Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-06-07
Charles Dickens Parents.
A Rather Funny COuple-Some In.
terestinS "Reminiscences.
II RIVERS STREET,

Bath, England.
My DEAR -: | hasten to reply
to YOUR request that should give you
some information respecting the fam
lily of poor Charles Dickens. 1 became
acquainted with his father and mother,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Dickens, in 1850,
and Charles Dickens having requested
my husbands professional attendance
upon old Dickens, who was rapidly
failing in health, both the father and
mother came to live with us at "a
Keppel Street, London. Mr.. Dickens
died under our roof March 81, 1851.
He was kind-hearted man, but fear
fully irascible. His fits of temper
lasted, however, but short time, but
while they did last they were terrible.
l remember on one occasion some
private theatricals were given at st.
James's Theatre, in which Charles
Dickens took the principal character,
and old Mr.. Dickens was appointed
bill distributor for the night. Charles
had given strict orders that no one
should be allowed behind the scenes.
The elder Dickens, returning to the
green-roOm, was surprised and indig-
nant to see man, as he thought,
standing at the other end of the apart
ment. His blood boiled up in an in
slant, and he flew at him. His anger
increased at seeing the figure advance
toward him, and he rushed up and
struck out with all his might, hitting
looking glass with such violence
that he had sore knockles for some
days afterwards. The resemblance
between old Mr.. d. and Mr.. Micawber
was very slight. The day previous to
his death he seemed unusually well,
and We none of us expected he would
pass away SO soon. He was at first
taken seriously ill while at dinner,
and after he was put to bed 1 sent off
Immediately for Charles. He came
as soon as possible. l was in the room
when the old gentleman died. Charles
Dickens had been with him for hours,
standing or sitting by the bedside, and
holding his hand. He was much
affected, and behaved throughout
with great tenderness.
Mrs. Dickens was little woman,
who had been very nice-looking in
her youth. The likeness between her
add Mrs. Nickleby is simply the ex-
aggeration of some slight peculiarities.
She possessed an extraordinary sense
of the ludicrous. Entering a room she
almost unconsciously took an inven-
tory of its contents, and if anything
happened to strike her as out of place
or ludicrous, she would afterwards de-
scribe 1t in the quaintest possible
manner. She had also a very fine
vein of pathos, and could bring tears
to the eyes of her listeners when mar
rating some sad event. l Lam of Opin-
ion that great deal Of Dickens
genius was inherited from his mother.
Mrs. Dickens has often sent my sister
and myself into fits of laughter by
her funny sayings and mimicry.
Charles was decidedly fond of her, and
always treated her kindly. He told
her that she must rely on him for the
future. To my husband and myself
he expressed himself in the warmest
manner for what little kindness We
had shown his parents. He sent my
husband handsome silver snuff-boX,
lined with gsld On which was ex-
graved this inscription
TO ROBERT DAvY,
Apor token of gratitude and respect,
In memory of my dear father,
CHARLES Dickens.
This heirloom Is now In my eldest
sons possession. 1t was accompanied
by beautiful and touching letter,
full of tenderness and filial affectian.
Mrs. Dickens was very fond of her
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Charles, and
has often told me that she believed
" there was not another woman in all
England so we'll suited to her son.
Charles Dickens called frequently at
keppel street, and sometimes stayed
to dinner. He was not very talk
alive man, but could be extremely
pleasant when he chose. Mrs. Dickens
does not seem to have foreseen the
future celebrity of her son in his child
hood, but she remembered many little
circumstances afterwards which she
was very fond of relating. Once, when
Charles was tiny boy, and the family
were staying down to Chatham, the
nurse had great deal of trouble in
inducing him to follow her when out
for o walk. When they returned
home Mrs. Dickens said to her,
!" Well, how have the children be-
ma'am, all but Master Charley"
what has he done ?" "Why,
ma'am, he will persist in always going
the same road every day." "Charley,
Charley, how is this ?" Why,
mamma" answered, the urchin,
" does not the Bible say We must
walk the same path all the days of our
life. "-Letter published in Lippin-
colts Magazine.