The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-10-25
CHARLES DICKENS,
HOME LlFE.oF noz.
Iron Every sa,n,d.,1

llad read and re-read. Informed
of this desire, my old neighbor
Paul Feval--who is the most obi
ging fellow in all Christendom-
otlcrcd me a letter OF introduction
to Charles Dickens, which | ac-
cepted with alacTity.
Tue moment | reached London
asked for the celebrated novelist,
address. | was told that Charles
Dickens lived at Gadshill, about
.24 milcs from London by rail.
wrote to Mr. Dickens she next day
Tho following morning | received
a note in very good Freuch, and il
u fine regular hand, which iorme,
a marked contrast with the terri
lble ewraul oly our humble servant
mir. Di kons inlcmed me in thi
note that lie was scarcely ever all
sent from home except SATURDAYS
--whcn he went to London to su
lperintend the publication of hi
last novels, which appeared il
numbers, and invited mo to com,
out tu see him.
The railway from London to Gads
NIL 10 built on the right bank q
the Thames, and runs parallel with
the river almost the whole way
consequently the iauut is n very
pleasant one. The train takes
about an hour to run the distance
so at the end orsixty minutes | 20
out ofthe railway carriage at Gads
hill station; and, us had not IN
formed him of my coming, | hac
to walk up the hill, on whose sum
init lies the village in which is Mr..
Dickens residence
AS drew near the first hous.
OF the village, and was about to
ask my way, | saw a geutleman
coming up the hill behind me with
n firm and rapid step. He was a
man about 80 years old; of average
height, good shape. straight IA an
arrow, with mustaehe and goatee
turning slightly gray, and having
the energetic look and decisive air
ot our officers OF the Chasseurs IL
Airique. | asked him, in exCcra.
bic English: "Will you please to
tell me which is Mr.. Dickens
house ~ 05ro arslf8isg
The gentleman replied in good
French, "Allow me to show you the
way there, | am Charles Dickens. y
On the way he talked in the most
friendly manner about Paul Feval,
whose talents he esteems very high
ly, and about fletcher, with whom
he is extremely intimate. | no.
ticed that hehad a very sympathet.
ic tone Viyoice, and IA clear and alb
rupt way of talking, which added
to his military manners
We reached his house, situated
at an angle Of the village. In front
OF it lay a lawn stretching TO the
road. A largo garden, likew sc
belongipgto to Mr.. Dickens, lies on
the other side OF the road. 1t is
reached by n subterranean passage
under the road. The stable yard O.,
the stable and carriage houses are
Oh the r ght of tho house.
Like most English cottages, Mr.
Dickens is plainly built and kept
up with the most perfect order. 1t
is not more THAI two stories high.
AS you eater, there ia small
drawing room on the right, con-
tanning Mr.. Dickens library, next
is his stu ly, which is very plainly
furnished, and has no ornaments
except two or three bronzes. The
windows open on a sort Of garden
surrounding the house, and as the
iouse stands on a high piece of
ground, an extensive view OF the
country may be enjoy.
I'd from Them. On the left is the
largo drawing room, filled With ev
to make one comfortable,
and decorated with great luxury.
bnt with no attempt et show. Per-
feet taste reigns over everything.
The drawing room opens into the
lining room and under tho dining
room is the kitchen Above these
rooms are tie bed chambers which
lro irregularly distributed but they
are extremely comtoItablo and pro
lusely furnished with those needful
and vast utensils which are indis-
pensahle to the toilette of every
Englishman.
After talking for a few minutes
a. his study, Mr.. Dickens intro
luced me to his family. 1t con.
sisted that day of his daughter and
sistcr,in-law. He has several oth
or childron, as many as six OF eight,
| believe; but his sons, kept in Lon
don by their professions, rarely
some our to sec him except OH Sun,
days. Another Of his daughters is
to Wilkie Collins, the au-
thcr of"The Woman in White.n
The daughter had the honor to
meet at Gadshill, is a young aud beau
tiful lady of twenty, whose courteous
and kind features are good deal like
those Of her father. Both the ladies
spoke French, aud their conversation
had French turn. which is probably
due the annual visit they make to
Paris. a5 WAN
Whichever may be the popularity be
enjoys iD his own country. Dir. Dick
ems has too vigorously attacked hypo-I
critics, pseudo Christians and h0mbag
Asl-- ta-..s.s. -. IL fraa frnm ana