The Washington herald., 1913-02-18
joaquin miller
GOES TO REST
Continued from Page One.

by members Of the California state As
ISOLATION and other friends and ad-
mirers.
About two years ago the Miller cabin
was moved from its old place back of
Meridian Hill and erected in Rock Creek
Park. The association held appropriate
exercises In honor OF the veteran writer.
During the years Mr.. Miller lived in
Washington. back in the '70s, he en-
gagged in newspaper work, but since 1887
he had made his home in and about
Oakland, Cal.
Tales OF Sierras.
Among his works that are dear to the
hearts of every Californian in Washing
ton, and to people who love such liter
ature. are found:
Songs Of the sierras." Pacific Palms" !"
Songs OF the Sunland." THE Ship
of the Desert" Life Among the Mo-
docs" First Families Of the Sierras."
''The One Fair Woman THE Dan
ties Of the Sierras," Shadows of
Shasta" "Memorie and Rime,' Bar
oness Of New York" Songs OF Far
Away Lands The Destruction of
Gotham THE Building of the City
Beautiful THE Life of Christ"
Chants of the Boer.' The Silent
Man. THE Danites." and ''Tally-Ho."
Californians living in Washington have
been uneasy about the condition Of the
famous old poet for some time. He was
anxious to visit his home State, Indiana,
and then pay Washington one more visit
before he died.
Miller lived at Friutville. Cal. Just a
short distance from Oakland. His home
was but a simple cottage. setting upon
n hill surrounded by cluster of Japa-
nese cypress and eucalyptus trees. At
his home he spent his closing days peace
fully and quietly with his wife and his
lovely daughter. Juanita.
For seven years he aim1essly roamed
through the wilds of Northern Cali
fornia and Southern Oregon, sharing
the life and dangers of gold diggers,
casting his lot with a tribe of Indians.
becoming a "squaw man and losing
caste with the white men altogether
by this step. He was treated with con-
tempt. like all "squaw men," and re-
taliated by leading the Indians in their
attacks upon the white settlers.
After seven years of this life, young
Miller returned to his home in Oregon
and began to study law in the Office
of George NJ Williams. at Eugene.
Greg, who afterward became Attorney
General OF the United States. The fol-
lowing year Miller became express
messenger In the gold mining districts
of Idaho. which position he resigned
to become editor of a weekly newspa-
per in Eugene, Greg. The paper was
shortly afterward suppressed by the
authorities because of the seditious
character OF Its editorials.
II was while he was editor of that
paper that Miller became acquainted
with Minnie Myrtle" a frequent con-
tributor of poetry to the paper. A
brief courtship was followed by their
marriage. and two children were the
result of that union. Their married
life was not happy. however. His wife
soon separated from Miller and took
the youngest child. a boy, with her,
while the daughter. Maud Miller. In
later years we'll known an actress
remained with the father.
Was County Judge.
In 1855 Miller opened a law Office in
Canon City, Greg. While living in that
young and struggling town he distin-
Euishsd himself by leading an expedi-
ton against the hostile Indians. who
had attacked the settlement. In 1856
Miller was made county judge of Grant
County. which post he held until 1870
His literary activity began about 1864 or
1855 He began to write poems. deal
ing mostly with the adventurous life OF
the West. and published first collec-
tion of poems in paper covers, called
Specimens" and next a volume with
the title joaquin ct al" which con-
tanned a defense of Joaquin Murietta, the
famous Spanish-American outlaw, who
had been the terror of California for ten
years. From this Miller took his pen
name Joaquin under which he pub
lished all his subsequent works.
In 1870 Miller went to London. where
he published. in the following year. his
Songs Of the .Sierras' and Pacific
Dreams which quickly established his
literary reputation and made him a much
sought after lion of British social and
literary circles. After his return from
England Miller found himself celebrity
in his own country. His literary repu-
tation was established and he had no
difficulty in finding papers or magazines
eager to print and literally pay for his
prose and poetry
He became regular contributor to
the daily and periodical press and in 1915
published another volume under the title
Songs of the Sun Lands" and a prose
volume entitled Life"