a
visit to Canyon City in 1907, he used to walk along
the street with the ex-judge and poet, passing old
timers idly congregated in groups. Several of these men
had known the poet well in the late 60’s, and Joaquin
Miller greeted them as he passed but often they, on
their part, refused to speak to him.
His first book, Specimens, was printed in Portland
in 1868. “Its reception,” says Martin S. Peterson,
“was far from warm. Miller’s friends disregarded it
except for a few good-humored jibes—all of which
and a very temperate comment of derogatory nature
in The Overland, written by Bret Harte himself, failed
to dampen his ardor.”
The next year, in 1869, his
second book, Joaquin, Et Al., was published in Port
land.
George H. Himes, now the aged curator of the
Oregon Historical Society Museum, printed both
books, Specimens directly for Miller, and Joaquin, Et
Al. for S. J. McCormick, 105 Front Street, Portland
the formal publisher.
Mr. Himes, from memory and from reference to his
notebooks, gave in an interview for this history, the
following account of the publication of Joaquin Mill
er’s first two books:
The Express in those days took a man of quick thinking
and ready-witted — a man with qualities of leadership.
Miller fitted it beautifully. He worked for the I. B . Moss
man Express Company. He was a dare-devil makeshift, let
ting Mossman do the work and he taking the money.
Miller entered my office, a shabbily dressed man, un
kempt in appearance, with a long beard, shaggy and clay
colored, and long hair. One pantaloon was stuck in a
boot, and the other one drooped over a boot. He had
