day
/ went straight in, straight up. told him
right out / wanted to 90 to London, and he
laid out all this gold; and Pm going"
This little incident is due to the memory
Of Ralston. and it cannot hurt Prentice
Milford. Maybe he returned II. L know
he was very honest and proud In money
matters, and would accept nothing from
any one without return. as rule.
Milford married In London while living
with me in Museum street. near the British
Museum, and was very happy. His wife
was most beautiful nd'good English girl.
and Lady Hardy and others Of rank and
literary eminence took great interest in the
new couple. He took his little wife with
him al over the warld-tO all the great fairs
at designating his way as usual with his
pen and sometimes giving lectures; she
melting into his nomsdic and bohemian life
with grace and agreeableness that was de-
lightful.
But little more remains to be said, for
his life and work from that time became a
part Of the literature of his country. When
he was placed at the head of the white
Cross" publication Mrs. Roosevelt OF New
York wrote me, Prentice, your Prentice,
is now making fame and fortune together"
But hear that be died poor, poor rs he
had lived; and that the little 80 cents found
in his pocket when his body was picked UP
on that lone last voyage in the drifting
canoe was his fortune. And that was quite
enough.
He had Inherited burial place with his
fathers. and he had plenty Of true friends
to lay him to rest there.
And II is well. / do not know that Call
f0rnia has particularly cared for this lone
camper and prophet and painter of her
tawny hills, or for anv other OF her minis
ters that have been thus far RS TO that; aud
1t is probable that Ralston is the only man
that ever reached him hand with anything
in II. Peace and honor to them both love
and eompaniOnship beyond the waters,
where they alike, siugularly enough,
sought their final rest.
JOAQUIN MILLER.