Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-05-26
PECULIAR
WAYS OF
JOAQUIN
The Poet Appeared In High
Rubber Boots at a
Lecture

Joaquin Miller, poet Of the Sierras
and other things too numerous to men.
tion, has startled Stanford University
with an innovation in the etiquette of
introduction, says the Berkeley Ga.
zette. According to the rugged singer
Of field Of forest the proper method of
meeting a miss is to fix her with basi.
lisk eye, dart violently forward, sieze
her firmly by her lilly white hand and
kiss her passionately in the open palm
thereof. The osculatory introduction
will hardly become popular at Stan.
ford.
The first demonstration in this new
social convention took place at re.
cent meeting Of the Stanford English
Club at which Joaquin Miller was the
guest Of honor and the honored guest.
He had been enlightening the fair co.
eds, who gather TO WOO the muse, with
some Of the finer points Of Education
in China " but the assembled guests
damsels found the picturesque pioneer
much more interesting than the Orien
tai administration Of the three RS. !"
The forty minutes Of Education in
China" was decently buried with po.
lite applause and twitter Of anticipa-
tion followed at the possibility Of meet
ing one 20 far removed from earthly
thoughts and 30 wrapped about with
the fire Of inspiration. Madame Vice
President approached the poet, and in
her wake was a bevy Of Stanford q
fairest flatterers Of literary lions. In.
Productions were requested.
The poets benevolent face lighted
with the approval Of beauty in all its
manifestations. The first blushing and
bashful victim was led forward and
sbe heard her own modest name coupled
with his who had made a continent
echo with his musical numbers.
Joaquin Miller smiled kindly and
then TO the undisguised amazement Of
the entire assemblage, the white-beard-
ed author bent over and kissed the
girls white palm.
She flushed and backed away while
her companion beat a preeipitate re-
treat TO safe quarters. Through the
remainder Of the evening personal in
Productions to the poet were somewhat
at a discount and there were few who
dared his leonine presence. The oscu'
latory introduction will probably re-
main unique in college society until
BONE of the more brilliant minds inr
vent some proper guard and counter
A gentle bite might prove effective
All this happened at the Kappa Al
pha Theta house, which is one Of the
most select Of the sororities, but IT
WAS by no means all that happened.
phe literateur of Piedmont caused a
ioeial upheaval in several directions.
He came 20 the reception clad in
Aigh rubber boots, soft shirt and his
poetic hair. Incidentally he wore
dress suit, but dress suits are so com
mon that this was theoretically lost in
the CONSERVATION caused by the high
top boots.
Scarcely had the poet arrived before
the distracted young ladies who were
present 10 worship at the poets shrine,
were deeply agitated to learn that one
Of the poetic attributes Of their guest
mas an extreme aversion to the use OF
knife and fork. The elaborate menu
vas abandoned and the difficulty solved
~ serving merely coffee and waters
nc lecture began and for the next
forty minutes all was serene. The now
M phrases and eloquent periods deal
Ing on the present condition OF Edu'
.&tion in China" reeled on undisturoed
a.'d the agitated members Of the eul'
t1se-seeking society began TO believe
f1ht entertaining real poets, even those
Who wore boots and refused the ser
eIee Of knives and forks, might be ae'
complished if tact were used.
Even after the initiation Of the CO.
tls into the poet g Introductory meth
ods there were stiIl few who dared
his presence One Of the most promi-
nent of the guests sauntered towards
nc "poet's corner" Z"
"I know you well through your
works, Mr.. Miller" she remarked as
pn opener.
"Woman," replied the poet, "those
Bho lie viii 60 to he'll. 1"
The ensuing silence was almost loud
md conversation dragged.