Heppner gazette., July 20, 1905, Image 3

Joaquin Miller at Fair.
When the primitive, tiny caravels of
ColumbnH 0r8t touched the shores of
the new world, and the foolhardy ad
venturers who httve braved endless
league) of untried seas bore ashore the
crucifix and standards of Spain, the
simple natives, naked but unblushing,
gathered at the water's ede and chirp
ed in chorus, "We're discovered."
It must have ben with some such
feeling that Cincinnatua Heine Miller
made tue discovery when he reached
Europe after an early and obscure life
pent in Oregon, that be hud sprang
into the limelight and had ail at once
become a real poet. He was all at
once discovered, although the primi
tive Oregonians of the early days were
never appreciative of his early efforts
along poetic lines, and the early resi
dents of Eugene, were the future
"Poet of the Sferias" lived, were in
clined to make sport of the poetical ef
fusions of Mr. Miller. The same lines
which were to make him famous both
in Europe and America were eiven pub
lication in the Oregon State Journal,
published in Eugene for the past half
centnry by Harrison R. Kincaid, ex
Secetary of State of Oregon. The late
Elifha Appleuate, who was piominent
in Oregon politics, ooce went into the
Journal office and asked Mr. Kincaid
why he persisted in printing such crazv
stuff from Miller's pen. Mr. Kincaid
justified himself by remarking that all
poetry was more or les cazy.
Eueene was the scene of Joaqu'n Mil
ler's boyhood days, bis parents owning
one r f the best farms near the moutli of
the Mohawk, eight or ten miles across
the Willamette from Eugene. Joaquin
attended school at the old Eugene Aca
demy, nnd among his classmates were
J. M. Thompson, J. D. Matlock, and II.
II. Kincaid. All except Thompson are
still living.
Mr. Kincaid has said that Miller was
embittered against Oregon when he left
Eugene, and evidently thought his ef
forts had not been properly appreciated.
As a result, when lie reached Europe,
he gave out the impression that he was
from California. Ho is a'd to haye al
ways V'een a. recnliar as he a now.
In eatly life he persisted in wearing
bu kskin moccasins, Iml'an style.
Miller married in Engine, and old
se'tlers still point out tn old-time dwell
ing with gable windows that is said to
Lave been the first home of Mi ler and
his b'ido, Minnie Myrtle Mill r. Shot
ly after their marriage t! e two moved
to Ea terj Oiegon, inakirg the jonricy
over the mountains from Eugene to
Canyon City on hoifehack, e.vryit:;; a
new-bom baby on tho horn of the. sad
dle. The wite had coimideialle htoraty
talHiit, and pome of her poems were
printed in the e;ily Oregon papers.
Som of the old friends of the couple
have expressed the opinion that the
separation of the to v. as caused to
some extent by literary je. busy. Min
nie Myrtle Miller i etui nod to the home
of her childhood in Coos County,
where she died a nnmbei of years ago
after marrying again. One of the
daughters, Maud Miller, achieved con
siderable prominence on the etaee.
Joaquin Milior is at the Exposition,
is one of the best living, moving exhib
its ou the groondfl. His whiskers are
ati long and wivy as ever, his frontier
boots are the tame pattern, at lefist;
the long, Mick coat of the frontier
Judge and the broad-brimmed black
lut that goes with it are there. The
saucy mustaches curl as audaciously as
ever, and one could be pure that this
was the erratic "Poet of the Sierras." as
be loves to be cal!et. When told he
hadn't charged a bit, his reply was
characteristic. "I don't know why I
should," sail he. "Some day, of
course, I shall fall f.i 1 like a tree alone
in the forest, full length. I am part of
"00 years old, and I pee no need ol
changing a smile."
"Would be be sketched?"
Well, I should say lie would. Rather
more than less. Would he tell the sad,
sad story of his meteoric career? He
would.
He admitted the early Oregon en
vironment. Why not? Yes. he al
ways believed that there was no need
for what feeling there had been between
Oregon and California, and was glad to
notice tnat it was so no more, and as f r
being called the "Poet of the Sierras,"
why Oregon had as much of the Sierra
range, he said, as has California. "Tl e
best part of the Sierras lie in Oregon
and Washington," said he, "and I
would give gold if people would learn
to pronounce the word rightly," where
upon be gave his musical tongue a
twist and brought forth a Spanish
sound that was not half bad.
