The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1896-12-22
rHE HOME OF A POET.
DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSES AND
GROUNDS OF JOAQUIN MILLER.

in all that bright landscape. He wore
the gayest of colors, and, as | under
stand, was dressed as he always is when
at home on the mountains-in light
corduroy trousers, buff silk shirt, red
sash and black velvet vest, with bear
skin slung over his shoulders. He looked
like true Spanisrd of the olden days
His long, light hair made beautiful
frame for very kind face. AS he greet
ed us he turned and waved his hand,
taking in the whole country round
about.
cit is all yours. he exclaimed,
"the houses, flowers and fruit, and all
ask of you is to be happy"
A small thing, we thought, but one
that means much to him, as he cannot
bear to have any unhappiness near him.
He took us up the path to three small
cottages, standing side by side, called
Spring, Summer and Autumn. I only
peeped into the first, the walls of which
were gay with childish pictures-the
whole room, in fact, furnished for a
child, his little daughter Juanita, who,
with her mother. came on from New
York to spend the summer.
AS we started into the next cottage,
Summer, Mr.. Miller babe us look up
over the door, saying: "There are the
three religions. You may take your
choice. -
There, indeed, were the symbols over
the door-the rising sun, the crescent
and the CROSS This cottage consists Of
one large square room-Mr. Miller's
own. Half of it is used for a sitting
room, furnished in gay chintz, while
the sloping walls are one mass of photo
graphs of noted people and curious rel
les its owner has brought from all parts
of the world. Curtains divide the room
and make bedroom of the other half,
and here is where Joaquin Miller. the
Poet of the Sierras," does his writing.
He told me that he had coffee brought
to him at 1 1 O'Clock in the morning, and
from that time till 1 he did what writ
ing he had to do, then dressed and was
ready for the first real meal of the day.
The third cottage is miniature chapel
on the outside, but within there is no
suggestion of the church. The room is
simply filled with quaint articles gath
cred from the Indians, nearly all having
a story connected with them. Two huge
bear paws hanging from the ceiling
caught our attention, and | asked what
they were for. He babe each one of us
take hold of them and look directly at
the paw in our hands, saying to us that
they were claws from the famous Rain
Bear of the north, given him by the chief
of an Indian tribe he had journeyed
with, and that when sought through the
medium of the paws the Great Spirit
would bring rain to the earth This was
the greatest gift the chief could bestow
on his friend, as the other two paws
must stay in the tribe forever. Much in
terested, we fastened our eyes upon the
paws, and Mr. Miller began to sing a
queer Indian song, begging for rain. AS
we were listening to him we suddenly
heard the sound of water on the outside.
Who ever heard of rain in California in
midsummer and with the sun shining
and not cloud i'll the sky?
But there it was, and for ten feet
around us the ground was wet.
In a few minutes Mr.. Miller sang an
other little song and waved a coyotes
tail, which caused the rain to cease.
On walking out behind the house
discovered the secret Of the rain-with
all due respect to the Rain Bear-for
over the house was most compact wa
ter tank with sprinklers running around
on the four sides, and key connected
with the tank is operated from the
chapel
/ might tell Of many more ingenious
contrivances Mr.. Miller has prepared
for his own and his guests amusement.
We were then taken up to fourth
and larger cottage for luncheon, where
kind old lady came down the path to
bid us welcome lin Joaquin's name
his mother
After hearty luncheon and look at
his two fish ponds-there being plenty
of water on the ranch-I started up the
mountain with Mr.. Miller to visit his
tomb.
1t was long, steep walk, but the
goal was at last reached. The tomb is
built of great rocks that have been car
ried up to that lonely spot on the noun
| Jdlus nuluf0uS OF I66G ABOVE the sea-
Perhaps 100 feet away is his funeral
pile, also built of stone-for Mr. Miller
has given orders that his body be burned
and the ashes placed in the tomb. For
miles these two huge piles of stone can
be seen. They serve as landmark to
the country round about On our way
back to the others we walked among the
groves of fruit, stopping to pick peaches,
pears and plums, and thence through the
most beautiful spot Of all-the rose gar
dens 1 might say that the whole ranch
is flower bed, and it would not be far
from the truth, for even in the orchards
Mr.. Miller has planted rows Of La
France roses and violets between the
trees, and about the cottages are acres
/ of roses.
The next day Henry Irving and Ellen
Terry were expected up to spend the
day, and Mr.. Miller had planned to
have the path from the gate to the house
strewn with roses for Miss Terry to
4 walk upon, quite as the knights of old
/ would have done. Midland Monthly.