The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-01-28
LETTER FROM "I0N."
"Mnrgaret NIerlyn''-A Severe Crlti-
Ctsm. -s't

! 49, - uNIx I'M CNVA 'XVNs
. ''Margarct nIerlyn'-A severe Crlti-
cism. 'i
SAUK RAr1Ds, Jan. 18th, 1860.
EDITOR JouRNAL.--The Representatives
and ''budget" Of local news contained in
my last were exhaustive Of the subject. In
tho absence, therefore, Of local and person
al items this week, in accordance with q
previous intimation, and your pcrmis-
sion, will with ditlidence venture an opln-
loa-not criticism-on tho last published
chapters of "Margaret Merlyn."
The opening chapters Of this story were
animated aud entertaining; given with
skill and life, and some parts were charac-
terized by exceeding grace and elegance of
thought and style, aud promised better
things than we see in the scenes enacted
by MIR. Twinzy aad the over. unfortunate
Margaret in tho last three chapters Twin
~ going to church with Margaret, the
chamber maid Twi.,zy conspiring with
Mrs. Walters to circumvent waiter girl
at the table; joining the Christian Associ-
alton solely for the purpose of winning the
confidence Of domestic; finally locking
her up in room and putting his arms
around her with fen intent oil this is
not only not natural, hut even if it hap
pened any where or at any time is totally
unworthy rehearsal. Even admitting the
probability-wh deny-it is devoid of
incident, is tame and iusipid; the little
complications are too low and too much
alike; and what is still worse. the last
scene is repulsivc 10 even al ordinary
mind.
leave 1t to the reader Of any candor or
dlscernment to say whether the narration
OF the scene between Twinzy and Margaret
In the locked room, is drawn from any
standard Of truth or nature which any one
ought to know enough to recognize, and
which no one can depart from with impu-
nifty? DR. whether it is not formed upon
certain fantastic pcculiarities in the fancy
Of the writer-a wide and wilful aberra-
ton from the ordinary conduct of mortals?
10 De sure, Margaret is now in The situa-
ton Ct servant, but those who read the
Introductory chapters will remember her as
being invested with rare innocence and &C.
compliments. She is supposed to be the
same person now in her mental situation
that she was when she left the elegant man
sion Of her deceased father. But consider
the language that falls from her lips when
Twinzy makes his advances! Is it that of
a refined, accomplished and modest girl?
Is it not rather the language of a coarse,
vulgar and prurient washerwoman? We
must be permitted to doubt if among all
the readers Of the story, there is single
individual who has either himself heard or
has seen others who have ever known such
language coming from the lips Of any lady.
Again, after the door is opened and she
has opportunity OF escape from her ..deg,"
Twinzy, what do We see? Do we discover
her retreating from the presence of him
whose conduit had SO exasperated her
temper? This would be most natural for
frightened, innocent soul-glad, but too
glad to be forever out Of tho sight and
hearing Of the villain. Nothing of the
kind. On the contrary, she shows an un-
natural desire TO remain in the house where
ne is, and where she must of necessity
meet him every day and dozen times
day. We find her even waiting upon him
at the table the next day. She knows he
is the special pet of Mrs. Walters, her mis-
tress and yet she remains, liable at any
time TO a similar attack, for pecuniary
consideration.
On the whole, poor Margaret is ever be-
fore us in these chapters the packhorse of
all the immoralities Of thetown. She has
the bad fortune to be the special object of !
attention from oil the freebooters in the
domain Of love. A retired servant girl,
quietly pursuing her mental vocation, she |
yet has the ill-starred luck of being beset
and whistled for by all the lazy, idle vaga-
bonds in the community whenever she
crosses the street from one neighbours door
to the other. They look after her from the
corners; they cough from behind lamp
posts, and she, poor girl, will not hear
them. From Mis-. Howard, her first &C.
quaintancc at the milliners shop, who was
the mistress ola retired merchant, down to
Twinzy and his satellites, she has been
destined to find none but suspicious char
acters around her ;; the only exception be-
ing the Irish girl, who thus far hos proved
to be true.
We submit that this is SO far from being
what we have learned of the world and the
history Of sane people, that it assumes the
unwelcome hue Of defamation and rhap-
sody, having neither probability nor inter-
est to recommend it.
Hydromel, CT honey water, was said to
be the nuptial bowl Of Attila. And this
was also the metheglin Of the Morse gods.
From this conduct of poor Margaret and
OF Twinzy and the rest, one would be led
to believe they all had drank nothing but
metheglin for thirty consecutive days.
Now, after so much fault finding, YOU
will naturally expect something better, and
you shall not be disappointed. The scenes,
against the moral of which so vehement
~ protest, are described in that vigorous
and dashing style which has given the au-
thor SO wide celebrity. The ludicrous
incidents are not dwelt upon with tedious
nes:. Evidences of skillful pen are OBJ
servable in the most unpalatable and cab
alistio passages. What, with the daring
adventure upon established rules of pro-.
priety and the characteristic bold and rap
id manner Of delineation, Margaret Merlyn
is destined to attract attention, and will be
read by all who remember the unequaled
elegance and interest Of the story of the
suicide. ION
DOUGLAS COUNTY.
A Mothers View of'Margarot lerlyn,,