The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-09
Thackeray and Dickens.
Frank Bellows Recollections of the Two
A "Reminiscences of Dotheboys Hall.
New York Tribune,

l forget whether 1t 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, a kind Of slum thorough
fare leading to Drury Lane, when he passed
group of dirty little street Arabs. One lit
tie female tatterdemalion looked up at him
as he passed. and then called out to her
younger brother: 'sHi, Archie. d'you know
who him is? He's Becky Sharp" Thacke-
ray was astonished to find that little bare
footed gattersnipe should know sufficient of
his writings even to confound him with one
of his characters. On inquiry 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 garnet boiling potatoes
for dinner. She had not been able to get the
whole of Vanity Fair, but only few odd
parts Thackeray sent her complete set,
$40 @S-~eNtAic w ettS q AShoh " dCt
of potatoes.
by Jover' said Thackeray to a f,iend,
strange as 1t may seem that little incident
gave me more pleasure than If | had re-
ceived complimentary letter from his grace
the duke of Devonshire. 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
eArfain friend nf nina npa Mr. Tob
lips, told me that on one occasion, when he
was boy, he found himself in room in
the Inner Temple in London, whether as
guest or what he did not explain, with two
young men, one squeezing lemons to make
punch, and the other smoking a pipe.
The one who was making the punch sudieu-
ly discovered that he had an insufficient sup
ply OF lemons. What shall we do?'' que
ried the smoker. Suppose we send out the
kid" replied the other. 1.-The two Young
men were Charles Dickens and Harrison
Ainsworth,p said Mr.. Phillips, s.and / was
the kid "The kid went out and pur-
chased supply of the needed fruit, but
when he came back he was startled to find a
monster OF hideous mien in the place of the
handsome young gentleman he had left
there few minutes before. Dickens had
been Willing away the time BY making him.
self set of false teeth with one lemon peel
and an artificial nose with another. This
same Mr.. Phillips, who had lived many
years in Australia, told me that the original
and veritable 'Smike, Of s.Dotheboys Halp'
was living and prospering in that country,
though generally considered of rather weak
mind.
The mention of s.Smike'' brings to my
mind fact which, by the way, shall never
forget, that |, the writer, was at school at
Dotheboys Hall. At least havs alsvays ba-
fivrrf 90, 50 Close was the resemblance be-
tween nay school and Dickens's description.
And think was indebted to sNicholas
Nickleby'' for my release, for can well re-
member to this day on my return home see
ing the green-covered monthly parts OF that
work lying on the drawing-room table.
Dickens located this school in Yorkshire;
mine was in Westmoreland, the adjoining
county, and only few miles from the bor-
der. was years of age when | was sent
from home by mail coach, consigned to a
doctor in the town of Appleby, who was TO
transfer me to the school | arrived at
night and put up at the principal inn, and /
can remember the landlady, a bright faced
buxom woman, taking me down into the
kitchen and giving me large bowl of milk
with cream on the top and huge slice of
gingerbread for my supper. | sat upon a
stool and ate it. have never since partak-
en- OF such an exquisite repast, the memory
OF which haunts me even now.
Arrived at school, which was kept by a
Mr.. Trycross, my dandy boots were taken
away and was provided with a coarse pair
of sabots with wooden soles. | found that
all the boys wore those things, which cost
one shilling sterling per pair At this school
we were chiefly fed on great dolls of heavy
salt beef, which smelled bad, and hideous
dishes of semi-liquid blood pudding. If we
could not eat this revolving stuff at dinner,
1t was put by for the rebellious stomach's
supper, and If not consumed hen 1t was
served up for breakfast next day, ard so on
until it was eaten. On Saturday night a
large tub Of scalding water and bran was
brought into the school room, and in this the
whole school washed their feet, and often /
have heard the smaller boys bowling with
pain as their feet were forced into the boil
ing meas by the bigger boys, while the mas
ter stood By with his cane to enforce obedi-
ence. The only supply Of water for the boys
came from large barrel which received the
rainfall from the roof. This often got low
and putrid and vet / have seen the boys
hanging into this barrel almost by their
toes, head doBnwards, trying to reach 1t
with theiz mouths. The rcd was always go
ing and the howl Of pain was continuous
Yet they were very particular about their re-
ligious exercises, and many time / have
nearly tainted kneeling on hard form
hrough long prayers, and the singing of the
morning or evening hvmn,