Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-06-23
CHARLES DICKENS.

4 touch Of sorrow makes the Two worlds
one. Twon;y-.our hours have hardiy
ELAPSED since the news Of the death of
Charles Dickens cclirscd the c,ycty o.
thrice hundred thousand LONDON homes.
and .alrealy America. ihrough all her
Borders. mouras With Britain genius
which belonged neither to England nor to
her, hurtn thc world. In the presence
of this suld, darkness swallowing up so
fair aud swec. light, Of this sudden
drough, staying fesev~r % fsesh and full
\ fountain, all ancient bitterucsscs are
forgotten.
Men We, and must grieve when even the
shade "a
OF that which once was great hath passed aw ay !.
How much more when not shadow
but shining life aglow with uuexhaus-
tel power. is suddenly lost in the gloom
Of shs grave.
Dickens. like T'hackeray. has been Ia
ken from Us (fcr both were ours as truly
a Ergland's or the worldly in the very
noon and summit of his faculties. Unlike
in so many other points OF their careers,
these two rare and afilicnt writer's were
strangely at ono in the fortune Of their
eu, hanasy. II was on moruins in JAN
uary. six years ago. that those who 10y vcd
and lived with the author of I" Pcndcn-
MS" having hidden him good night bu.
n few hours before, suffering yet not Sc
riou,ly III. went to call him. and calling
him called in vain. Tho sleep he had
slept thai night knew no wakins. In the
darkness lis spirit had heard tho voice
which his own brave old Cnloncl New
come heard in the darkness he hal au-
swercd -tisHn and the rest, which 10
him we rcvereutly hope was light, re-
mainci and remains thickcst darkness to
Us forever.
II was on an evening in June tia,
Dickens passed away. He had been all
ing for . few days shcn on Wednesday,
las, he esteemed himself wen enough 10
entertain few Of his friends ut dinner in
his home at Gad's Hill. near Lonicn.-
Suddenly thc great shallow fell upon him.
lie vas carried from the table iHseusiblc,
aud though be seems 20 have ralied 1T
.le during the Intervening time, he never
Tally rec lvered again the use of his fac
rl,ies. bat quietly aud gradually sank,
until on the ensuing evening, at about
halc-pas, SIX o's;pck, hiseyes wve. closed
bv ,hcae who. icing slways dsarsss. we're
then happily also nearest to him-his
daughters and his sons. IFE-S tz
Charles Dickens was bera in Fcbrnary,
1872. at Landpors. Lear Portsmouth. in
England. HIS father. Mr.. john Dick
Gus. an Official of the British Admiralty.
lef, Portsmouth soon af,er the conclu-
sion Of the long wars with France. in
1878. and. going up to London with a
pcnsioa and . family. found an opportu.
nifty toimprove hi. nos very brilliant fos-
tunes By acting rs a Parliamentary re-
porter, In this way he formed a conuec-
iioa With the metropolitan press which
evontaally decided tbs career Of bis. son.
lie had in,sndsd 10 make this son an at.
sorasy. and had Indeed ..arsicled'' him
aiiss the Enslish fashion. ~ = prosperea.
practi,ioner. Of that branch. Of the. law
Ba, MAJ ure lad lrsashs the, youth int,
the world with quite other. views. III
foand j, impossible to Play the clerk eve'
so wsll as .Shskespeares Narcisss. an.
hy his earnea entrca,ies to that sircs hi
faiaer vas kaally indaoed 70 iberats Hin
kfrom his desk and attach him % the sal
sf the Tr~s Sas. an ,eltra-liberaI pape
uhiSh had cone into The vord darisg sh
frrue ,Arses sf IN Ntoya bin .of. Ear
..l.Grey and. xas tryiag 70 keep isself alive