Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-26
aSAIREY CANT"
Some Unpublished Sketches by
Charles Dickens.

| TheafEfcsi TOuF VITA Mark Lennon
Douglas JerroId and Otfrers.
In 1S47 Dickens thought of writing e
small illustrated volume, describing his am.
ateur theatrical tour, with Lemon, Forster
Iseech, Jerrold and others. It was to be
called "Piljians Prcjiss;e and was to bear
upon the title page its description as an
account of a late Expedition into the
North for an Amateur Theatrical Benefit,
1 written by Mrs. Camp, (who was an eye
! witness,) Inscribed TO Mrs. Harris, edited
| by Charles Dickens" 1t was never finish
ed, and the following fragment of it is now
for the first time published by Mr.. Forster:
"I-MRs. CAMPS ACCOUNT OF her CON-
NECTIoN WITH THIS AFFAIR"
(which Mrs. Harris own words to me
was these. 'Sairey Camp says she, 'why
not 90 to Margate? Srimps,' says that dear
creatur, lis to your liking, Sairey; why not
| go to Margate for week, bring your con-
stitootion up with Srimps, and come back
to them loving arts as knows and wallies of
| you, blooming? Sairey,' Mrs. Harris says,
you are but poorly. Don't denige 1t, Mrs.
Camp, for books is in your looks. You
must have rest. Your mind she says, SIS
too strong for you; it gets you down and
| treds upon you, Sairey. It is useless to dis
| guige the fsct-the blade is wearing out the
Sheets MRS. Harris says to her, /
could not undertake to say, and / will not
| deceive you, ma'am, that am the woman
could wish 10 be. The time of worrit as
| had with Mrs. COLDER, the bakers lady,
| which was so bad in her mind with her first
| that she would not so much as look at bot
tied stout, and kept to cruel through
the month, has agued me, Mrs. Harris.
But, ma'am' says to her, stalk not of Mar
gret, for II do 60 anywhere lit is elsewheres
and not there 'Sairey,' says Mrs. Harris,
solemn, whence this mystery? If have
ever deceived the hardest working, sober
est, and the best of women, which her name
is well be known is S. Camp, midwife,
Kingsgate street, High Holborn, mention it.
II not,' says Mrs. Harris, with the tears q
standing in her eyes, reveal your inten-
tions.' yes, Mrs. Harris says, Il will.
Well knows you, Mrs. Harris; well on
know me; well we both knows wot the
character of one another is. Mrs. Harris,
have heerd as there is expedition going
down to Manchester and Liverpool, q play
acting. If / goes anywhere for change, it is
along with that Mrs. Harris clasps her
hands and drops into chair as if her time
was come-which know'd it couldn't be,
by right, for six weeks odd. And have
1 lived to hear, she says, of Sairey Camp,
as always kept herself respectable, in COM
pany with play actors!' Mrs. Harris, l says
to her, sbe not alarmed--not regular play
actors-hammertoors.' THANK EvansP
says Mrs. Harris, and bustiges into q flood
of tears.
"When the sweet creetur had compoged
herself with sip of brandy and water
warm, and sugared pleasant, with little
nutmeg in it, l proceeds in these words:
MRS. Harris, ana told that these hammer
toors are litter'ry and artistikle.' 'Sairey,
says the best of wimmin, with shiver and
8 slight relapse, $50 on, it might be gorse.'
Il likewise hears says to her, that they're
goin' play acting for the benefit of two lit
terry men-one as has had his wrongs a
long time ago, and has got his rights at
last, and one as has made many people
merry In bis time, but is dull and sick and
lonely his own SET, indeed 'Sairey,' says
Mrs. Harris, you're an Inglish woman, and
that's no business of your'n.'
"sNo, Mrs. Harris says, 'that's very
true; hope 1 knows my dooty and my
country. Butt says, q am informed as
there is ladies in this party, and that half a
dozen Of 'em, if not more, is in various
stages of interesting state. Mrs. Harris,
you and me well knows what Ingeins often
does. If accompanies this expedition,
unbeknown and second cladge, may not
combine my calling with change Of air, and
prove a service to my Teller creeters"
'Sairey,' was Mrs. Harris reply; you was
born to be blessing to your sex, and bring
'em through it. Good be with you! But
keep your distance til called, Lord bless
you, Mrs. Camp; for people is known by
the company they keeps, and literary and
artistickle society might be the ruin of you
before you was aware, with your best GUS
TONERS, both sick and monthly, if they took
a pride in themselves
fu-MRS. CAMP Is DESCRIPTIVE,
"The number Of the cab had a seven in
It, think, and l ought to know-and if
this should meet his eye, (Which it was
black 'un new done, that he saw with; the
other was tied up,) l gave him warning
that he d better take that umbreller and
pattern to the hackney coach Office before
he repents it. He was young man and
in q weskit with sleeves to it and strings be-
hind, and needn't fatter himself with a
suppognition of escape, as gave this de-
scription of him to the police the moment l
found he had drove off with my property;
and if he thinks there amt laws enough,
he's much mistook-I tell him that.
81 do assure you, Mrs. Harris, when
stood in the railway Office this morning,
with my bundle on my arm and one pat
tern in my hand, you might have knocked
me down with q feather, far less pork
managers which was Jumping against me
continual and severe round. was drove
about like brute animal, and almost
worritted into fits, when gen tleman with
q large shirt collar and hook nose, ard q
eye like one of Mr.. Sweedlepipes' haw ks,
and long locks of hair, and whiskers that
wouldn't have no lady as was engaged to
meet suddenly turning round a corner for
any sum of money you could offer me,
says, laughing, 'Hslloa, Mrs. Camp, what
are you up TOP didn't know him from
man, except by his clothes, but l says
family, IF you're christian man, show
me where to get a second cladg ticket
for Manjestir,I and have me put
in carriage, or 1 shall DROP? Which he
kindly did, in cheerful kind of way, skip
ping about in the strangest manner as l ever
see, making all kinds of actions, and look
ing and Winking at me from under the brim
of bis hat (Which was good deal turned
up) to that extent that l should have
thought he meant something but for being so
Hurried as not to have no thought at all un-
til was put in a carriage along with a in
dividgle-the politest as ever SEEN
shepherds plaid suit, with a long gold
watch guard hanging round his neck, and
bis hand trembling through nervousness,
worse than aspian leaf.
"'Tm very 'appy, ma'am,' he says-the
politest vice as ever l hearl-'to 60 down
with lady belonging to our party
"'Our party, sirp says.
"'Yes, ma'am.' be says, Pm Mr.. Wilson.
I'm going down with the wigs
HMrs. Harris, when he said was sgoing
down with the wigs, such was my state of
confugion and worrit that l thought he
must be connected with the government in
some ways or another, but directly in
moment he explains himself, for he says:
"There's not theater in London worth
mentioning that don't attend punc5ually.
There's five and twenty wigs in these boxes,
ms'am, be says, apintiDg toward heap of
luggage, 'as was worn at the Queens fancy
ball. There's black wig, ma'am,' be says,
tas was worn by Kean; there's brown
one, ma'am,' he says, 'as was worn by
Kemble; there's yellow one, ma'am,' he
says, 'as was made for Cooke; there's gray