Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1878-07-27
Mr.. Toole and Tiny Tim.

At a recent annual dinner of the
Royal Theatrical Fund in London, Mr..
j. l.. Toole, the Chairman, told the fol-
lowing story:
"I will tell you of an experience of a
stage supper which the name of Mr..
Charles Dickens recalls to me-, and
which is not without its bearing on the
business before US. was playing Bob
Cratchett in the christmas CAROL at
the Adelphi, under Mr.. Webster's man
agement, and every night at eight, for
forty nights, l had to carve a goose and
a plum pudding-Mr. Webster gener-
ously provided real goose and real
plum pudding, which were served
smoking hot, for Mrs. Cratchett and
the seven little Cratchetts, of course in
-eIading Tiny Tim.
'The children always had enormous
portions given them, and they all ate
heartily every night; but what really
troubled me was the conduct of the lit
tie girl who played Tiny Tim. That
child's appetite appalled, me. / could
not help noticing the extraordinary
rapidity with which she consumed what
L gave her, and she looked $50 wan and
thin, and so pitiful, that her face used
to positively haunt me. used to say
to myself before 1 began, well, Tiny
Tim shall have enough this time. .at'all
events. and I'd pile her plate more and
more each evening, until ! remember
she had on one occasion nearly half the
bird, and potatoes, and seasoning, and
apple-sauce until I Ishardly knew how
she could carry it away to the fireplace,
where she sat on a low stool, in accord
ance with the story, far less eat it. To
my amaZement she cleared her plate as
quickly and is eager as ever, pushing
forward for plum pudding with the
others.
"I grew alarmed and spoke to Mrs.
Alfred Mellon, who was playing Mrs.
fCratchett, respecting the phenomenon.
sI don't likeit said. Il can't conceive
where poor little delicate thing like
that puts the food Beside, although I
like the children to enjoy treat-and
how they kept on enjoying it for forty
nights was a mystery-for got into a
condition that If fidra5., &. triand,s
house and goose were on the table, /
regarded it as personal offront. But
/ said, referring to Tiny Tim, don't
like greediness;1 il is additionally repul7
sive,' said, sin refined looking, deli
cate little thing like this; besides, it
1 destroys the sentiment, and when 1 as
Bob ought to feel most pathetic, I'm
always wondering where the goose and
pudding are, or whether any thing seri1
Gus in the way of 8 fit will happen to
Tiny Tim before the audience in conse-
quence of her unnatural gorging.
"Mrs. Mellon laughed at me at first,
but eventually we decided to watch
Tiny Tim together. Well, gentlemen,
we watched as well as we could, and the
moment Tiny Tim was seated and began
to eat we observed curious shutting
movement at the stage fireplace, and
every thing he had given her, goose and
potatoes and apple sauce disappeared
behind the sham fire, the child pretend
ing to eat as heartily as ever from the
empty plate. When the performance
was over Mrs. Mellon and myself asked
the little girl what became of her food
she did not eat, and after a little hesita,
ton, frightened less she should get into
trouble, which we assured her should
not happen, she confessed that her lit
tie sisters-I should mention they wert
the children of one of the scene shifter.
waited on the other side of the stage
Fireplace, and the whole family enjoy &c
a hearty supper every night out of tn,
plentiful portions to which i, as Bob
had assisted Tiny Tim. When l told
the story to Charles Dickens he replied,
sToole! you ought to give that child
the entire goose. ;" -,i l5 zte.gs