A British Islander: From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899

In Short

This short story, set on Mackinac Island in the late 19th century, captures the social maneuvering of a high-spirited English woman named Mrs. Gunning. While her niece, the beautiful and deaf Juliana, attracts two competing suitors—a timid army captain and a wealthy, persistent civilian doctor—Mrs. Gunning takes it upon herself to steer the outcome. Through a series of bizarre interventions, including the forced fashioning of clothing for her poultry and the crafting of artificial tails for her cows, she employs metaphor and intimidation to ensure that the man she deems suitable "asserts himself."

The Story

The narrative unfolds on a vibrant autumn morning at the Mackinac fort. The island’s close-knit society is captivated by the romantic tug-of-war surrounding Juliana Gunning, a deaf young woman whose beauty and elusive charm have left Captain Markley, a local officer, languishing in a state of hopeless, passive longing. His prospects are threatened by Dr. McCurdy, a wealthy, heavy-set widower from the East who has been aggressively pursuing Juliana, even going so far as to shout his proposals in the nearby woods.

Mrs. Gunning, Juliana’s aunt and guardian, is a force of nature—a woman of robust English sensibilities, immense wealth in jewelry, and an obsession with domestic order that borders on the absurd. She views the romantic indecision of the men in her orbit with a mixture of contempt and tactical intent. She finds the doctor’s intrusion offensive and the captain’s lack of masculine agency even more so. To her, a man must be capable of asserting his authority, much like the "Shanghai rooster" she famously nursed back to health by dressing him in cloth to survive his bullying hens.

The climax of the story occurs when Mrs. Gunning takes the captain and the doctor on a whirlwind tour of her fort-based menagerie. She subjects them to a relentless monologue about her animals, using the spectacle of hooded chickens and cows with prosthetic tails as bizarre, pointed parables. She mocks the captain’s timidity while simultaneously trapping the doctor in an interminable lecture about cow pedigrees. She effectively isolates the captain and forces him into the drawing-room with Juliana, where she leaves the couple alone.

When the narrator returns to the parlor after the tour, it is clear that Mrs. Gunning’s plan has succeeded. Captain Markley has finally "asserted himself," and Juliana is now committed. The humiliated Dr. McCurdy is sent packing, with Mrs. Gunning delivering a final, barbed dismissal that equates him to a "full-blown rose" unfit for her niece. The story closes with the triumphant, unflappable Mrs. Gunning continuing her meticulous, individualized care for her hens, fully satisfied that she has corrected the natural order of things. Through her iron-willed interference, she has successfully curated the romantic future of her ward, viewing the entire ordeal as merely another necessary adjustment in the management of her household.

How It Unfolds

The island setting The narrator introduces the eccentric Mrs. Gunning and her niece, Juliana, establishing the social tensions within the small, isolated community of the Mackinac fort.

A rival in the woods The narrator reveals the contrast between the quiet, pining Captain Markley and the loud, persistent Dr. McCurdy, who has recently been overheard clumsily proposing to Juliana.

The parasol intervention Mrs. Gunning physically confronts the wavering Captain Markley with her parasol, lecturing him on the necessity of masculine assertion while the fort’s sentinels watch with amusement.

The menagerie lecture Mrs. Gunning takes the men to her chicken coop and stables, using the stories of a bullied rooster and a cow with a handmade tail to metaphorically berate the men for their lack of resolve.

The final maneuver By sending Juliana to serve wine and detaining the doctor with tedious genealogies of cows, Mrs. Gunning forces the captain and her niece into the privacy of the parlor to seal their engagement.

The departure The doctor is sent away, leaving Mrs. Gunning to reflect on the success of her social gardening and return to the idiosyncratic, daily care of her fowl.

The People

Mrs. Gunning is the story’s driving force. A "full-blooded Briton," she is defined by her absolute self-assurance, her aggressive conversation, and a rigid, almost imperial need to control her environment. She wants to see her niece settled with an "assertive" man, and she views everyone around her as a creature to be managed or corrected.

Juliana Gunning is the niece who serves as the object of desire. Though she is deaf, she is highly observant and plays upon her condition to maintain a sense of mystery and agency. She is described as "alluring" and "witty," yet she remains largely passive, allowing her aunt to handle the mechanics of her courtship.

Captain Markley is a classic "down in the mouth" lover who initially lacks the backbone to claim his prize. He is intimidated by both his rival and Mrs. Gunning, yet he eventually finds the necessary spark of confidence to succeed, transitioning from a dejected suitor to a man who "asserts himself."

Dr. McCurdy is the foil to the captain. He is wealthy and persistent but fundamentally unrefined in his approach, marked by his "bellowing" proposals and his inability to navigate Mrs. Gunning’s complex social games. He ends up thoroughly defeated and ridiculed.

In Its Own Voice

"Juliana Gunning was so deaf she could not hear thunder."

This line introduces the niece, establishing her physical barrier and the subsequent mystery that makes her so captivating to the men of the fort.

"He was without a feather to cover himself with, and the cool autumn nights coming on."

Mrs. Gunning uses the plight of her plucked rooster as a biting metaphor for the captain’s own vulnerability and lack of spirit.

"Ah, my dear friend, we see that buds will match with buds."

This final, dismissive remark to Dr. McCurdy confirms that the aunt has successfully finalized her arrangements, leaving no room for the doctor's objections.

What It's Really About

The story explores the intersection of social performance and domestic authority. At its heart, it is an argument for the necessity of "assertion" in both public and private life, framing it as a natural, even monarchical requirement. Through the absurd lens of animal husbandry—where a hen's diet is tailored and a cow is fitted with a prosthetic tail—the author questions whether human relationships are any different. Mrs. Gunning acts as a human "gardener," suggesting that if one does not actively prune and manage the people and creatures in one’s care, they will inevitably fail or be picked apart by others. It is a satire of the control that rigid, high-society figures attempt to exert over the messy, unpredictable nature of love.

Why Read It Today

This story offers a delightfully strange look at 19th-century social dynamics on a remote American frontier. Readers who enjoy character-driven humor will find Mrs. Gunning to be a memorable, if exhausting, literary creation; her dialogue is sharp, absurd, and relentlessly paced. The prose captures a specific sense of place, grounding the high-society antics in the rugged beauty of a Michigan autumn.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes embedded in the text. The narrator’s casual descriptions of "half-breeds" and the underlying colonial, class-conscious mindset of the British expatriate character are products of their time and can be jarring. Furthermore, the central conceit—that a woman’s deafness is a "minx-like" trick or a source of amusement—reflects dated perspectives on disability. Despite these limitations, the story remains a masterclass in tone. The pacing is rapid, and the central metaphor of the "dressed-up" animals provides a surreal, comic relief that elevates the plot beyond a standard Victorian romance. It is a brief, odd, and thoroughly atmospheric piece that stays with you, largely because of the sheer force of its central character’s personality. Those who appreciate a well-wrought, unapologetic eccentric will find this a fascinating, quick study in control.