Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-08
THACKERAY AND DICKENS.
Frank Bellows RecOllcctiOns of the
TwO-A ReminisenCe of DOthebOys
Hall.
New York Tribune.l


forget whether it was Sala or some
other member of the fraternity, but some
one told me little story Of Thackeray
which has just occurred to me. One day
he was walking along Wych street, kind
Of slum thorough-fare leading to Drury
Lane, when lie passed group of dirty
little street Arabs. One little female
tatterdermation looked up at him as he
passed, and then called out to her young
er brother "Hi, Archie d'you know
who him is? He's Becky Sharp"
Thackeray was astonished to find that
little bare-footed guttersnipe should know
sufficient of his writings even to confound
him with one of his characters. On i'll
quiry he found that the little thing was
the child of an actress OF some education
but insufficient histrionic ability, who had
gradually come down to sewing trousers
for cheap tailors She had read one or
two numbers of Vanity Fair and on
previous occasion pointed out the author
to her daughter. Thackeray found the
poor woman in garret boiling potatoes
for dinner. She had not been able to get
the whole of Vanity Fair, but only n few
odd parts. Thackeray sent !her a COM
plete set, and something to give relish
10 ner ulnnef OF potatoes.
"By Jove !" said Thackeray to a friend,
'strange as it may seen that little incident
gave me more pleasure than if l had re-
ceived n supplementary letter from the
duke of Devonshirc. When your name
gets down into the slums, that means
fame you have touched bottom"
But here an odd memory connected
with another great writer comes into our
head. A certain friend of mine, one Mr..
John Phillips, told me that on one
occasion, when he was boy, he found
himself in a room in the Inner Temple in
London, whether Us guest or what he did
not explain, with two young men, one
squeezing lemons to make punch, and the
other smoking pipe. The one who was
making the punch suddenly discovered
that he had an insufficient supply of
lemons. "What shall we do % queried
the smoker. Suppose we send out the
kid" replied the other, "The two young
men were Charles Dickens and Harrison
, Ainsworth," said Mr.. Phillips, "and
was the kid" ''The kid" went out and
purchased supply of the needed fruit, bu
! when he came back he was startled to tint
, monster of hideous mien in the place o
the handsome young gentleman he hat
\
had been Willing away the time by max
ing himself a set of false teeth with enc
, lemon peel, and an artificial nose will
= another. This same Mr.. Phillips, VIII,
:. had lived many years in Australia, tol,
4 me that the original and veritabl
"Smike,' of "Dotheboys Hall" was liv
ing and prospering in that country, thougl
I generally considered of rather veal
mind.
/ The mention of "Smike" brings to IN,
o mind fact which, by the way, shal
q never forget, that l, the writer, was n
school at Dotheboys Hall. At least
have always believed SO, so close was til
@ resemblance between my school an
n Diokens's description. And think wa
n indebted to "Nicholas Nickleby" for m
d release, for l can we'll remember to thi
l. day on my return home seeing the greer
j. covered monthly parts of that work lyin
Il on the drawing-room table. Dfcken
Is located this school in Yorkshire min
,f was in Westmoreland, the adjoining coul
d ty, and only few miles from the border
h l was years of age when l was sen
n from home by mail coach, consigned to
,e doctor in the town OF Appleby, who WI
to transfer me to the school | arrived /
% night and put up at the principal inn, M
ia ! can remember the landlzdy, brigl
T. faced buxom woman. taking me down int
40 the kitchen and giving me large bowl I
h milk with cream on the top and larl
10 alice Of gingerbread for my supper.
ve sat upon stool and ate it, / have new,
re- since partaken of such an exquisite repas
Dc the memory of which haunts me eve
O. now.
is Arrived at school, which WAS kept by
s- Mr.. TrycrOss, my dandy boots were tax,
an away and l was provided with cour
~. pair OF sabots with wooden soles. foul
ed that all the boys wore those things. Whit
cost one shilling sterling per pair, !
this school we were chiefly fed on gre
dobs of heavy salt beef, which smell,
ed bad, and hideous dishes of scmi-liqu
al, blood-pudding; If we could not eat I'll
ry revolving stuff at dinner, it was put
u- for the rebellious stomach's supper, al
cy ii not consumed then it was served up
he breakfast next day, and 80 ON until it W
mi eaten. On Saturday night large tub