The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-27

Charles Dickens, years ago, left to.
his beloved and intimate friend, Mr..
John Forster, the sad, but interesting
task of giving to the world the true
story of his life. Mr.. Forster was on
the most intimate terms with the great
novelist from the spring of 1887 to the
day OF Dickens death in June, 1870.
| They were men of about the same age,
and to no one, probably, did Dickens
confine so much of his Utmost nature as
to the literary companion who now
gives us this record of his career.
The story Of that career is one OF the
deepest interest. To the outer world
Dick ems is seen only in the light Of an
unparalleled success; but those who
knew him better than the world could
know were not ignorant that all that
sunshine was checkered by many and
deep shadows. Dickens suffered more
than ordinary men, and the pathetic
part of his writings was the richer for
the knowledge thus acquired. Doubt
less the enjoyment, too, was intense;
yet, on looking back over his whole
life, it is rather a sad than happy one
There was middle period in Dickens
career when he certainly appears to
have enjoyed life to the fnger-tips with
q vivid and tingling sense Of pleasure,
very delightful to recall. But his child
hood was painful, and his waning years
overshadowed.
THE CLOUD.
"He was a very little and very
sickly boy" says Mr.. Forster. "He
was subject to attacks of violent spasm,
which disabled him for any active ex-
ertion. lie was never good little
cricket player He was never a first
rate hand at marbles, or peg-top, or
prisoners base" This was at Chatham.
Aflerward, when the elder Mr.. Dickens
removed to London, this small, sickly
child--then about ten years old-had
series Of experiences very unusual with
the children Of middle-class parents,
but which, while they gave him be
most exquisite pain at the time, and
a great extent threw cloud over t
whole Of his subsequent existence, we
undoubtedly the source OF his marv
Gus knowledge Of human nature, a
his familiarity with scenes Of want a
wretchedness. 1t need be no ser
now, for the fact will do bis memory
disservice, that the childhood Of Cha
Dickens was passed Ill almost AFFECT
poverty.
His father, Mr.. John Dickens, fell
into money difficulties and was con-
fined in the Marshalsea prison, after
ward so wildly described in Little
Dorrit." Every small sum of money
that could be earned by any member of
the family became Of vital Importance,
so the boy Charles, about ten years OF
age-that is to say, some time in the
year lS32-was placed in backing
warehouse, belonging to distant connec-
ton Of the family, named Lamert, which
establishment was opened as rival to
the famous backing shop Of Warren,
in the Strand.
SINKING IN THE DREGs.
Lamerts house was at old Hunger
fordstairs, and it is to be found exactly
described in David Copperield."
What many suspected before is now
specifically revealed. The life of the
boy David Copperfeld is the life of the
boy Charles Dickens. The future
novelist entered the warehouse OF
James Lamert in the most mental
capacity, at salary Of six or seven
shillings a week. His work was to
cover the pots Of paste backing, first
with oil paper and then with blue
paper, to tie them round with string, to
clip the paper close and near, and to
paste on printed label. In the dis
charge OF these duties his companions
were boys Of humble birth and uncul-
tured manners, and young Dickens,
remembering his happier childhood at
Chatham, longing for education and
start iu life, and fearing that /! his
present employment continued, he
would sink into the mere dregs of
society, suffered degree OF anguish, the
memory OF which he could never
shake off at the very height OF his
prosperity.
STRUCK DUMB WITH HORROR.
In fragmentof autobiography which
Dickens wrote in lS47, he said:
From that hour until this at which |
write, no word OF that part Of my child
hood, which | have now gladly brought
to a close, has passed my lips to any
human being. / have no idea how
long it lasted whether for a year, or
much more, or less. From that hour
until this my father and my mother
have been stricken dumb upon 1t.
have never heard the least allusion to
it, however far off and remote, from
either of them. l have never until
now impart it to this paper, In any
burst of confidence with any one, my
own wife not excepted, raised the cur
tain then dropped, thsnk God i
Many portions OF this unnnishea
autobiography were introduced, almost
word for word. two years later INTO
David Copperfeld," and the manuscript
has now been largely drawn upon oy
Mr.. Forster.
HOW THE SECRET WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
That gentlemen thus relstes the way
in which the revelation was first made
to him: -,
The incidents to be told now would
probably never have been known to
me. or indeed any OF the occurrences OF
his childhood or youth. but for the &C
cident of q question l put to him one
day in March or April OF 1871. asked