The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-01

vefted oy circumstances or rendered unloye.
" BY miserable inheritance, but he has never
drawn thoroughly bad woman. Even the
worst in the worlds eyes, redeems herself At
last by devotion and self sacrifice. and her
vice Is but the excess Of virtue.
The lecturer defended Dickens against the
charge Of irreligion with much warmth. In
concluding her defence she said: as
Dickens no Christian because he did not 90
to church? And why did he stay away?
Not willingly, for he often expressed his re-
greet at his inability to accompany his family.
but because the sermons preached did not
please him. 1t was physically and mentally
impossible 6r larn to sit through an Or,lina-
~ sermon. Would you quarrel with Michel
Angelo for not taking lessons Of sign-pain-
ter? Charles Hckens's church was Gods
beautiful world, not mans narrow taberna-
Gle. II he he 4 heather let us all he
heathens. Whoever escapes being misir-
terpreted likewise escapes being head and
shoulders above his fellows Who wears Il
crown at all must wear i crown Of thorns."
The great authors partiality for cheerful
ness and athletic games, and his love of ma
KING pedestrian matches between visitors a:
his house were described, and with many
happy illustrations. Allnsion was made to
the numerous proverbial phrases originated
by Dickens, and To the many characters
whose names now stand lis svnonymes. In
closing her lecture she said:
Dickens, the monumental traveller for
the great house of Human Interest Brothers,
has made his last journey. The light of
Gads Hill has gone out; the light of the
world Il dimme} H., Ito, with
England's best and greatest-with tuneful
Handel gazing heavenward above him, with
Garrlck by his side, with johnson at his feet,
with Dryden, Chaucer, Milton and Spenscr
near by; with mighty congregation of kings
and queens, philosophers and generals, to
sing hos;innas is they welcome him TO this
city of the dead. But mightier is that con-
GreSation Of living, humble souls silently
hlling the sombre abbey from noon to night,
treading lightly lest the dead be walked, cast
ing flowers into the still open grave until the
dark void is made brigh, and beautiful us if
with the bloom Of everlasting peace and hope.
Last to linger is Il woman, listening to the
voice Of Memory As ii repeats the words of
him who lies silently III her feet: ~ wo-
man, God-beloved in old Jerusalem. The
best among Us need deal lightly with thy
faults. If Only for the punishmen, thy nature
will endure in bearing heavy evidence agains,
us ON the day ofJjudgment.'
This worlds day OF judgment has come
TO you. Charles Dickens, and this grateful
woman casts humble flowers upon your grave
for your ioval;: 10 duty. for Your loyalty TO
literature, ior your lbya!,y to the drama, for
your LOYALTY TO friendship, Tor your love OF
humanity, Tor yorr love of truth, loving is
better than Shakespeare and Shakespeare
country, better than Irving and lrving's
country,-ior your love Of children, for tie
tenderness toward the ou,cas; of her SEX
And rs she lets fall the last pansy in her
hand she murmurs: ''The old, Old fashion.
The fashion that came in with our trs:
parents, and will last unchanged until our
race has run it, course, and The wide tirma-
ment is rolled up like scroll. The old, Cd
fashiOr-death. o, ihanl. God, all who see
II, for that Older fashion We, of immortality.
and look upon him, angels ofyoung children,
with regards not quite c~t-an@ed now the
swift river bears him To the ocean,