The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-15
MARY N MAG LANE
A FRIGID GENIUS
sIBYL WILBUR, FORMERLY OF
MINNEAPOLIS, WoRsTED.
Great Soul From the West Resents In
trusion into the seclusion Of Her
Home in Rockland, Mass, and Fairly
Freezes the Newspaper Woman by
Her Icy Reception.

Freezes the Newspaper Woman by
Her Icy Reception.
Sibyl Wilbur, known thru the north
west by her work as Journal writer
several years ago, never known to fal-
ter when given most difficult assign.
ments and the last member Of the staff
to admit defeat, has evidently met her
equal.
Assigned by the Boston Herald, by
view Mary MacLane, the once famous
writer who emerged from. oblivion in
Montana again to enter the unknown
in Massachusetts, village near Boston,
Miss Wilbur pitted herself against q
frigid proposition but left the retreat
Of the recluse, to all appearances, badly
worsted.
Mary MacLane now lives with 2 q
Miss Maria Louise Poole, at Rockland,
little shoe manufacturing village. To
this place Miss Wilbur went, to be
confronted by puzzle.
| Mary MacLane's entrance into
Rockland was as peculiar as many
other features Of her life. Going to
the village without announcement and
recognized from her pictures SO pro-
IuseIy clTcuiate4 aG Lndt tlue, SIG IL
quired for the Poole house. Her cold
demeanor dissipated all thoughts Of en-
tertainment 'Fbeftting her station, =
that may have arisen in the minds Of
| the residents Of the insignificant lit
| tie hamlet. Reaching the Poole house,
retired from life publicity and her
ability to present the coolest side Of
| her cold self, has caused the villagers
| to cease thought and notice of her and
she now lives, with her companion, a
life Of almost complete seclusion.
Only two persons enter the precincts
Of this little old home occupied by
the two women. They are Judge Kel-
~, a well known lawyer, and Profess
sor G. Burleigh Collins, professor of
English in the Boston schools. To the
other villagers they are unknown; they
solicit no friendship and command
none.
A Chilly Reception. .
Miss Wilbur notified Mary MacLane
by letter of her desire for an interview
and appointed the hour when she would
arrive at the old house. Reaching
there, she says, no one responded to
her knock: Later she saw the 8 two
women enter from a side door. She
knocked again. This time Miss Bron.
son responded and she was ushered into
the modest little parlor.
Mary MacLane, probably Is wears
old, apparently older, entered the room
and coldly recognized her caller. To
the, attempt to make a pleasant if for.
nal introduction to an interview Miss
Machane is reported to have replied,
e a;Tith.,, startling abruptness and ri:
~ will give you just ten minutes
Of my time' and if you have anything
to say to me you would better not
Zen minutes in which to know s
genius is a rather short period. NJ
doubt L shall have to ask questions Sc
rapidly that they will seem imperti
nent. Will you. forgive the imperti
nence2' said Miss Wilbur.
i "All journalists are impertinent ,
said Mary MacLane, without blinkins
7. a lash OF the cold gray-green eyes. HAf
| ventions.' - = -
this beginning" -
"We shall get on infamously.H
Suppose I set down exactly swha'
l say, to you and you. say to me, will
that be satisfactory7' 30
"Certainly not. In the first place
I don't know 3you''-and don't car
", oetiu tne cIue1 ey es- ana III IN
}, second place, people don It say thing
that amount to anything in the frs
ten minutes Of meeting, unless, indeed
. they are rare souls IL am rare soul
but you are not, said the uplifted
strongly moulded chin. T.
And the atmosphere here is a.
ideal one, an old house filled with beau
t1fui memories. You must enjoy ]iv
MacLane9"
II like this house, :,.,Ay. 4-ssl
> ssMay I, ask if YOU are engaged i
|. writing another book9'
f The Ice Pitcher Again.
the "T Eaf4ts is 9 aGboSX z1 business sal
has yearned. for sympathy and love i
the story Of her life. s....
3 "Let US talk about the other bool
;, then; which, of course, is the Who'll
worlds business, that part Of the worl
+, that really understood. You speak
: it very much of loneliness. I have bee
= wondering if the great plains and pra
a ries of the west were not responsible
;. for the soul misery with which 70
= filled it, and if coming east to live i
y a gentler natural environment you hav
; not changed inwardly in your al
}, titude toward the world. Is it not 500
S "Wihy do you bring up that Of
: rs it distasteful to you nowsn
emo, it is not. It was great worl
a very great work; but in getting
] published I accomplished a purpose, an
= I am not going to discuss it today
The beautiful cat which had bee
:. IN the window on my arrival wake
into the room and jumped on Mis-
4 MacLane's lap: She pushed it pet,
= lantly aside. In another minute Ii
q tie King Charles spaniel ran into I'll
J room and came to the interviewer il
stead Of Miss MacLane. Miss Ma
Lane g eyes flashed suddenly, the pl
pills enlarged and the line Of her lii
: set.
.Do you like dogsq''
Miss MacLane twisted the heavy 81
: yer rings on. her finger, from which
purple amethyst Of unusual ST,
;. cleaned. She was watching her pt
. with absorbed attention. She was al
. cry about something. Whether becaus
= the dog had not gone to her first
= because it had been put aside by I'll
- caller, it was difficult to tell. But IL
9 anger was like sudden flame, fan
. icy cold in its effect. She stared hal
y at the interviewer and answered new
! word. Her dilating eyes were 8
- veloping. Suddenly she stood up, ia
= and disdainful, and laughed an u
pleasant, sardonic laugh.
- - Your ten minutes are up" she a
nounced like an executioner. sHo,
ever, If you are tired you may sit he
Is and. rest,''
No one Gould BE Angry.
Miss Wiibur's story conc1nGas. ais