Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-03-31
Sflcrf Misrellany.
A Story Told by Charles Dickens.

A Story Told by Charles Dickens.
L CHANGED to be travelling some
years ago. he said, in a railroad car
rige between Liverpool and London
Besides myself there weretwo ladies anC
gentleman occupying the carriage
We happened to be all strangers te
each other, but | noticed at once thai
a clergyman was one of the party.
was occupied with a ponderous article
in the Times, when the sound Of my
own name drew MY attention to the
fact that conversation was going for
ward among the three other persons
i'll the carriage with reference to my.
self and my books. One of the ladies
was perusing Bleak House, then late
ly published, and the clergyman had
commenced conversation with the
ladies by asking what book they were
reading. On being told the authors
name and the title of the book, he ex-
pressed himself greatly grieved that
any lady in England should be will
ling to take up the writings of SO vile
a character as Charles Dickens. Both
the ladies showed great surprise at tie
low estimate the clergyman put upon
an author whom they had been accus-
toned to read, to say the least, with a
certain degree of pleasure. They were
evidently much shocked at what the
man said of the immoral tendency of
these books, which they seemed never
before to have suspected; but when he
attacked the authors private charac-
ter, and told monstrous stories of his
immoralities in every direction, the
volume was shut up and consigned to
the dark pockets Of a travelling bag.
| listened in wonder and astonish-
ment, behind my newspaper, to stories
of myself, which, if they had been
true, would have consigned ary man
to prison for life. After my iicti-
tious biographer had occupied HIM
self for nearly an hour with the
eloquent recital of my delinquencies
and crimes, | very quickly joined in
the conversation. OF course | began
by modestly doubling some statement
which | had Just beard touching the
author Of Bleak House, and other
unimportant works of similar char
acter. The man stared at me, and
evidently considered my appearance
on the conversational stage an intru-
sion and an impertinence.
You seem to speak, | said, from
personal knowledge Of Mr.. Dickens
Do YOU know him?'
He rather evaded the question, but
following him up closely, compelled
him to say that he had been talking
not from his knowledge of the author
in question, but he said he knew for a
certainty that every statement he had
made was true one. | then became
more earnest in my inquiries for
proofs, which he arrogantly declined
giving. The ladies sat by in silence,
listening to what was going forward.
An author they had been accustomed
TO read for amusement had been ira
duced for the first time in thier hear
ing, and they We're waiting to learn
what | had to say in refutation of the
clergyman's charges. | was taking up
his vile stories one by one, and stamp
ing them as false in every particular,
when the man grew furious, and ask
ed me if | knew Dickens personally.
| replied
Perfectly well-no man knows him
better than do; and all your stories
about him, from beginning to end, to
these ladies, are uumittigated lies
The man became lived with rage,
and asked for my card.
You shall have it, | said and cool
ly taking out one presented it to him
without bowing.
"We were then nearing the station
in London so that was spared long
er interview with my truthful COM
panion; but if | were to live hun
dred Years | should not forget the
aoject condition into which the mar
rator of my crimes was instantly
plunged. His face turned white as
his cravat, and his lips refused to utter
words. He seemed like wilted veget-
able, and as if his legs belonged to
somebody else. The ladies became
aware of the situation at once, and
bidding them good day | stepped
smilingly ont of the carriage. Before
| could get away from the station the
man had mustered up strength suffi-
cient to follow me, and his apologies
were so nuaseous and craven that |
pitied him from my soul. l left him
with this caution
Before you made charges againt the
character of any man again, about
whom you know nothing, and of whose
works you are utterly ignorant, study
to be seeker after truth, and avoid
lying as you would eternal perdition.