New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-09-03
LITERARY ITEMS

Tho current number of Hearth and Home
n,,nntes its mite TO the illustration Of the war by
,,eture representing "a Reconnaissance OF French
Dragoons" There is characteristic comic sketch by
Thomas Worth the great Balm Tree Of Newburgh Is the
snbect of good front page woodout and the reading
matter is as usual well adapted TO the tastes of the
large class OF readers for whom this periodical especially
caters.
There is one illustrated paper, fortunately
for those who tired of gunpowder, which not de-
voted 70 pictures HGypers Barar Studies the eie
CANT arts Of society and the great scerce OF womans
dress with calmness unrufed by the storms OF pae'
and publishes usual its mysterious diagrams NOT o
CORY fields, but OF gored garments. In the last hD
we find, moreover. from the pen OF Grace GreenNoee
the following Little story OF Chsites DicAoHs'
we believe is quite
One morning in the Summer OF 1852, stahnlng ~ no
drawing room window OF frlend no below very
where was visiting, remarked IN the sIreet o U 49,,
curious little brougham, drawn by Shaggy esT p,S
and driven by either dwarf y eeT esfsSiish
ment which reminded me OF Tom Thumb tirh"ut, was
evidently waiting Tor sog one ce cnrioSy f The ap
pcarance OF that some one AZ last heaao tne n .u
sen opist 9nantest figure OF dwarf, not
NOR than three feet high but very stout end without
the large English bonnet Of that time deliberately orna-
mented with ribbon and flowers. Indeed Der whole at,
fire was gay and odd the degree that might he called
'stunnug." she waddled rapidly across the side
walk carrying, remember large bag and spTang INTO
her brOugham with marvellous nghtness ana quick
ness, all things considered. AS she was giving
Of her face II was evidently that Of a woman Of middle
age but IL full and horid with merry, condeni,
and even roussh expression which might he called both
bold and cunning IL was certainly very vivacOus, aud
ludicrously wide-awake and knowing suddenly IL
flashed upon me, this small parsonage drove away
that in her had seen the counterfeit presenment OF
little Miss Mowcher the har-dresser, shampooer ana
whiskertrimmer of seerforth in " DAVID CoppeIn611b o
This remarked TO my friend, who just then entered the
j. the original of Miss Mowcher and Mr. Dickens never
drew perfect portrait she then went on TO tel
excellent creature was professional chropodis and,
think, also "a har-dresser. and that abe was doing
her eccentric, vivacious ways, and, perhaps, 10
an almost udierous deformity, which apparently
had about il nothing painful or diseased She
always looked in Astounding health, and her man,
aud voice were hearty TO jOy. She had attended
mnistratOns Mr. Dickens had encountered her IL seemed
aud had made mental sketch of her III his marvellous
way as John Leech used TO take heads on his thumb
na, in omnibus or on the street Tine poor te lauy
was very much hurt when Miss Mowcher appeared
smong the drdmdtis persOne OF david Copperfeld;"
and everybody recognized the picture and many spoke
to her of IT, congatulatng her or eondong WIN her Oh
her questionable immortality. She thought, as some
Others thought at the Time that the odd volatile httle
har-dresser was TO play nlscMev9us naev9len1 part
in the novel-was TO he sort OF bad fairy ana with he
grievance on her hearwhieh, after all her shrewd,
driving, absurd ways her and her manners was
good heart-she came TO my friend, who was one OF
Sff fn teaes IF Tea distress NV friend advised
her at to write to Mr.. Dickens, and frankly
why judgment should not be pronounced against her and
she actually did write protest, Enthusiastically v0a
earnest She assured him that there was room for a
true womanly heart In her dumpy, pursy, unshapely
body three feet by nothing" that her eccentrctes
were great part her stock III trade that her rafting
talk and drU air, her best deenses
against huniliang pity and cOndescenson though per-
haps they exposed her 10 more Illuminating suspicious
Sac told him something of her story-how she too
had been obliged TO cut her way through the
Forest OF Difficulty" and 10 open a path for
other feet, timid with youth fatering from age.
II the very letter to touch Charles Dickens and
did touch HIM day two later the little woman came
10 my friend, with her drol face all agow with happ
and pride, and holding In her "morsel OF hand"
DAINTY looking bluetined note. On the lefthand cor
ner OF the envelope the autograph familiar to us
now-Chdrles Dickens the so like G, the two names
continent and the seven-stOried flourish and all Inc
Itself brief but most courteous; the nOYenst
thanked his correspondent for her frank TemOnsance,
expressed regret that she had been paned but babe her
dismiss all anxiety and depend upon him 10 bring her
right the After the usual kind words with
which the befest notes. there another
full autograph, flourish and all.