The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-14
ON THE HEIGHTS.
How a Poets Rest Is
Disturbed.
JOAQUIN MILLER'S VISITORS.
They Come Without Invitation, and
Some of Them Are Very
Inquisitive.

A prophet is not without .honor, save in
his OVID country.
The same is as unfortunately true to-
day as it was 1900 years ago. The prophet
still gets no honor at home. but he is often
times the recipient of attentions that cause
him to sigh earnestly for the useful, il
humble, office of the fo0lkiller.
Possibly no man in California has suf-
fered more from the invasions of those
who have thus far escaped the ministra-
tons of this worthy than does Joaquin
Miller.
One might have supposed that the man
who climbed bare, stony noun tain 'uine
miles from nowhere 10 evade the mad
ming crowd would be left 10 peace to his
chosen solitude, but this has not been the
experience of the poet of the Sierras.
Those who thought him a fool for his
pains have climbed the mountain to sat-
isfy themselves as to the extent of his
folly Those who experience a certain
satisfaction in saving to their friends.
I'VE went up to Joaquin NJ iler's the other
day and had dinner" gn in squads. TO
| trample over his terraces of roses that are
the poets pride and delight and strew
the grounds with the debris Of their van
| dal meals.
!
| one day not long ago to a CALL represen-
tative. THAT was a pretty spot on the
| uppermost of long series of terraces.
| Here in the shelter of group of aIching
! acaclas, was a rustic seat. The terraces
below were a fragrant mass of roses in
| bloom. On the bank above carpet of
vioetS was spread. and from the seat one
| could look out over The bay and tn rough
| The Golden Gate. Every prospect pleased
/ but the evidences OF mans vllemess were
everywhere at hand. CrustS OF bread lay
| about, tramped into the walk. Egg shells
strewed the seat and the grass. A greasy
| paper bag lay in bed OF vlolets and a
great spreading branch of acacia had been
| broken off TO afford better view of the bay.
THAT is hint l shall take" the poet
said. THE trees shall be trimmed, but
| this is the sort of thing that makes ME re-.
greet that | belong to so filthy race as
mankind"
Joaquin Miller is crank on the subjec:
of order and cleanliness. Order. that is to
say, as he understands the word. Papers,
manuscript. letters, pictures, all the pic-
turesQue fiOtsam and jetson of busy
| literary life are strewn In seemingly hope
! less confusion about his little home. but
he can put him hand upon what he wants
at moments notice. There Is no dIsor-
der about bis fields and orchards and gar
dens, however. Not a dead leaf: not a
weed, not a broken twig is permitted to
show ltSef1 on the DOMAIN OF THIS lnqe-
| fatigable toiler. What effect such scene
| as the one described has upon such a man,
therefore, can be better imagined than
! expressed.
He lad been up to the fishpond all that
| morning, shifting some young trout, sur
rounded all the time by crowd of stran-
gers, who watched him curiously, COM
mentng with perfect freedom upon his
appearance, his poetry. his home and all
that therein was. Leaving there he had
met the Morning Caller, and the two had
come upon the culinary wIeckage.
God" the poet exclaimed, as he esDied
group OF women in the road. II here
comes another band of female CUxryites.
Let's get Into the house." Down the hill
we fled and coming around corner Of the
house ran full tilt upon two men, who had
forced their way through taagle of sweet
peas and climbing roses and were peeping
in at the poets bedroom window.
They had huge black dog with them,
whose great paws were creating havoc In
the soft mold Of the garden beds.
MIR. Miller, l suppose" said one of the
men. "a very nice place you have here"
NO" said the irate bard. at isn't a
nice place. It's nastv hole. Hell, now,
would be a nice place, l think. but this is
a horrible place.
The men smiled. They evidently thought
this WIS simply the poets little playful
way, but they were enlightened when Mr..
Miller discovered the dog. He hates
these animals at their best, and a strange
dog in the midst of his pet bed of pan sizes
was not calculated to calm his ruffied