The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-16
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF STATE FEDERATION
OF IDAHO.
Edited by Mrs. Byrd Trego. Of Blackfoot

prose works relating to life In the
West, among which are THE Danites
in the Sierras', Shadows OF Shasta
and 40" or THE Gold Seekers Of
the Sierras."
The chief excellence of Miller's
works are his gorgeous pictures of the
gigantic scenery OF the Western
Mountains. In this sense he is a true
poet As compared with Bret Harte,
while Miller has finer poetical percep-
tons OF the two, he does not possess
the dramatic power nor literary skill
of Harte; nor does he seem to recog-
nize the native generosity and noble
qualities which lie hidden beneath the
vicious lives Of the outlaws, as the
latter reveals It In his writings. After
all, the question arises which II
nearer the TRUTH" Harte is about
the same age as Miller and lived
among the camps at about the same
time, but he was not, to use rough
expression, zone Of the gang, 4 was
not 50 pronouncedly on the inside as
was his brother poet. He never dug
In the mines; he was not a filibuster
nor an Indian Sachem. All these
and more, Miller was. And perhaps
he IL nearer the plumbline Of truth In
his delineations after all.
| Mr.. Miller's home is on the bluffs
overlooking the San Francisco bay
in sight Of the Golden Gate. He de-
votes himself to literature, his old
mother and his friends.
Interview by an Idaho Young Man
went last Sunday to interview
Joaquin Miller as you requested.
was unfortunate enough to reach his
home just as he was about starting
to his luncheon $3.50 p. m. and my
interview was therefore cut somewhat
shorter than it might otherwise have
been. ! secured few minutes of his
| time and was treated with great cour-
tesy.
Mr., Miller knew nothing of our
!, part of Idaho, but was deeply inter
ested In the Goose Greek cabin and in
the picture of it you sent me. He
said 1t was the custom in those days
to place windows high and put port
holes at the corners. He mentioned
several OF the towns of pioneer days
that do not remember to have heard
of--probably mining camps" that
have since faded away as did the gold
hunters dreams of fabulous wealth.
He also spoke Of the article he pre-
pared concerning the word Idaho"
and its first use among the white peo-
pie. Naturally enough pronounced
the word as we commonly hear it
when he said the correct way and the
way he spelled it in his letter was as
the aboriginee pronounced tt
dah-ho." 1t would seem to be in or
der for the Solons of the Legislature
to initiate the illustrious example of
the wise men Of Arkansas and decree
the pronunciation Of the word. Here
is an opportunity for your Club" to
distinguish or ex-tinguish itself!
Mr.. Miller invited me into his
den" and there showed me picture
OF the cabin" in which he lived dur
Ing The time he was Probate Judge
OF Grant county. Oregon. He evil
IDENTIFY was among the miners who
performed the work in the river-bed
down which we drove on our way
from Susanville to Galena, when we
located our timber claims. And what
will you say, If tell you Is "old
cabin" is the one in which we took
refuge from the rain and cooked our
dinner that never-to-be-forgotten
day? But | cannot say 1t was, al
though 1t was hardly more ancient
looking and not quite so open to
the breeze. He also showed me the !
picture of another cabin he had oc- ,
cupied in Oregon, that is now enter
esting" because it was once his home.
His den" is one-room building,
about 9x15 feet with 8 foot ceiling
1t is unfinished inside and somewhat
rough In appearance. The entrance is
at one end and the opposite end is
hung with cloth curtains. Occupying
one corner at the far end is an old
fashioned bureau. The bed stead is
iron and stands with the head to the
side wall about the middle of the
room, to the left of the doorway, a
bambo stand. On the bed were a num-
Der OF fur rugs. All of one side of the
room was covered with newspaper
lalf-tone pictures, newspaper clip Z
pings and photographs Of girls and
women The floor is partially cover
I'd with rugs--also of fur
He had an assortment of postcard
views of his home and gave me three