The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-12-09
MARGARET FULLER.
Some characteristics Of the Brlllian
Woman as a ChiId.

Some Characteristics Of the Brilliant
Woman as Child.
was recently fortunate enough to meet
a schoolmate Of this distinguished author
ess, writes a contributor, and, by patient
questioning, was able to elicit certain an-
ecdotes and facts which have not before
been given to the public. On one occasion,
Margaret, as her friend called her, was at q
social meeting at the parsonage in GrOtOn.
When the fruit was passed to her, she asked
abruptly care there oranges enough 70 go
round, if take a whole OneW When the
hostess left the room for a moment, the
unguarded girl remarked, doubtless with
some show of reason 81 suppose she's gone
out to help wash the dishes" These few
words, though trivial enough in themselves
are interesting as showing that spirit which
actuated the gifted woman through life; it
was this habit Of speaking OUT that gained
for her so many bitter enemies; even as
school girl she was not popular with her
mates, probably because, as her friend sug-
gested, she knew more than any Of the others
did, and had this blunt, outspoken way OF
expressing herself On another occasion she
invited a number Of young ladies to lit
tie party, aud, when they came laughing
and giegling, as girls will, TO their utter
astonishment they soon discovered that
Miss Margaret had altogether forgotten that
she had given any invitations she was
surprised to see so unusual a number Of her
friends coming to see her. The fact Is, her
mind was 50 full Of splendid thoughts and
brilliant fancies that it was no wonder that
every day matters should sometimes slip
her memory. She was rarely without a
book in her hand, but one could readily
guess that such was the case from the enor-
NOUS amount of reading that she Is known
to have done. In spite, however, Of the
bluntness of which have spoken, she had
a wonderfully kind heart; it would not
have been strange if her outward roughness
had been matched with internal bitterness
for she had much to make her bitter. My
informant told me that Margaret and she
were i'll with fever at the sa me time; ia
one felt better the other would improve
if one failed the other would follow suits
but Margaret, recovering little sooner
was very kind to her friend and read 70 her
a "Iife of Hannah More" skipping the dry
places and grasPed intuitively all that could
interest the invalid. Years ago IL used 20
be the fashion for girls to have Mysteries,
whether from a mistaken belief that it was
ladylike or from other causes IT IS un-
certain; strange as it may appear, Margaret
Fuller was no exception to the ordinary rule
of the day, and had her mysteries with the
best Of the hysterical; it is odd to thlnk Jna5
the woman who could make the most OItih8
criticisms Of popular tavorites shouIu' a.
IL
Her father was a very eccentric man. FOR
him Margaret used to sit up until he came
home from his Office. Once home he used
to take her in his lap to hear her Latin les-
SON. Owing to this method, there is no
question about the wonderful progress tnas
liz youthful scholar made. At II years Of
ace she seemed IL at least Her childhood
must have been rather grave affair, but yet.
when picture her in her fathers arms,
cannot think that she had no childhood She
did not like Carlysle because he soAioq ul4eu
when she called. She was too brilliant
con versationalist herself to enjoy taking tho
second place when there was any talking
going on. She did not care to marry g
earned man or one popularity called great
because, from her own experience, she knew
he foibles that people Of genius are aPt 20
,.ys The honse in which she lived at Gro
an il still standing in good repair, and ia
veil worth a visit from the associations THAI
cluster about it.