"Yes, I sat at the feet of Judge
George H. Williams and learned some
law here," mused the gray, bewhisker
ed poet, "and later went to Eastern Ore
gon, where 1 was a Judge. I adminis
tered law with one lawbook and a pair
of sixshooters, or rather I should say I
administered justice, not always law.
From my court there was no appeal al
lowed to be taken. I met a brother the
other day in Eugene, and will later join
another here who lives in Eastern Ore
gon. "I hope to come back here when my
work is done. I can rest better here
I did my best work here, first. Of
those early efforts, some have lived,
among them being, 'Is It Worth While
to Jostle a Brother?' and the book of
verses, 'Joaquin, et al.' The papers
hammered that book, and then and
there I took up the name of Joaquin.
"Perhaps 1 was not appreciated here
in the erly days. One is not appre
cia ed until after he is dead. It is ask
ing too much to be appreciated both
while aliye and after death. I believe I
am yet to do my beBt work. I have
something now that I believe to be
poetry, real poetry."
Although the poet was on earth, his
eyes were on the sky. "Do you kDOW,"
said he, "I know all these clouds. I
have seen them al1, every one," and he
is a close observer, for he has been
around the world twice, and has seen
many countries and peoples. He froze
his toes in the Klondike, and twinkled
them in the warm waters of the Medi
terranean; He paused beside the cot
tage of Bobby Burns and stood beside
the pyramids in Bilent contemplation of
the centuries ; he has peen the snnFet
dr.- upon the A'ps and watched the mid
night sun in Norway.
J: aqirn thrives bt-st in a mystic at
mosphere. Stao.t him alone in pome
st iking pose, with hi:? long hair flyirg
in tiie. wind, ami the man in at his best.
Cast over him the glamour of th- "days
of old, the days cf gold, the days of
'10," and the mao looms big. Ho likes
to allude to him? elf as bei'-.g ilone in
con--olable, an odd character, ami if you
will make him happy, tell him he re
minds you of the patiiarch.il Moses.
Watching the light go out on the
Golden Gate from his home on the
heights back of 0.k!nd, Joaquin wiote:
" We are hushed with wonder and all
. apart,
We stand in silence till hetving heart
Fills full ot heaven, and thrn the knees
Go d iwu in worship, on the golden
sands,
With faces seaward and with folded
hands,
We gaze on the beautiful Balboa seas."
Jooquin himself is in the suiiEet.
Hoar is his beard, and at his temple he
flies the white fl g of truce to tbe pass
ing decades. He is old and alone truly,
for his age is passed. Yet a little while
and the miners' boots will be seen no
tno-e this side Elysium. C. H. W.
.Tin! Tleet Soon.
Since the harvest of the fall grain ie
on in eietern Oregon and Idaho it will
eoon behoove the etate portage board to
hold a meeting and decide upon a sche
dule of freight rates to be in effect upon
the road effecting the various points
along the line from Lewiston, Idaho, to
Portland. Hitherto it has been unnec
essary to establish a schedule, because
no freight was moving or likely to move
for several weeks, bat now the time is
approaching when the grain will begin
to move and the board will find it en-
cumbent to take action in the matter.
It is questionable if a meeting will be
held (until Governor ChumberlaTn .re
turns f om the east, whioh will not be
until the 23d of this month. The 0. R.
& N. Company's tariff rate now in effect
between Lswibton and Portland is 19
cents per 100 pounds, practically $4 per
ton. It has been figured that, if the
portage road should establish a rt-te cf
$3 per ton upon freight between these
two points there would be a consider
able amount of profit in it and would
still be a much more reasonable rate for
the farmers and shippers of grain. On
th other hand there is a likelihood of
the 0. R. & N. Company readjusting its
present schedule to compete with the
portage road and a further cut by the
latter, it is thought, might operate to
precipitate a rate war between the com
peting lines lor the business. The two
members of the board" here, Secretary
of State Dunbar and Slate Treasurer
Moore, are undecided as to when the
rate schedule meeting will be held, but
quite probably the latter part of this
month. If the $3 per ton rate is estab
lished, a proportionate rate will be ar
ranged for the other stations along the
route.
threat Wool Corner.
Li Crosse, Wis., July 15. The wool
market of the Northwest is practically
cornered by S. Y. Hjde and associates
of the La Cros.se Wool company. Two
mi'lion pounds are stored here and a
vast quantity elsewhere. They have
bought every pound in Wisconsin and
have options on nearly the entire sup
ply in the Northwest.
