McClure's Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 3, August, 1893

In Short

This third issue of McClure's Magazine from August 1893 gathers a diverse miscellany of late-nineteenth-century literature, biographical sketches, and popular non-fiction. The volume ranges from cozy literary interviews in Chicago to tragic naval encounters on the high seas, behind-the-scenes theatrical memoirs, and historical ancestral accounts. Featuring prominent figures like Edwin Booth and Eugene Field alongside dark tales of Irish family misfortune and lighthearted animal handler anecdotes, the magazine captures the dynamic shift in popular reading tastes at the dawn of modern American journalism.

The Story

The volume unfolds as an eclectic sequence of conversations, short fiction, personal memoirs, and historical journalism. It opens with an intimate dialogue set in a Chicago attic study, where writer Hamlin Garland interviews poet Eugene Field. Field reflects on his early career, his self-effacing view of his work, and the origin of his famous child-lament poem "Christmas Treasures," written originally just to fill space in a newspaper.

From the quiet attic, the collection shifts to open water in Bliss Carman's poem of the ghostly "Shadow Boatswain," which leads directly into Arthur Conan Doyle's sea story, "The Slapping Sal." Set during the Napoleonic naval wars, the narrative details a desperate engagement between the British frigate Leda and a French warship, the Gloire. Captain Johnson and Lieutenant Wharton lead their crew through a brutal gun fight and structural damage. Just as French boarders attempt to swarm the British deck, mysterious broadsides from an unexpected source thin the enemy ranks. The French retreat, leaving behind the shattered stern post of their heroic, battered third party to the battle: The Slapping Sal.

The issue turns to non-fiction with Raymond Blathwayt's interview of wild animal collector Karl Hagenbeck, who details the bizarre logistical challenges of managing exotic beasts. Hagenbeck describes breaking up a watery duel between a kangaroo and a hippopotamus, and performing emergency minor surgery—such as trimming the ingrown claws of an angry polar bear through cage bars and extracting a aching tooth from a Royal Bengal Tiger.

Domestic drama follows in Mrs. E. V. Wilson's "The Story I Heard on the Cars," where Aunt Nancy recounts visiting young mother Rhody Curtis. Rhody suffers under the cold, harsh scrutiny of her unsympathetic mother-in-law, Mrs. Curtis, while mourning that her frail baby is deemed "old-fashioned" and strange.

Biographical journalism forms the issue's heart. Mary G. Burnett paints a portrait of Catherine Gladstone (Mrs. W. E. Gladstone) and her lifelong philanthropic devotion, tracing her upbringing at Hawarden Castle under the spiritual influence of the Oxford Movement to her extensive work founding orphanages, schools, and nursing initiatives. Alfred Balch then explores Camp Chocorua on Big Asquam Lake, a boy's republic where young men govern themselves, manage real financial transactions, run local courts, and even organize a temporary "Soda-Water Trust."

Actor Adam Badeau offers a deeply personal memoir of the late theatrical legend Edwin Booth. Badeau recounts Booth's early stage debut substituting for his famous, erratic father Junius Brutus Booth, his quiet nobility, his grief and grace following his brother John Wilkes Booth's tragic assassination of Lincoln, and his eventual bankruptcy and triumphant career recovery.

Light comedy surfaces in James Harvey Smith's "Burglars Three," where a trio of mismatched thieves break into the home of a wealthy railroad executive named Mr. Braithwait. While the burglars pause to sample their host's cold ham, claret, and fine whiskey, Braithwait calmly steps out in his dressing gown to reveal he has already telephoned the police via a direct private wire, trapping them in the act.

The issue concludes with Dr. William Wright's biographical account, "Stranger Than Fiction," detailing the tragic history of the Brontë family ancestors in Ireland. Wright recounts how the deceitful villain Welsh and his ally, the fortune-teller Meg, conspire to trick Mary Brontë into marriage, leading to the unjust imprisonment of her protective brothers. Welsh takes charge of his young nephew, Hugh Brontë, treating him harshly alongside a sanctimonious steward named Gallagher—the direct real-life inspiration for Joseph in Wuthering Heights. Hugh eventually escapes Welsh's cruelty, fleeing across the countryside until he lands a job as an overseer at the Mount Pleasant lime-kilns. There, he earns his own living, makes friends with a youth named McGlory, and sets the stage for a dramatic future holiday visit to County Down.

How It Unfolds

An attic interview in Chicago Hamlin Garland visits Eugene Field in his house-museum attic on a bright June day. Field discusses his early newspaper career, refrains from calling his verse "poetry," and recites his nostalgic poem "Christmas Treasures."

A battle on the high seas The British frigate Leda engages a French warship off a craggy tropical island in Conan Doyle's sea tale. Despite losing her mainmast, the British vessel breaks free when mysterious artillery from The Slapping Sal forces the enemy to retreat.

Tales from the wild animal trade Karl Hagenbeck recounts the erratic daily dangers of handling wild animals for public show. He describes catching a fighting kangaroo in a net and standing underneath a lifted cage to trim a polar bear's overgrown claws.

