Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-04-06

| DOy, lH.---A sad Shapter OF Family History
The Bright Little Charles Dickens, who
| Looks Like his Uncle, the Great Novelist
! Help Needed.
AMBoY, ILL, March lO.-I came
across strange thing yesterday here
in Amboy, 1llinois-three poor orphans
thrown on the world will no relative
to own or care for them. Stranger
still, these three homeless, unprOtect-
ed children are the orphans of BROTH
er of Charles Dickens-a niece and two
nephews of the great novelist himself.
| When / asked a resident of Amboy
about these Dickens children, he said {:
"Well, it went pretty hard with 'em
awhile ago. We got ready to take 'em
to the poor-house. Couldn't let
'em starve, you know, and they hadn't
cent of money nor decent clothes
even. | tell you it was sorter rough to
see Charles Dickens's nephews and
nieces going to the poorhouse, but"
"YOu haven't taken them there
yet?" l interrupted.
"NO, not yet, but reckon they'll
have to go there. They're too young
to do anything, and it pears they
ha'nt got no livin' person to look after
'em. OF Henry Keeling and his wife,
who live in that white house over
thar, has got 'em now," he said point
ing to little wooden house, ''but the
Lord knows how long old Henry will
keep 'em. He's deaf and nigh used up
himself"
Leaving the old farmer, ] called at
the house OF Mr.. Keeling. The gates
were closed, but | finally got into the
ward and knocked at the front
door. The house looked uninhabited.
I knocked several times, each time
louder than before. No answer. Pres
emily | hanged away as if | were
breaking down the door. Then heard
indistinct noises in the back part oi the
house, followed by door opening. A
trip along the hall, and n pretty sylph-
like little girl, about thirteen years
old, with pale face and light blonde
hair, opened the door.
care the Dickens children here?"
asked.
"Yes, we're here. Pm one of Them"
said the little girl, looking up curious
ly. won't you come in ?''
"Whht is your name?" | asked the
little girl, as we CROPPED along the dark
hall.
"My name is Amy Dickens. I've
got brother fifteen years Old-two
years older than me. His name is
Charles DickenS-Adrian Charles Dick
ems. My middle name is Bertha"
ratified off the little thing.
found the family all shut up in one
room in the back part of the house.
Old Mrs. Keeling seemed to be weak
and childish, while Mr.. Keeling was
unable to hear anything. 1t was ut
terly impossible to make the old man
man understand for what had called.
Then his wife got close up to him and
screamed in his ear,
"Mr. Perkins wants to know about
the Dickens children!"
"Yes-yes," replied the old man,
she can have 'em. Take 'em any time
he wants to-" And when l left the
old man WAS packing up their things
to get them ready.
1 found the little boy, Charles Dick.
ems, a bright little fellow. He told me
how his father, Augustus n. Dickens,
had been dead nine years-how he had
on older brother Bertram somewhere
up in the upper part of the State, and
how somebody told him once that he
looked like his Uncle Charles.
Ibid yea ever see your Uncle
Charles?" l asked.
mo, never saw him, but should
think some OF my uncle's folks would
come over and get Amy and me. We
have no friends-no place to live. I
never saw relation in my life. Amy
and talk it over sometimes, and we're
going to England when we get big.
Pun going to take Amy"
"What do you do here, Charley" I
asked, standing up to go.