Independent and reliable The Oregon-gonlan.
8" i
Domestic Peace
in the family is not to be ex
pected where a poor cook stove
is used. That is only natural.
Secure
DOMESTIC HARMONY
by furnishing your home with
one of those magnificent
4
jfe
If
4
4
4
4
I
4
iii
Si
STOVES OR RANGES
Economical in Fuel, 'Satis
factory in Results, and as cheap
and good as a good grade of
Stoves can be sold.
FOR SALE ONLY BY
Gilliam & Bee, Heppner, Ore.
LEADING DEALERS IN
Stoves and Kitchen Outfits
PLUMBING A SPECIALTY
GILLIAM & BIsBEE
3
i:illiu Root's Kornlngi at tue liar.
When Vr. Root left the oifice of Se -retary
of War he left it with the reputr
tion of having been one of tho gieatest
c-ibinet officers of a decade. Kh re
tirement was due to the necessity which
he felt of repairing his finances.
The success with which he has met in
the practice ot his profession since his
retirement from official life is said to
hve exceeded even his moet sanguine
expectations. In less than a year and a
half he is generally cred ted among the
members of his profession with having
made several hundred thousand dollais.
Us had retainers for the next five years
probably in excess of those which have
ever heretofore been paid to any lawyer
in New York city, Since the death of
James C. Carter, Mr. Root has been
recognized by the members of his pro
fession as the leader of the American
b'r.
Twenty teachers are employed
in the Roseburg public schools.
Terrific Race With Death
"Death was fast approaching," writes
Ralph F. Fernandez, of Tampa, Fla.,
describing bis fearful race with death,
"as a result of liver trouble and heart
disease, which bad robbed me of sleep
and of all interest in life. I bad tried
many different dootors eud several
medioines, but got no benefit, until I
began to use Electric Bitters. So wen
derfal was their effect, that in three
days I felt like a new man, and today I
em cured of all my troubles." Guaran
teed at Sit oum Drug Co.'e drug store;
price 50o.
A. recognized autnority The Weekly
Oregoalaa.
,
Majestic j
to
Cleared for Action.
When the body is oleared for fiction,
by Dr. K'ng's Nw Lit Pills, you can
tell it by the bloom of Lea'th on tie
oheeks; th hrvhtne s of tlia eyec; the
firmot-s of the fle3h nnd musclop; the
buoyancy of the mind. Tiy them. At
iS locum Drug Co.'a drnsr store, 25 cents.
Before You (JiCer
Tombstones, Marble
or Granite Work
You will do well to see
Monterastelli Brothers
and get prices. They have
a fine stock on hand.
MAIN STREET, HEPPNER, ORE,
Oregon
ShopjtLine
and union PACIFIC
. Onlv Line EAST via
SBLT LUKE .am EflH
TWO TRAINS DAILY
Daily TIMR SCHEDULES! aily
DKPAKTS ., AKRIVE8
Hkppnkb, Ob. j
Fast Mail For
9:00(1. m. East and West
Fast Mail From
East and West 5:35 p.m.
Express For
9;00a, m. East and West
Express From
East and West 5:35 p.
STEAMER LINES.
San Francisco Portland Routs. Steam
sails from Portland 8 p. m. every 5 days.
Boat service between Portland, Astoria
Oroiron City, Dayton, Salem, Independence,,
Corvallis and all Columbia and Willamette
River points.
SNAKE RIVER ROUTE.
Steamers between Rlparla and Lewiston leave
Riparia dally at 10:40 a. m. except Saturday,
returning leave Lewiston daily at 7 a. m. except
Friday.
J. B. HUDDLESON, Agent, Heppner
A. L. CRAIG,
MATLOCK & RASMUS
Fresh and Salted Meats
Fish on Fridays
Highest market price
paid tor fa!" stock
II K P 1 1 N K I . 0 1 V HCx ON
Red Front Livery &
Feed Staoles
Stewart & Kirk, Props
FIRST-CLASS
'LIVERY RIGS
Kept constantly on hand
and can be furnishes on
phort notire to parties
wiphinz to drive ino the
interior. FiiPt dag? : :
Hacks and Buoijies
CAT. I, AUM'SH AND
SKE I'S. VF. CAT KU
TO THF. : : : : :
COMMERCIAL
TRAVELERS
AND CAN FniXISII
KIGS ANP PRIVEK OX
SHORT NOTICE : : :
HGDDner. Oreoon
Liberty Meat Market