Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-10-05

The following is from an interview
(plblished by the Louisville Courier
JostynaD with gentleman who was
oncs the amanuensis of Dickens, the
novelist
You were an amanuensis of Chas.
Dickens for eighteen months. / did
not take dictations for any of bis NJ
yels-only his fugitive pieces. He
dictated to me mot Of his articles in
All the Year Round. He was a very
clever gentleman to those under him.
He always treated me very we'll in
deed. Most people seem to think
Dickens was ready writer. This is,
by no means the case. He used to
come into his Office 10 Catherine street
about eight o'clock in the morning.
and begin debating. He would walk
up and down the floor several times
after debating sentence or a para
graph, and ask me to read it. would
do so, and he would, in nine cases out
of ten, order me TO strike out certain
words and insert others. He was
generally tired out by eleven o'clock,
aud went down to his club in the
strand. A very singular thing was
that he never dictated the closing
paragraphs of his stories. He always
finished them himself. used to look
in the paper for them, and found that
he had changed it very greatly from
what he had dictated to me. Dickens
hid a very ID | habit Of combing his
hair. He would comb it hundred
ii aes in a day. He seemed meyer to
tire of it. The FIRST thing he xIsd on
coming into the office was 10 comb his
hair. / have zen him dictate SEN
tence or two. and then begin comb
ing. When he got through, he dictated
another sentence. He was very care
full about his writings. He wanted
every sentence to be as perfect as
possible before leaving It to 90 to
press. Dickens was queer fellow
regarding the company he sought. I
have known him, while / was en-
ployed by him. 10 60 down to the
Seven D:als-about the wort place
in London-and eat and sleep there.
He roasted his herring where the rest
did. and slept with the poorest. He
loved low society. He never seemed
so happy as when seated in a poor
coffee-house with a crowd of the low
er classes talking around him. He
never missed word that was said.
and was the most attentive observer
that | ever saw. Nothing escaped
him. The most minute mannerisms
were noted and stored away. When
was working for him he was at the ze-
NTH of his fame, just before his death,
and even then he loFed these careless,
rollicking rounds among the NOR bet
ter than q high-toned dinner.
"Was he as great drinker as he
has the reputation Of being?'
II never saw him drunk myself. I
have seen him several times exhiIara-
ted, however. He drank only the
best of wine, but he drank very free
u. Sherry was his especial favorite,
and he never refused glass Of fine
Olu snerfy. ne was an unsuitable ci-
garette smoker, and, when debating
70 me. always had cigarette in his
mouth. He was a very spruce man,
too. He brushed his coat frequent
ly, and changed his collars several
times day. He was ever bit as hn-
morous in his speech as in his writ
ings. When he was in particularly
fine humor, he could keep you laugh
ing by the hour with his witty talk.
He was not one of those men who are
above those they employ. He chat
ted as freely with me as with any
member of his club in the Strand
Dickens was undoubtedly the best af-
ter-dinner speaker in England. /
Mas him at Whitehall once-the
Secession being the anniversary of the
opening OF the British Museum
There was an enormous crowd-hard-
~ standing room-and he kept them
in one continual roar. He was fine
actor, and this, added to his wit, made
! him irresistibly funny"