Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-18
CHARLES EEESDt'.
Personal characteristics orUhc Famous
Author.

died at London Friday afternoon, Apdl II. |
He was born at Ipsucn, OXlvrlshirc, Eng,
IN 1914. He graduated IN 1888 Mt Maglacn |
college, Oxford, where he WIS elected to one
of the Vencrian fclloNships in 1912. IN
1913 he was called to the Lar by the society |
of Lincoln's InU, bur SON after gave his at |
tention wholly to literature. in 1871 he re-
ccivcd the degree Of D. G. Il, from his nui-
versity. In 1852 he Published bis first story
peg Woilluglou,' which Immediately gave
him rank as writer Of fiction aud in the
following year Christie Johns'1nr,' which
met with still greater favor. IL 1854, in
conjunction with Mr.. Tom Taylor, he pub
lishcd volume Of plays containing "Ma.k
and Faces" the plot Of which is idcu.ic'l
with that of Peg Wellington :" 'TwoI
Loves and Life" and the "Kin.s
Rival" Clouds aud Surshine' and "Att,
a Dramatic Tale y two nNyccttcs, appear.
ed in 1850. All lhcs' works were received
with tlatlcring WC'c one, and in 1876 he
published more ambitious novel entitled
Its Never too Lac II Al,ul.' In which he
illustrated the a,rocOy # prison dj-ciplInc rs
then administered as WOl as 'h D. .ibi'ily
of criminal reformation, and jhis was follow
ed by Il li"s OF romano g. each devoted to-
some social or ruh,C wj0ns. Later wpks
are ''Thc Double Marriage, or Whit Lies"
"rhc Course Of True Love Never Dill Ran
smooth "proprit and tu;c MaribGs' and
"Thc Box Tunnel "Cr,Gm: Jack Of All
Trades" "rhc Autobiography + "a 1hi.(,'
Love Me Little, Love Ne Long ~
Good Fight aud O.h'r Tna-. The E.gilh
Commandments THE tlois'cr and TIE
Hearth, or Maid, wife and Widow "ilard
Cash." Griffith Gaun'," "Frul rny' On
correction with Bluoic nj J., "IHt Yourself
in His Place. "a Terrible rcmp,a'iJ0,"
'Thc Wandering Heir" "a S.mile'nn; a
Story o. Day" and "a Hero and Mar
| tyr" His last work, a pcri'ous Sscgo', -
is now running in HUpn's Hr.ar.
In Il recent interview General Marcdi h
| Read, a cousin OF the novelist, sill Of him;
II think Charles Rc3dc IS one of the best,
kindcst aud most truly great men | have
ever known. To appreciate him fully it is
necessary to know him intimately. Gcatr-
ous 20 a fault he has b en- ever ready to as
sst these in distress, not only With his purse
but with his time and energy. Any hint OF
injustice reused HIM to a lconinc indgpa-
ton and he CoIld not res, until he had
done his best to set things right. | have
often thought that the bitter var he waved
on those who did HIM p,rs nal injury did
not proceed SO much from selfish cou-iIcra-
tons as from the sense he had that Injustice
had been done to an individual Il was It
mere accident that that inQi"idu Il was him
self, but it was that fact that rendered him
more cognizant # the details OF the particu-
lar injustice. Many people know of owe
not only their mca,is Of LIVELIHOOD hut thcil
reason and life themselves, to Charles Rcade.
The very relative whose death SO broke him
down was restored TO the full possession OF
her faculties by his Clnslan, care and atl"n
ton.
go opcn-handed vas he that in late year.
his friends demonstrated VITA hm and in
I duccd him to lock after his own interest,
more than he hal been in The habit # doing
When he apple himself to business he was
keen and sLrcw !, as you nay imagine iron
some of his own works lie made q gopJ
deal of money by purchasing leases H.
would see a notice Of a h1us' to lcl % in
examine the property and form his own con
clusions as to its value If he thought wei
Of 1t he would buy the lease, and it was il
but few instances that he did not rctllze I
good profit by selling it argin in very shor
time.
81 remember meeting him in Paris once
and his saying to ne; Those fools o
London managers have Obliged the to MAKE
, tied "rheWardcrinr lleir,' uIth,y woul.
not accept it so ! had To take il ms self an'
bring it out in the provinces. Il was Il sue
cess, and row, after forcing me to put cl3,
600 in my pocket, they arc eager for it,
! Il once asked him what he Thought Of tn
American sy stem Of Interviewing He dc
clared himself strongly in its favor, Jus
: think, said he, what fine tlpg an intcr
2 terview with Shakespeare would have lccn
, "lIc was great reader of newspapers
Anything that struck him rs Iutcrt ting e.
any fact that tended to support ono of hi
S humanitarian theories, was en- oul, pastc
in large folio sclap-book, and cucfullY il
q dcXed. Facts of any sort wrrc his hobby
| had a commission from him once. whjc
took long time to ILL., He wanted CON
t plctc set OF the Gazette DIS Tribunals G
y record of crime in Flauce for years an
years. got il, but at the expense of niue
! time and trouble.
d Ills way of working IS peculiar. Whe
c he has decided on a new work hc plots gu
- the scheme, situations, facts aud character
: on three large sheets Of pas.ob1ard. Then h
l. sets t. work, using very large fo,lscap [
C write on, and working ranilly, hu, with fiC
l. uuent references TO his sorchuu.e Of facts
II the scrap-books. which are ready TO h
" hand. He used to i've ina little house /
IS Albert Gate, the window # his study loci
C ing out over the park Some curp1atiu
= wanted TO get possession IF The property
!. and used I'll manner Of means 10 get Il
u tenants ont. Rcadc resisted this, and luugl
4. them for four years, finally Winnit
a the battle. He chrsteucd his hou
" on his account 'NabJ,h's Vineyard