Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-12-01

Special Cor. PUsLIc LgDGER.l
CHICAGO, November 27.-This let
ter will be chiefly devoted to the re-
lation of a somewhat strange story"
brought about by the recent death of
the wife Of the great novelist, Charles
Dickens. Sunday night Twas visiting
some friends. During the evening,
conversation turned upon the death of
Mrs. Dickens. One of the party said
the event called to mind a startling
event that came within the persons
knowledge Christmas day 1871. 1t was
this; A certain lady of quoenly stat
ure, a lovely blonde and only 30 years,
living quietly in a fashionable section
of the city, with her three children,
Two beautiful little girls and a fine
boy, had made preparations to enter
tain a few select friends. Everything
was made ready while she was
attending divine service. On her re-
turn home she felt rather III, and
retired to her boudoir to rest for a
while before her guests arrived. At
last one Of the company was announc-
ed, and the mlid went to call her
mistress. She raped upon the door
several times; but receiving 70 reply,
and thinking the LADY was asleep. en-
tered the room, upon the sofa lay the
lady. Softly the maid approached and
gently touched the apparently sleeping
form She started back aehast with
aserelm- The alarm brought the
servants 70 the room. when
the horrible discovery was made
the lovely woman vas a corpse
Yes. she lay cold in death. and the
day that promised to be so
joyful was turned into one Of srony
and mourning agony for the orphaned
children, and mourning for the whole
company that had By this time gather
ed. and we're gazing sorrowfully upon
the beautiful face wrapt in the shades
of death. We'll. you ask, what
does all this mean, this recital of an
every day event?' I'll tell you. This
fair creature was none other than the
Morganetic wife of the celebrated lit
erateur, Charles Dickens. She was a
member Of fine English family that
the novelist used to visit. He and
she became eaamored Of each other.
and illicit love followed. This caused
her parents to virtually discard her.
And it was said that this attachment
more than anything else caused Mr..
Dickens and his wife to separate
When Dickens came last to this coun
try she accompanied him, taking with
her the three children, the fruit of
their unholy love. When he returned
to England she remained for a time
IN New York and then came to Chi.
cago, intending to return to England
at no distant day, and seek a r%econcil
latlon with her family. Mr.. Dickens
death threw a shadow over her. and
she became addicted to the use o
morphine, while at the same time she
withdrew nearly entirely from
society. Occasionally she was bro,
trated from the use of III,
drug, Daring these depression.
she was in the habit of calling ON al
eminent physician and surgeon ON tn
North side, DR.. W., now dead, one O
her visiting acquaintances. During
severe attack Of prostration the doc
tors wife, a sympathetic and elegap
lady, called, and it Was to that lad
she told her story, the substance q
which l have just related. Tia
her statements were tru,
there was not a shade,
Of a doubt, Cor she exhibited a mum
Der OF autograph letters from Mi
Dickens to her, aud also several from
her mother bearing upon her relation
with Mr.. d. Mrs. DR.. w. related III
secret TO my informant, a most vera
cious person one who had PERSONAL
known the unfortunate lady, and VIII
had assisted to prepare the corpse f.
its last resting place. Ny informar
told me that the so .called Mrs. Dick
ems was a most exem
plary appearing person, Of tn
most winning manners, and APPARENT
as good morally as she was Lowell,
That she was Of good family was eyi
denced from the fact that she wa
)ighly educated in letters and music