The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-16
GheGnteItfqeneer.
Personal RecoIIecliOns of Dickens.

Personal ReCOIlectiOns of Dickens,
by Mr.. Hdhtead in Tie CiHdHMdd Commercial
Persons who saw Charles Dickens mos
when he was last in this country and hat
the opportunity and were interested e
study his appearance, are least surprised
by the intelligence Of his sudden death
Ii was the common remark Of those who
looked upon him then with aiFectionat(
sOlicitude, that there were so many evi
dences that his days OF hard work were
nearly done,
One circumstance in his habits wa
somewhat rcassuring. He was q rapid
strong and habitual walker When il
Boston lie astonislled his friends by thu
length Of his walks, and the perseverance
with which he took them. 1t was remark
ed that he and Mr.. Fields, publisher o.
the atlantic, walked all over the country
within ten miles of Boston, taking ten
mile jaunts in order to find appetitcs for
breakfast.
The movements of Mr.. Dickens ut that
time were those Of an alert and vigorous
man. lie was erect and animated. The
quick step with which he appeared before
the audiences gathered to hear his read
ings and see him, was almost rs nOtiCea-
blCa us "thC Jenny Lind trOtP in her day.
There was IL good deal Of gayety in his
bearing, and the indulgence Of taste for
the picturesque in his dress. The nosegay
of rose buds, his heavy watch chain, gilt
tering across his breast hooked in button
hole and dropping into each vest pocket,
with n seal that danglcd radiant in the
center: his elaborate shirt front, with row
of diamond studs, and blazing ring
upon the little finger of his left hand, all
told that the taste Of "Boz' for the beau
timl was not forgotten in iewclry, and
that he took pleasure in the adOrnmcnt OF
his person.
When Dickens first appeared In this
country, he was remarkable for his Sor-
Ccous vests and his wonderful Curls.
When he appeared last, his vests were
not startling, though the pomp Of watch
chain was pr0nOunccd; and the fancy
that he must have q fresh nOScgay every
time he presented himself to his audience
during an evenings reading, was cult
waited TO his own satisfaction, we may
hope, and certainly 10 the amusement OF
close observers. The superb curls were
no more. The thin grizzled hairs had yet
fantastic department, struggling as II in
search OF curling companions, and not
enough of them to make any pretcnce OF
concealing his badness. His fine oval
head shonc goldcnly through the misty
hairs, like the full moon bCnevolenuy
beaming in the hazc Ofan Indian Summer
evening.
A haggard gray beard about the chin and
lips, Joined with his thin hairs gone astrGy,
TO make II frame for his almost scarlet red
face, lit up by eyes clear and g!istening as
birds and to one who saw the brilliant
face and glowing head, in II circle Of wild
hairs half white, and who remembered
how much and how well he had written
of Christmas, the suggestion was irrcsistl-
bic that here was the ideal head Of kind.
~, frosty, generous old Christmas, i'm
proved with better humOr, Il Shrcwdcr
intelligence, and u brighter goodness.
twill be remembered that Dickens had
peculiar continuance of stage scenery
for his readings A screen Of dull red
cloth, say ten feet high and sixteen feet
in length, behind him, m arrangement OF
lights, not iOOt-lights, but overhead, with
shade that protected the eyes Of the all-
dieucc, and that served to throw the light
upon himself and desk, the desk II queer
invention, covered with dim rcd cloth,
and with three steps-Onc to support the
book from which he read, one for his
handkerchief, and one Tor his glass bottle
of water. Without this COntrivanCc, Mr..
Dickens presumed it impossible that he
could read. lie supposed the arrange
mcnt Of light and shade, the screen, the
desk, the head instead Of the ioOt-lights,
to separate him II little from the world,
and give III atmosphere from which his
characters could he presented with the
mystic advantage Of thCatricals. 1t was
said, too, that Il reason for the rcd cloth
by which lie surrounded himself, was that
it made his very high complexion less
conspicuous.
lie was not noisy reader, but Il very
effective one. No one ever succeeded i'll
more perfectly commanding the attention
Of masses of people. The path0s and the
humOr of his works were reproduced in
his readings with irresistible power. He
was not dCclamatOry, but natural. Ills
success us Il reader wNs in representing
himself sincerely The liberties that he
took with the text in his readings would
not have been tolerated in another lie
would hold the volume Of selections that
he used lightly upon his desk, half glanC-
ing ut it, and seeming to turn the leaves
mechanically, and his recitation appeared
really to become Improvisation. SO con-
stantly and curiously did he vary from the
printed story before him, thata New York
publisher contemplated having his read
ings reported ucriwtin, and then to print
them in connection with the original mat
ter, rs literary curiosity.
Ills voice was one that would command
attention anywhere manly, musical with
out aiIectahOn, firm, ut times passiOnNtcly
earnest, easy in transition from one tone
and character to another, but sometimes
husky, MS though there had been little
ovcr.exertion. His pronunciation wNs TN.
mistakably COckncy "Thc clerk" he pro-
neunccd ilatly "the clark" and Mr.. Pick
wick he called "Mr. Rtck.rGck."
1t is presumed that his speech at the
dinner given ut DelmoniCO's was written
and mcmorizcd, but the only testimony TO
tlatc effect was that his language had plain
" been selected with muck care, and that
lie spoke right on without moments
hesitation for the right word His man.