Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-06-23


years, on Tuesday, the 18th OF No
vember, 1867, he landed from the
steamer Cuba in Boston harbor, and on
Monday, the I'd OF December, he made hi
first appearance before an American audi
ence as reader in the fremont Temple.
His reception was of the most enthusiastic
kind, his appearance on the platform being
greeted with clapping OF hands, vociferous
cheers, and shouts OF welcome" The
scene was repeated when on the Monday
following he made his bow before New
York audience in Steinway Hall MANY
will still recall the scene as precisely at s
o'clock the gas was turned up and Dickens
appeared. walking rapidly up to the
desk, amid the waving OF lMndkerchiefs
and many-tongued hurrahs, he gracefully
acknowledges the cordially OF his reception,
places book before him which looks like
postage stamp album, turns over few OF
the pages with his long fingers, and still
I longer thumb, and then says in breath,
with scarcely so much as commas pause:
Ladies and gentlemen, | shall have the
honor OF reading to you tonight "A Christ
mas Carol, in four parts, the first part be-
ing 'Marley's Ghost. Then, with a
change of tone, followed the familiar words,
! "Old Marley was dead, to begin with, -
and SO on through all the gamut of comic
and pathetic change that rams through
that wonderful story. The public appear
! ance of Mr.. Dickens here formed contin-
uous ovation. People acknowledged
the magnetism of his voice ana
action, but the homage they paid was
rather to the man of genius than to the
reader and the actor. Men m ght have
been found who could reproduce more
/ nearly the popular ideal of Little Dom
| hey" or of the immortal "Toots," but
| Charles Dickens face to face with his own
creation was sight which they knew they
could scarcely hope to see a, ain, and so a
warm-hearted and generous people forgot
both criticism and caricature, and focked
to swell the applause that everywhere
awaited the greatest novelist of modern
times.
THE NEW YORK PRESS BANQUET.
The pressure of incessant engagements
told upon the health OF Mr.. Dickens, and
during the early part OF 1868 he was COM
PEELED to abandon active exertion altogeth-
er and take his physicians prescription OF
instant rest" On Saturday, the 18th of
April, he was the recipient of tribute of
received in this country from his brethren
of the pen. The New York Press Banquet
was the spontaneous utterance of the warm
est feelings OF estee IL and admiration, and
was deeply felt by Mr.. Dickens who stated
his acceptance of the compliment I'm CRATE
full remembrance of calling that was once
my own and in loyal sympathy toward a
brotherhood that have never quilted. -
He added 80 the wholesome training of
severe newspaper work, when was very
young man, | constantly refer my first sue
cesses, and my sons will hereafter testify
of their father that he was always steadily
proud OF that ladder by which he rose.
Of the men who formed part of the two
hundred that encircled the eight tables at
Delmonico's that evening, some have pre-
coded their guest to the unknown bourne"
I On either side Of Mr.. Dickens, at the first
table, sat the following: Horace Greeley,
Henry J. Raymond r. Hoe, w. II. Hurl-
but, S. Bowles, c. f. Norton, j. r. Hawley,
J. NJ Francis. G.. W. Curtis NJ. Halstead,
G. H. Boxer, G.. W. Demers and James
Parton. no more earnest and eloquent
tribute has been paid to the genius OF the
great novelist, than that which fell, on that
evening, from the lips of Henry j. Ray
mond. In responding to the toast of the
New York Press, he said:
Everything that he has ever written-I
say it without the slightest exception Of
single book, silgle page, or single word
that has ever proceeded from his pen--has
been calculated to infuse into every human
heart the feeling that every man was his
brother, and that the highest duty he coull
do to the world, and the highest pleasure be
could confer upon himself and the greatest
service he could render to humanity was TO
bring that other heart, whether high or low,
az close to his own a. possible
"But know that there is not a man here, and
there is not man who has known any man
here, who knows anything of his writings,
who has made himself familiar with their
spirit or mas yielded 10 their influence, who
has not been made thereby a better, as well
as wiser, kinder and nobler man."
HIS FAREWELL TO AMERICA.
On Monday, the Goth of April, 1868, Mr.
Dickens babe farewell to America in his
reading in Steinway Hall of the Christmas
Carol IN / the Trial from Pickwick, 1t was
feared that severe neuralgia affection of
the right foot, under which he had been la
boring, would prevent him making this ap-
pearance, and when it was positively an.
nounced that he would read, the great hall
was crowded long before the hour of open
ing and hundreds who had been provided
with tickets of admission we're compelled
to go away without reaching even the
vlstibule of the building. Hiss com
| ing on the platform, leaning for sup
port on the arm OF Mr. Dolby, was the
signal for great outburst of applause, and
when, after taking his seat on a high bench
and resting his foot on an easy chair which
was placed at the side OF his desk, he pro-
ceeded in the well-known strain, the mani
fastations OF delight were loud and fire.
quent and continued until the close. He
had no sooner finished than the entire au-
dience rose and joined in hearty cheers,
while the ladies waved their handkerchiefs
aud loud calls were made for speech from
the retiring reader. Mr, Dickens returned
to the desk and in response spoke as fol.
| lows
LADIES AND GESTLyMES; The shadow Of
! "a .