Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-08-04
Dickens before he was fam0us, rs Des.
l.x MILLS

] was following favorite amusement OF
mine one day in Strand London strolling
toward the more crowded thorou2hfares,
with cloak and umbrella, and looking at
people and shop windows. | heard my
name called by a passenger in the street
cab. From out of the smoke of the wet
straw peered the head Of my publisher,
Mr. Macrone, most liberal and noble
hearted fellow, since dead. After a little
catechism as to my damp destiny for that
morning, he informed me that he was 60
inc TO visit Newgate, and asked me to join
him. l willingly agreed, never having
seen this famous prison, and after Was
seated in the cab he said he was to pick up
on the way young paragraphist for the
Morning Chronicle, who wished to write a
description of it. In the most crowded
part of Holborn, within p door or two of
the Bull and Mouth Inn (the great starting
and stopping place of the stage coaches),
we pulled up ut the entrance of a large
building used for lawyers chambers. Not
to leave me sitting in the rain, Macrone
asked me to dismount with him. followed
by long flight OF stairs to an upper story,
and was ushered into an unexpected and
bleak looking room, with deal table, two
or three chairs, and a few books, a small
boy and Mr.. Dickens for the contents l
was only struck at first with one thing (and
/ made q memorandum of it that evening
as the strongest instance had seen of En-
elish obsequiousness to employ ers) the
degree which the poor author was over
powered with the honor of his pub
fishers visitl ] remember saying to
myself, as j sat down on ricketty chair,
"AIy good fellow, If you were in America,
you would have no need to be condeseend-
ed to by publisher" Dickens was dressed
very much rs he / as since described Dick
Swiveller-minus the swell look. His hair
was cropped elose to his head, his clothes
scant, though jauntily cut, and after chang
ing ragged Office coat for shabby blue.
he stood by the door, collailess and button
ed mp. the very personitlcatlon, thought,
of close sailor 20 the wind. We went down
and crowded into the cab zone passenger
more than the law allowed, and Dickens
partly in my lap and partly IN Macrone'sl,
and drove on to Newgate. In his works, II
you remember, there Is a description OF
the prison, drawn from this days observa-
ton. We were there an hour or two, and
were showussome oithe celebrated murder
ers confined there for life, and one young
soldier waiting for execution; and in one of
y 0
on her usual Grand of benevolence.
Though interested in Dickens face, / for
got him, naturally enough, after we enter
ed the prison, and do not think / heard
him speak during the two hours. / parted
from him at the door of the prison, and
continued my stroll into the city. Not
long after this, Nacrone sent me the sheets
of Sketches by Boz, with note saying that
they were by the gentleman who went with
US 10 Newgate. / read the book with
amazement at the genius displayed in 1t,
and in my note of reply assured Macrone
that thought his fortune was made as a
publisher, If no could monopolize the
author.
Two or three years after was in London,
and was presented at the complimentary
dinner given to Mcready. Samuel Lover,
who sat next to me, pointed ont Dickens.
looked up and down the table, but was
wholly unable to single him out without
getting my friend TO number the people
who sat above him. He was no more like
the same man | had seen than tree in
jane Is like the same tree in February.
He sat leaning his head on his hand while
Butler was speaking, and with his very
lorC hair his very flash waistcoat, his
chains and rings. and withal much paler
free than of old, be was totally unrecog-
nizable. The comparison was very inter
esting to me, and looked at him long
time. He was often in his elimination OF
popularity, and seemed jaded to stupefac-
ton. Remembering the glorious works he
had written since had seen him, longed
to pay him my homage. but had no oppor-
tunity; and L did not see him again till he
came over to reap his harvest, and upset
his haycart in America When ali the
ephemera of his imprudences and IMPROVE
dences shall have passed away say twenty
years hence-I should like to see him
affain, renowned as he will be for the most
original and remarkable works OF his time.