McClure's Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2, July, 1893

In Short

This second issue of McClure's Magazine from July 1893 brings together non-fiction profiles, travel and science reporting, short fiction, and biographical sketches. Contributors document conversations with famous figures like Oliver Wendell Holmes, detail the mechanics of Arctic exploration, report on exotic animal training in Germany, and investigate the Irish heritage of the Brontë family. Alongside these journalistic pieces are original works of fiction by Thomas Hardy, Stanley J. Weyman, and Lizzie Hyer Neff. The volume endures as a vivid snapshot of Victorian literary taste, scientific curiosity, and popular entertainment at the close of the century.

The Story

The volume opens in Boston with Edward Everett Hale paying a visit to the aged Oliver Wendell Holmes. The two men reminisce about past college dinners, academic poetry, and mutual acquaintances, including Samuel F. Smith, the author of "America." Holmes shares his views on public speaking and poetry before his brother, John Holmes, joins them to exchange fond family stories and humorous recollections of past Harvard reunions.

The focus shifts to historical drama in Stanley J. Weyman's narrative of the French Revolution. A French peasant named Michel Tellier discovers an exhausted young fugitive hiding in his barn. Eager to claim a reward of five crowns, Michel watches the fugitive, only to have his plans interrupted when the local mayor arrives with an armed escort. The mayor discovers that the farm is actually sheltering key Girondin leaders, including Barbaroux and Pétion. Outmatched by these formidable political figures, the mayor retreats in shame, and the revolutionaries slip away into the night, leaving Michel to mourn his lost reward.

Journalistic entries explore the world of wild animals and polar exploration. Raymond Blathwayt reports on animal trainer Karl Hagenbeck in Hamburg, witnessing performing tigers, lions, and an alligator. Meanwhile, articles by Hugh Robert Mill, Cleveland Moffett, and W. H. Gilder detail the fierce international race to reach the North Pole and locate the North Magnetic Pole. They outline the engineering behind Fridtjof Nansen’s reinforced ship, the Fram, as well as Robert Peary’s plans to cross Greenland's ice caps and the scientific methods used to chart magnetic declination.

In Thomas Hardy's tale, "John Horseleigh, Knyght," a sailor named Roger discovers a troubling secret regarding his sister's marriage. Watching from a hidden tree, he realizes that her husband, Sir John, is already living with another wife and children in a grand manor. The volume also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the international press through W. Morton Fullerton's profile of Times correspondent M. de Blowitz at his seaside home in Normandy, followed by Doctor William Wright's history of Charlotte Brontë's family, detailing her uncle Hugh Brontë's journey to England with a shillelagh to punish a harsh reviewer of Jane Eyre.

Finally, Lizzie Hyer Neff presents a fictional account of a woman dealing with a young man named Chester, who has suffered five years of total memory loss. Operating under the alias Charles Reynolds in Western mining towns, he faces legal trouble for actions taken while his true identity was forgotten. The narrator helps reunite Chester with his long-suffering wife, leaving him to rebuild his life while awaiting trial to clear his name.

How It Unfolds

Conversations in Boston Edward Everett Hale visits Oliver Wendell Holmes in his study to discuss literature, public speaking, and shared memories of Harvard reunions. They are joined by Holmes's brother John, and together they recall old classmates and debate the poetic merits of national anthems.

A fugitive in the straw A peasant named Michel Tellier finds an escaped outlaw hiding in his barn and plots to turn him in for a reward. His plan fails when a group of armed Girondin leaders confronts the local mayor, forcing a tense standoff that allows the fugitives to escape into the dark.

Spectacles and polar dreams Raymond Blathwayt observes Karl Hagenbeck's trained wild beasts performing in a private arena in Hamburg. Following this spectacle, a series of scientific essays outlines the extreme preparations being made by explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Robert Peary to conquer the Arctic.

A secret marriage revealed A sailor named Roger hides in a hollow tree outside a country estate and discovers that his sister’s husband is secretly married to another woman. The discovery exposes a historic betrayal buried within old parish registers.

Literary roots and lost years Doctor William Wright recounts how Charlotte Brontë's Irish uncle traveled to England intent on defending Jane Eyre from hostile critics. The issue concludes with a narrative detailing a man's recovery from a five-year bout of amnesia that entangled him in Western frontier life.

The People

• Oliver Wendell Holmes: An elderly American poet, physician, and orator. He wants to share warm literary memories and discuss the craft of poetry, reflecting on his long life and his Harvard connections with lighthearted humor.
• Michel Tellier: A cunning French peasant who desires the five-crown reward offered for a fugitive hiding on his property. His greed is thwarted when powerful political figures intervene, leaving him bitter and empty-handed.
• Fridtjof Nansen: A Norwegian polar explorer who seeks to drift across the Arctic Ocean. He designs a specially reinforced wooden ship capable of withstanding extreme ice pressure to reach regions previously unseen.
• Hugh Brontë: The fierce, protective Irish uncle of Charlotte Brontë. Devoted to his family's honor, he sets out for England armed with a shillelagh to avenge a negative review written about his niece's novel.
• Chester (Charles Reynolds): A man who lost his memory for five years, living a double life in Western mining towns. He seeks to clear his name of misdeeds committed during his amnesia and reconcile with the wife he forgot.

In Its Own Voice

"He was full of life and fun, and was delivering--I do not say reading--one of his little college poems."

Edward Everett Hale recalls his earliest childhood memory of seeing Oliver Wendell Holmes speak at a college dinner.

"A robe of royal crimson was fastened round his neck, a gleaming crown was placed upon his head, the reins were thrown upon his shoulders..."

Raymond Blathwayt describes the unusual sight of a lion riding in a chariot drawn by tigers during a private demonstration at Karl Hagenbeck's arena.

"Hugh made his will by the aid of a local school-master, leaving all he possessed to his maligned niece, and then, decked out in a new suit of broadcloth, in which he felt stiff and awkward, he departed on his mission of vengeance."

Doctor William Wright explains the dramatic preparations Hugh Brontë made before traveling to England to defend Charlotte Brontë's reputation.

What It's Really About

This issue reflects the late-nineteenth-century obsession with progress, human endurance, and the preservation of personal legacy. Across its disparate entries, the text examines how individuals respond to extraordinary pressures, whether navigating political terror during the French Revolution, pushing into the frozen unknown of the Arctic, or coping with the sudden loss of personal identity. The non-fiction selections celebrate intellectual achievement, physical courage, and journalistic persistence, while the fictional pieces explore themes of deception, secret lives, and moral ambiguity. Together, the contributions map out a society fascinated by scientific advancement yet deeply drawn to dramatic, character-driven storytelling.

Why Read It Today

Readers drawn to Victorian history, early journalism, and classic literature will find this collection particularly engaging. It offers a direct window into the cultural mindset of 1893, blending serious scientific reporting with popular entertainment and dramatic fiction. The variety of formats—ranging from intimate interviews and biographical sketches to historical fiction—keeps the pace lively throughout.

The collection does carry some period-specific hurdles. Certain non-fiction essays delve deeply into technical details regarding terrestrial magnetism, geographical coordinates, and naval architecture, which may feel dense to casual readers. Modern readers will also notice nineteenth-century regional dialects, rustic phrasing, and social attitudes that clearly belong to their era. Nevertheless, the charm of reading famous authors alongside period reporting makes this volume a rewarding choice for anyone interested in the literary landscape of the 1890s.