The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-25
CHARLES DICKENs's SON.

Something About the Young Man Supposed
to Have Been Killed at Fort Pitt.
New York World
Francis Jeffrey Dickens was born Jan. 15 1874,
and was named for his godfather, the former
Francis, Lord Jeffrey long editor of the Edin-
burg Review, and throughout all of Charles
Dickens's literary career the great authors most
intimate and affectionate friend-next only to
John Forster. Inspector Dickens came to this
country ten years ago, and entered the service OF
the mounted police as an officer. He was short
ly elevated to the inspectorship and served for
five years in the Fort Mcleod country, after
which he was removed to Battleford, where ne
remained three years, when he was sent to Fort
Fit, where there seems little doubt he met a
tragic DEATH He was known as a good officer
with abundance OF dash and pluck, and If he fell
there are few but believe he made plucky fight
He resembed his father very much, and inherit
ed his literary taste. He frequently wrote short
stories OF a romantic nature.
Francis was the novelSts fifth child. Dickens
had just been cheered by the magnificent recep-
ton with which the christmas Carol" had been
met-recompense for the comparative although
temporary failure of Martin ChuZzlewit' and
aroused on this side of the Atlantic. 1t is at
least curious coincidence that the son, born
within few months after the return Of Dickens
from America-the visit which gave occasion for
his splenetic American Notes and the novel
that followed it-should now, as appears to be
the case, meet his death on the soil of that same
continent His father was invited two days af
ter the birth of Francis to dinner at Richmond,
at which were to be present Macise, Stanield
and Forster. He replied III this characteristic
fashion:
"DEvoNsHrRE LODGE, 18th JAM, 1874
low-countrymen! The appeal with which
you have honored me awakens within my breast
emotions that are more easily to be imagined
than described. Heaven bless you I shall in
deed be proud, my friends, to respond to such a
7 had with dpaxp Pub T.ifa
l fondly thought forever-to pass the evening of
my days in hydropathical pursuits, and the con-
temptation Of virtue. For which latter purpose
had bought a looking-glass But, my friends.
public duty. The Man is lost in the Invited
Guest. Nurses, wet and dry apothecaries,
mothers in law, babies, with all the sweet land
chaste) delights of private life, these, my coun-
trymen, hard to leave. But you have
called me forth and will come. Fellow country
men, your friend and fellow-servant.
CHARLES DICKENS.
The second son, Walter, named for Walter
Savage Lander, died in the officers hospital at
Calcutta when lieutenant in the Twenty-sixth
Native Infantry Regiment. The other sons were
Charles now living in London, Alfred Tennyson,
Sydney Smith Haldemand, Henry Fielding and
Edward Bulwer Lytton--all named as will be
observed for the novelist's literary friends To
their sons he left in his will the admonition: II
commit my soul to the mercy of God, through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and | exhort
my dear children humbly to try to guide them
selves by teaching of the New Testament in its
broad spirit, and to put no faith in any
mans narrow construction of it's letter here
or there" This strong religious sentiment is
not generally credited to Dickens. To another
son, Edward, he thus wrote on the boys de-
parture for Australia. The same words might
have been addressed to Francis, who evidently
had the same adventurous spirit: ut is my
comfort and my sincere conviction that you are
going to try the life for which you are best
suited. l think its freedom and wildness more
suited to you than any experiment in study or
office would have been. Never
take o. mean advantage of any one in any
transaction, and never be hard upon people who
are in your power" These words have sad
significance in the death of this son
at the hands of savages. The letter
continues, referring to a New Testament
put in Edwards trunk: 'Never abandon
the wholesome fashion of saying your own pri-
vate prayers morning and evening. / have
never abandoned 1t myself, and know the COM
fort of it," The sportive habit so characteristic
absent from this. He concludes with a request
which doubtless would also have been addressed
to Francis had he been living when the young
man started for America. ''You cannot show
your affection for him 1.-THE fatherl so we'll or
make him so happy as by doing your duty"
Francis jeffrey Dickens was appointed an in
spector of the Northwestern Mounted Police in
1875 and served in that capacity at Fort Walsh
until 1880, when he was promoted to his present
rank.