Evening star., 1925-11-01
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Cincinnatus Heine Miller, better
known to posterity as Joaquin Miller,
roo,r;, a native of Indiana, but a
'odquiH resident of the Far West
Miller during his early manhood
made his first appearance
N Washington so years ago. In The
Star Of October 30, 1875, Is the follow
ng account Of an interview with him:
joaquin Miller, the poet of the
SieTas,' author of Songs of the Sier-
ras.' Songs of the Sun Lands etc,
who lectures at Lincoln Hall tonight,
has been domiciled at the Arlington
since Thursday night. A representa-
tive of The Star called at his hotel
his morning and sent up his card.
The waiter returned saying Mr.. Miller
would be down In moment. Soon
afterward q gentleman little above
he medium height, with a blond
beard and hair OF the same hue cut
rather short; with mild blue eyes and a
pleasant expression OF face, came
down the stairway and walked to the
newspaper stand, where he purchased
some postage stamps for letters which
he held In his hand. The Star man
had expected to see in Mr.. Miller a
man similar In appearance to the Ill
fated filibuster Gen. Walker. whom
the poet Of the Sierras' has described
| as having.
A piercing eye, princely air,
A presence like q chevalier,
Sombrero black, with plume of snow,
That swept his long, silk locks below:
And Spanish spurs with bells Of steel
That dashed and dangled at the heel.
Judge of his surprise. therefore, on
being told by the waiter That Is Mr.
Miller Somewhat doubling the as
sertion, The Star man inquired of the
gentleman is this Mr.. Miller, the
| poet?' and received in response q
pleasant Yes, sir, l am glad to see
you Mr.. Miller stated that he would
| make his first appearance on any
stage at Lincoln Hai anight, a fact
| which he thought wac 1T generally
| known. I am not at all afraid, how
| ever he added pleasantly, for have
stood in the presence Of many great
men in Europe and was not fright
ened. and don't propose to be fright.
ened here
"Have you been to sec the Presi.
dent yet, Mr.. Miller?'
"'No," he replied. I don't propose to
| run after anybody. 1 gave him an
| invitation to attend the lecture tonight
| and have just got a letter saying that
| he Will be there. confess feel graft
| fed at this, because / rather like
Grant
what Is the character of your
| lecture this evening"
"1t will be a talk about literary
matters in London-the clubs and the
| support England gives her literary
men. / shall then come across the
| Atlantic and pitch in heavy on the
| way literary men are ignored in Amer.
| lea. Here the soldiers and the poll
/ J,to To-, Ill
while the literary men are looked
down upon with contempt. 1 shall
| show this up without reference even
| to the presence of the President him.
SELF
ION being asked how he would
| answer the objection that literary
men are not practical men, he replied
The objection isn't worth answer.
| ing. Look at Gladstone and Disraeli
| Are they not literary men and states
men as well? The objection isn't
worth a thought. BY the way. where
is newspaper row? A gentleman
wanted to see me there
"The Star man offered to show him
the way, to the Office Of the gentleman
he was seeking. On the way down
a billboard bearing n poster of his
| lecture was passed. Stopping In front
Of It he pointed out with his cane the
words Poet and Orator. Now, that's
a lie,' he explained. I mean the last
part Of 1t. AS I said. I have never
appeared on the public stage in my
life, and the first thing that I shall
tell my audience is that it's a lie.
I'll have to stir the boys up about
that. The fact Is. I have never at.
tended a lecture In my life. Gen.
Butler did get me to go to his talk in
New York, but couldn't stay TO hear
\ 1t out
Mr.. Miller, who is evidently about
Sc years of age, dresses tastefully in a
plum -colored felt hat, black coat. dark
| vest and black pants. He wears sew.
| eral diamond rings and also diamond
shirt buttons"
| Joaquin Miller was born in 1s41, and
was therefore ~ on the occasion of
his first lecture in Washington He