Country gossip and domestic trial Aunt Nancy describes visiting her eighteen-year-old relative Rhody, who is struggling to raise a sickly, old-fashioned infant. The young mother faces constant passive-aggressive scolding from her frugal, unyielding mother-in-law.

A life of active benevolence The magazine details the upbringing and philanthropic career of Catherine Gladstone. Inspired by the Oxford Movement and raised at Hawarden, she translates religious devotion into practical social work, running orphanages and supporting hospital care.

Self-governance on an island camp At Camp Chocorua in New Hampshire, young boys form a self-contained republic with elected officials, paid court fees, and auction-bought business franchises. The boys handle their own disputes while living outdoors near Mount Chocorua.

Memories of a tragic actor Adam Badeau reflects on the life, modest demeanor, and artistic genius of actor Edwin Booth. He outlines Booth's strange debut in his father's oversized clothes, his quiet dignity through family tragedy, and his financial ruin and recovery.

A midnight interruption Three burglars break into a wealthy residence and stop to enjoy a leisurely midnight feast of claret, ham, and whiskey. Their host outsmarts them using a hidden telephone wire to alert the local police force.

Escaping an Irish tyrant Dr. William Wright chronicles the harsh early life of Hugh Brontë, the grandfather of the famous literary sisters. After enduring abuse from his uncle Welsh and the villainous steward Gallagher, Hugh flees to find honest labor and independence at a lime-kiln.

The People

• Eugene Field wants to reflect casually on his writing life while downplaying his literary fame; he struggles with self-effacing modesty regarding his verses, ultimately presenting himself as a straightforward newspaperman at heart.
• Captain A. P. Johnson wants to carry out his naval orders and defend the Leda; despite crippling battle damage and overwhelming odds, he remains stiff, resolute, and commanding throughout the engagement.
• Karl Hagenbeck wants to protect, transport, and heal dangerous exotic animals; he uses ingenuity, physical courage, and improvised tools to treat fierce beasts without getting killed.
• Rhody Curtis wants to nurture her fragile newborn baby and feel secure in her new home; she is hindered by physical weakness and the cold disapproval of her mother-in-law, leaving her tearful yet grateful for Aunt Nancy's kindness.
• Catherine Gladstone wants to improve the lives of the poor, sick, and orphaned; backed by her family's social standing and deep spiritual convictions, she builds a lifelong legacy of practical philanthropic institutions.
• Edwin Booth wants to honor his theatrical calling while maintaining personal integrity; hindered by fits of sadness, the infamy of his brother's crime, and a lack of business acumen, he remains dignified, repaying all his debts through continuous performance.
• Mr. Graham wants to carry out a lucrative, elegant burglary without violence; despite his polished manners and appreciation for fine claret, his plan is thwarted by modern technology and his accomplice's appetite.
• Hugh Brontë wants to escape the abusive household of his tyrant uncle Welsh and the cruel steward Gallagher; through sheer grit and hard physical labor, he establishes himself as a self-sufficient overseer at a lime-kiln.

In Its Own Voice

"There! I'm glad you said verse. For heaven's sake don't ever say I call my stuff poetry."

Eugene Field laughs off literary pretension during a quiet moment in his Chicago attic, establishing the grounded, conversational tone that opens the magazine issue.

"'Excellent claret, Wilson,' said the young burglar, holding his glass up to the light."

A cultured thief takes a moment to admire his victim's cellar, capturing the subtle, dry humor threaded through James Harvey Smith's crime sketch.

"A happy pig with a large family lay on one side of the room, and a stack of peat was heaped up on the other side of the great open chimney."

Dr. William Wright vividly describes the dreary, unkept home where young Hugh Brontë is forced to live under his uncle's care, anchoring the historical narrative in raw physical detail.

What It's Really About

Beneath its variety of formats, the issue explores the tension between traditional authority and modern innovation at the end of the nineteenth century. Whether detailing the introduction of telephones that catch unsuspecting burglars, the establishment of progressive youth camps where children govern themselves, or the social movements transforming Victorian charity into organized philanthropy, the selections examine how individuals adapt to a changing world.

The text also wrestles with character under adversity. From Edwin Booth's endurance of public and financial ruin to young Hugh Brontë's flight from abusive relatives, the pieces emphasize personal resilience, moral discipline, and quiet dignity over superficial status or unearned wealth.

Why Read It Today

This issue of McClure's Magazine offers a fascinating, multi-layered snapshot of late-nineteenth-century popular culture. Readers who enjoy literary history, Victorian memoirs, and period journalism will appreciate the volume's diverse mix of high drama, light comedy, and biographical portraiture.

The reading experience feels like stepping into a vibrant Gilded Age parlor. The prose moves swiftly from maritime battles to quiet interior monologues and historical investigations, capturing the energetic voice of early American magazine publishing. While modern readers may occasionally find the period dialect in the domestic sketches slightly dated or the moralizing tone of the philanthropic essays typical of its era, these elements add historical authenticity rather than friction. What remains is a vivid collection of human stories—showing how nineteenth-century writers processed artistic ambition, crime, tragedy, and social reform for an eager public.