Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-04
NO. 3.
miscellaneous.
A PLEASANT "REMINISCENCES OF DICKENS
FIRST VISIT 70 AMERICA.


A gentleman who. when baby, was
unconsciously immortalized in Charles
Dickens Notes OF his trip to st. Louis
was met yesterday by republican report
er. Ii was the gen,leman's birthday. and
that circumstance led 10 the disclosure of
facts comparatively little known regard
ing the identity of character described in
the American Notes of the great novel;
ist.
The pretty little scene on board the boat
between Louisville and ST. Louis. rs print
ed in the Notes" was one of the most
charming and soul-felt pictures of charac-
ter and emotion that ever warmed the
heart in fact or fiction. and Forster said
that of all the writings of Dickens. it was
| Lord Jeffrey's favorite passage.
In letter to Forster, dated on board
the boat. 1912. Dickens gives the story.
which for freshness eXcells the printed
accounts in the notes land its publication
will be new to many. 1t runs rs fol-
lows:
There was woman on board with
| little baby; and both little woman and lit
tie child were cheerful, good looking.
bright eyed and fair to see. The little
woman had been passing long time with
sick mother in New York, and had lett
her home in st. Louis, in that condition in
which ladies who love their lords desire
to be- The baby had been born in her
mothers house, and she had not seen her
husband (to whom she was now returning)
for l. months. Well, TO he sure, there
never was little woman so full of hopes
and tenderness and love and anxiety. as
this little woman was, and all the live
long day, wondering whether he would
be at the wharf. and whether he had got
her letter and whether if she sent the baby
on shore bv somebody else.
He would know ii meeting il in the street,
which. seeing that he had never set eyes
upon it in his life. was not very likely in
the abstract. but was probable enough to
the Young mother. She was such an art
less creature, and was in such a sunny.
beaming. hopeful state, and let out all
this matter clinging close about her heart.
so freely that all the otherlady passengers
! entered into the spirit of it as much as
she and the captain (who had heard all
about il from his wie) was wondrously
shy. promise you-inquiring every time
we met nj table whether she had expected
ANYBODY to meet her at st. Louis. and
supposing she wouldn't want to go ashore
the night we reached It. and cutting many
| other dry Jokes which convulsed all the
hearers. but especially the ladies. There
was one little. wien. dried-apple woman
among those who took occasion to doubt
the constancy Of husbands under such cir
cumstances of bereavement, and there was
another lady. with a lap dog) old enough
to moralze on the lightness of human af-
fections. and vet not so old that she could
not help nursing the baby now and then,
or laughing with the rest when the little
woman called It by his fathers name and
asked it all manner of fantastic questions
concerning him in the joy of her heart.
It was something of blow to the little
woman that when we were within 20
miles of our destination it became clearly
necessary to pnt the baby to bed. but she
got over that with the same good humOr,
| tied little handkerchief over her head.
and came out into the gallery with the
rest. Then, such an oracle as she became
in reference to the localities. and such
facetiousness was displayed by the mar.
ried ladies'. and such sympathy was shown
| by the single ones Il and such peals of laugh
| ter as the little woman herself (who would
just as soon cried) greeted every jest with.
| At last there were the lights of St Louis
and here was the wharf. and there were
the steps; and the little woman covering
her face with her hands and laughing or
seeming to laugh more than ever. ran in
to her own cabin and shut herself up
tight,
| | have no doubt that in the charming in
consistency OF such excitement she
stopped her ears lest she should hear him
asking for her: but didn't see her do it.
Then great crowd of people rushed on
hoard. though the boat was not yet made
| fast. and was staggering among the other
boats TO find landing place; and every
body looked for the husband. and nobody
saw him. when all of sudden right in
the midst of them-God knows how she
got there--thcre was little woman hug
ging with both arms, around the neck OF
a fine looking fellow. And in moment
afterward. there she was again dragging
him through the small door Of her cabin
to look at the baby as he lay asleep.
What Il good thing it is to know that so
many of us would have been quite down.
hearted and sorry if that husband had
| to come
1t will be surprise to many in st.
Louis TO know who were the parties so
feelinglv touched by the pen Of Dickens.
| ne DdDt diluucu W, WulCu Has oiuCS
grown no to manhood. is Chas. X.
Garrison Esq. The little woman, the
mother of Chas. X. Garrison, died about
six years ago. Her name was Annie
Noye Garrison. and her father, Richard
Noye, was a native Of Plymouth. England
He was Methodist preacher. and resided
for many years in Buffalo. N. T., where
his son, John +. Noye, -till resides.
Chas. r. Garrison. the aforesaid
.'baby," was 80 years old yesterday ,hav-
ing been born in Brooklyn, N. Y, Oct.
II, 1s4l. His mother brought him by
way of Pittsburgh. and taking an Ohio
river steamer for st. Louis they had un-
. awares fallen in with and had their little
history embalmed by the pen Of Dickens
Mr.. Garrison has no memory OF the
event described by Dickens, but as he
grew up his mother frequently rallied
, him on tine figure he cut in the 'Notss. !"
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