The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1893-11-03
A RISING AUTHOR.
One Of Gothams Daughters Who
Is Doing Good Work,
Miss Marguerite Merington, the Successful
Writer of Popular Plays-A Product
Of the New York Common School
System--Her Ideal Home.

More than hundred years ago q
young Irishman of good family was
being educated in Dublin for the
priesthood. Changing his faith he
left his native land, married and set
tied in France, where, as a linguist
of wonderful gifts, he became famous
as the author of the "Hamiltonian
system" of learning languages. One
Of his daughters, Margaret Hamil-
ton, the grandmother of the subject
of this sketch, married Richard
Whiskin Merington, of Cambridge,
England.
Their eldest son, Richard Whisl1in
Crawford Merington, the father of
Marguerite Merington, was sent to
sea at an early age as midshipman
on her majesty's troopship, the
earl Grey" and, after many voy-
ages to all quarters of the world, re-
turned to England, where he was for
q short time in the service of the
Bank of England. Later he had
short career in India, but an attack
Of fever compelled him to leave, and
he then came to New York, seeking
health and fortune, bringing his
wife and family with him.
With. the exception of a short
time spent by his daughters at the
Convent of the Sacred Heart his
children owe their education to the
New York common-school system.
Having been the successful candi-
date in competitive examination
for a position at the Normal school,
before she was out of her teens,
Marguerite became tutor of Latin
and Greek in the Normal college of
New York. 1t has been assumed,
in an imperfect knowledge of the
facts, that Miss Merington gave up
teaching for play-writing In point
of fact, however, ill-health had COM
PEELED her to- suspend her college
labors some time before "Capt. Let
tarblair" was either accepted or
completed.
1t was the result neither Of mere
drudgery nor yet mere luck, but Of
a native fitness, that Miss Mering.
ton sprang into general recognition
with first public hearing. A few
successful sketches for performance
in amateur theatricals evoked the
suggestion that Miss Meringtor
should write for q public. At The
word, an act of "Capt, Lettarblair'
was conceived, written and for
warded to Mr.. Sothern, to whom i
commended itself despite its faulty
technique.
The play entire was reshaped ant
rewritten under Mr.. Sothern's. di
rection, until its form was practic
able, for the stage. At Buzzard
Bay Miss Merington first met Mr.
Joseph Jefferson, and read to hin
the manuscript of capt Lettar
blair" Seated in the cool shade O
the wide piazza the master acto
listened to the young authors work
and at the end turning to Mrs. Jei
ferson,. he exclaimed: "Were I tie
years younger I would play it,"
There were some managers
doubts, not as to the excellence, bu
as to the commercial value, of a Iii
erary" play; but a trial matinee wa
given in October, 1893, at the Ly
ceum theater in New York.
The next mornings press made
evident that capt. Lettarblaii
was a success. No long successic
of manuscripts on the manager
shelves had marked a dusty road
this goal. The comedy was Writ
ally a first product.
Miss Merington's home in Ne
York is considerably northwestern
Of the city; its veranda and windoV
look over to the clouded blue clit
of the Palisades, through tree
across the Riverside drive and wit
in sight Of the just inaudible HUI
son.-Lucy Derby, in Ladies' Hor
Journal.
ON OCEAN STEAMSHIPS.