Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-05-11
CHARLES DICKENS.
ATwo Hours Chat With Englands
Great Novelist, at His Home
at Gad's Hill.
IMPRESSION of the Man as Gathered
From a Face to Face Inter-
view With Him.
His Wonderful Memory, and Keen
Insight Into American Affairs
of Society and State.
. .sn,ein, corrsrpondenc, Of he Resi.ler.

of Society and State.
Special Correspondence Of ne Register.
WASHINGTON, May lO.-Among the many
literary names whose owners honored me
with their friendship, there is above and be-
yond them all, one name | shall never for
get until the day of life is changed into the
night of death-the name of
Charles Dickens.
Long before met Mr.. Dickens | had
grown to love him, because 'he had soothed
and charmed so many hours, brought pleas
ure aud sweet laughter to so many homes,
made such multitudes of children (of whom
was one) happy, endowed us with such a
sweet store of gracious thoughts, fair fan
cies, soft sympathes Qnd hearty enjoy
ments" On his second visit to the United
States in 1865, was introduced to him, like
thousands of Others, by mere hap-hazard,
and have no doubt the great novelist could
have given a description OF particular
wave of the Atlantic, after his passage to
England, quite as readily and easily as he
could have remembered me.
In August, 1869. realized one Of the
dreams Of mv early life when | found myself
in London.
Before leaving America | secured letters
Of introduction 10 Mr.. Dickens from Charles
Sumner and Frederick Hudson. Mr.. Hud,
son at the time was prominently connected
with the New York Herald, and, if mis-
take not, had been, in onjunction with the
elder Bennett, leading writer of that great
journal for year previous,
sumner.
What shall | say of the great Senator,
whose brilliant talents, splendid eloquence,
and exalted character challenged the admir-
alton of the world? We might compare
him to William Pitt. And he was to the
corrupt administration about him what Pitt
was to the venal government OF George IL.
Sumner kept the Grant administration on
the rack. lie, unlike Pitt, however divided
without DESTROYING party. His eloquence
was an EZRA in the Senate, for he revived
clOouence, which had. beeen orphaned at
the death of Webster Though its splendid
confagrations could not destroy the miscre-
ants around him its grand iIIuminationS
were like fires upon the mountains, showing
the shutting struggling, seethlng political
hucksters beneath him the grandeur and
glory of craftsmanship they had not the
grace to admire nor the magnanimitv TO ap-
preciate.
ouid al Rem"
[ am not adrift in my tribute to Mr..
Sumner. No small honor did | esteem it
to have his letters of introduction or Mr..
Hudsons. As | presented both letters in
their original shape to Mr.. Dickens, and
preserved no copy, | cannot, after the lapse
of years recall them in their entirety. One
massage however, in Mr.. Summers letter is
vet in NV memory. and | hope ! may be
privileged 10 quote 1t without being accused
of vanity:
"Mr. Sclbv q substitute my nom de
pume) whom introduce to you with great
pleasure is as YOU may see, very young
man. vet possessed of many qualities which
fully make up for what he lacks in years.
This know from the many conversations |
have had with him. He will, | have no
doubt profit by his visit to England, as
every observant and cultivated American
should. With best wishes and high regard,
am yours sincerely,
CHARLES SUMNER
"To Charles Dickens, Esq, etc.
Mr.. Hudson. after dealing with me. as a
young Virginian, fresh from a university
curriculum" referred to his pleasant meet
ing with Mr.. Dickens in New York and rel
oiced at the continued success which his
genius merited and his works deserved
With another reference to myself rs giving
homes OF one day being clever writer, he
wished Mr.. Dickens health and happiness
and was Very truly,
"FRED'c HrDsoN.'
In London.
In all the great city Of London had but
one personal friend, Mr. Charles W. Rogers.
had written from America and telegraphed
from Liverpool to Mr. Rogers, but on the
arrival of the railway carriage i'll London
he was not 0n hand to meet me. Fortu-
nately, however, he came in sight after had
been irving for an hour to keep my heart
out of nv throat, and off we drove to the
residence of my noble-hearted friend, and
never warmer heart beat than his. told
Rogers of my wish to see Mr.. Dickens.
81 do not know the great Mogul personally"
said he 'but | see him frequently. | un-
dcrstand he is suffering greatly from gOut,
and the Times, not long ago, said he was
unhappy on account of some domestic
troubles
On the llth Of August sent the follow
ing to Mr. Dickens:
~ am an rUncommercial Traveller just
from the country of Elijah POgram. i'll
close Senator Summers and Mr. Hudson
letters They will hope, serve as heralds,
and at the same time ma Ike known to you a
wish which have had at heart for a long
time.
"As did not trust to you remembering
me in the fainteSt way from my introduc
ton to You during your visit to the United
States, presumed my request would be as
that of an entire stranger Hence have
asked Senator Sumner and Mr.. Hudson
both well known to yOu-to speak for me.
With great esteem, am, Mr. Dickens, your
| faithful servant, CHARLES SELSY.
ITO Charles Dickens, ESQ, Gads Hill
Place"
The next day received this reply:
GAPS HILL PLACE., HTGHLN-BT-RoCHEs-
TER, KEST, Twelfth August 1869,
Charles Selby, Esquire:
81 shall be glad to see You tomorrow at
any time after IL NJ. Yours faithfully,
CHARLES DICKENS.
The note was written on thin white paper.
in small, fine hand. with four lassos under
the name and reminded me Of what the
great author wrote of Blandois in Little
Dorrit" The "R" looked like "h" and the
final IS" was caught in the FIRST lasso. Dick
ems always wrote his name with this Pecu-
| liar flourish.
lost no time on the tomorrow and at
quarter before the clock struck IL, | was
at Gad's Hill Place. and knocking for ad-
mission The hall door, which stood in the
center Of the house-s goOdly sized two
Story-and-a-haf building-wsS opened by q
very youthful gentleman Of perhaps sixteen
summers. probably son of Mr. Dickens.
Face to Pace
II aoob narl