New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-17
Dickens Biographer.

Blanchard Jerrold gives some anecdotes
of John Forster in his last Gentleman S
Magazine:
Dickens loved the high character, and
thoroughly respected and trusted the opinion
of his friend and biographer; he also de-
lighted to contemplate his gorgeous man.
ner when dealing with the smallest things,
the imperial air with which he asked his
servant, sHenry, for his coat, the mighty
look of command with which he hailed a
coach.
Forster succeeded Dickens in the editor
ship of the Daily Nears, and many were the
stories of the new editors grandeur of ad-
dress and autocratic bearing towards sub
ordinates which speedily circulated through
Whitefriars. The printers boys trembled
as they approached him; the sub-editors
knight Hunt, who afterward became editor
of the paper and died in the harness, had
scores of stories of the high and mighty
chief to tell. But the story that held its
ground in every part Of the establishment
was that of the cabman who called for the
editor a. two in the morning to convey him
home to Lincoln's Inn Fields. The cabman
found it difficult to make the Office porter
understand whom he wanted. When de-
scribed as the stout gentleman, the porter
replied that there were several stout gen.
tlemen in the editorial department. Was
he tall or shortl
Neither one thing nor t'other," the cab
man answered, inpatiently. 'You know
who mean-I mean that there harbitrary
cove"
The porter went direct to Mr.. Forster's
room, and told him his cab was waiting.
That Mr.. Forster's tremendous manner
was III no degree the consequence of harsh
or hard nature was shown in the devotion
with which his personal attendants served
him. The zeal and veneration with which
his servant Henry waited upon him durin Z
many years were noticed by all his friends,
and wondered at by some, for when Mr..
Forster had an attack of gOut land he suf-
tered cruelty in this wsy) his irascibiiity
was indeed difficult to bear. But Henry
never appeared to notice the storms that
ragged over his head He kept quietly to
his task; never answered the word of wrath,
never showed by his manner that it had
been uttered, and never permitted it to
a,ate in the least degree his veneration for
his master.
Ono day, at dinner. there was not soup
enough to 60 round the table. The host, in
his sternest manner and deepest voice. said:
Henry, you STE there is not enough mul'
ligatawny."
Henry said quietly in his masters ear:
"Please, sir, there is no more SOUP" Where
d
upon his man, and grOwled between his
teeth:
mo more mulligatawny, Henry! Let there
be more mulligatawnyw
Henry paid no attention to the outburst
but went quietly on with his service. The
storm, he knew, had spent itself. The
blind devotion with which Henry did his
service was illustrated on one occasion
when his master had a dinner party. During
the dinner Henry was nervous, and made
two or three blunders. His master chafed
and fumed, and cast angry glances at his
servant; but the poor man could not settle
quietly to his duty. At last, when the des
sert and wine had been placed upon the
table, he stole tihidly behind Mr.. Forster 6
char and said:
"Please, cir, can you spare me now? Ny
house has been on fire for the last hour and
halt"
The group Of literary men and artists Of
whom Mr.. Forster was the friend and ad
wiser, loved, in the summer, to meet al
Thames DittOn for an afternoon in the fresh
air, and dinner by the banks Of the river
and drive to London in the cool of the eve
ming. On one of these occasions, when Count
d'Orsay Was present and sat next Forster
the waters were remiss and the gaiety O1
the dinner table was suffering in conse
quence.
Count d'Oreay ate cold butter with his
founders. In q quiet tone he said to ont
OF the attendants, waiter, q slice of colo
butter" But no cold butter came. Pa
tiently and amiably the count presently re
peated his request, and was again doomed
to disappointment. Forster had overheard
the count and seen the neglect with which
he was treated. 1t was too much for him
Waiting his opportunity to seize upon thu
neglectiul attendant, he turned fiercely
upon him, and in q Voice Of thunder said
"GaciOus heaven wsiter-a slice Of cold
butter for the founders of the count"