Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-09-22
A TRUE STORY.
A Wicked Woman, Who, Out
wardly, Went Unpublished.

1.-The fiction of the present day lacks
the essence of romance; it is all hard
fact; there is plenty of clever character
drawing, bold and striking, but there
is no soft, vague background of poetic
shadow in which fanciful natures de-
light
The speaker was man Of middle arc
with whom had been convcrsing on
the shady piazza of Il country tavern.
lie was known throughout the region
as Il scholarly person of somewhat I'M
reliable habits, who boarded either at
the aforesaid tavern or at the houses Of
some of the farming folk where he oc-
casionally gave lessons. Ii was ru-
morcd that he was under some social
Punishment, and that he was closely
related to certain city millionaire;
but of that knew nothing, and cared
less. All that did know was that he
was familiar with all the ms and outs
of the woods, that he was successful
angler and Il pleasant companion, eager
pcrs | had with me, and to criticise
them freely, which of course interested
me us an occasional contributor thereof
He had Just finished reading what /
considered typical New England
story, full of odd humor and provincial
pcculiaritics, and as he handed the
book to me made the above remark.
| suggested that the romance of our
day consisted in the wonderful per-
formanccs of electricity and steam, far
outrivaling the deeds of the past, with
even supernatural accessories; but he
shook his head us if | had not caught
his meaning.
THAT is Just where the trouble lies
the age is matcrialistic; so is its litera-
turc. How else do you account for the
success of Ioia and his tribcp Iremcm-
Der, when boy, hearing my mother
talk of the Juror OccasiOncd by Waiver
lcy-the mystery of its authorship, the
profound secrecy Scott maintained.
| Imagine how absurd n man would be
considered who should act thus now
adays. But how much more absurd, IL
he should undertake to depict the JOYS
and sorrows of Il chivalric time or
transcribc the lays of a troubadour."
al am not so sure.
'But am. speak somewhat from
experience. | have written for this
and that periodical; the higher its level,
the moro prosaic its demands. Study
from life they tell me; paint from
nature, forgetting with what different
eyes we look on nature: how our own
habit of mind colors all VIC see. Shall
j tell you q story? Not to illustrate
my theory exactly, but because I am
in the mood, you are lazy, and there Is
nothing else to do just now"
gladly acquicsccd.
MY mother was remarkable
woman-cvcrybody's mother is that,
you know; she had clear head, a re-
tcntive memory, and wide expert
encc. She was the daughter of New
London shipping merchant, who came,
when she was quite young, To live in
New York. that his children might
have the advantages not procurablc in
q provincial town. But New York
itself was not much more than that
when compared with European cities
Still. il did have several good schools
Kings College, and, | believe, soms
other endowed institutions. NY grand
father had made money, and he was
DESTROYS that his children should no,
only be well educated, but should adj
vance socially.
"Thcrc was then considerable aristo
cratic feeling prevailing against people
in. trade, but my grandfather seized
the bull by the horns. took house in
Pine street. furnished IL according e
the taste of the day. sent his children
to school and dancing-school the lat
ter was taught by a French refugee o.
good blrth), patronized the thcatcI
snd the School of Fine Arts, and enter
tanned the notabilitics who came to THU
Western wild in search of health OF
wealth, or both. He succeeded admir-
ably, was considered public-spiritct
and generous, and made many friends