Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-01-20
DICKENS AT HOME.
Life Mt Gad's HnI-"Boz's" VIgarou.
Twelve Mile Walks.

Twelve Mile Walks.
Edwin Yates "Reminiscences
Life At Gad's hill for visitors i spcaS
from cNrrTicncc-was delightful. Iou
brcakra~icl ut 3, smoked your cigar
read the papers, and pOtturcd about the
garden until luncheon at /. All the
morning Dickens was at work, either IN
the Study-a room on the LETT hand o.
the porch rs you entered: Il large room,
entirely lined with ooks, and with 4
fine bay window, in winch the desk was
placcd-Ur in the chalet, IA swiss house
OF four rooms, presented TO him by
fcchicr, which took 10 pieces, and was
ercctc in a Shrubbery on the side OF the
road opposite to the house where he
had Il duc view extending to the river.
In the chalet he did his last work. on
the fatal eth Of June, using writing.
slope. Which, hy the kindness of Mis-
Hugarth. is now mine. and Oh viii h
write these words.
After luncheon IA substantial meal,
though Dickens generally took little but
bread nu.l cheese and glass OF al,) the
party would assemble in the hall, which
was hang round with a capital set of
lIogarh prints. now in my possession,
AMI settle on their plans. some walked,
some drove, some pIttcrei; there was
Rochester cathedral 10 be visited, the
ruins OF the castle to be explored, Cob
ham park keys for which had been
granted 10y Lord l'arilcyl in all lis
sylvan beauty within easy distance. /,
of course, elected 10 walk with Dickens;
AMI OF We set, with such Of the other
guests as chose TO face the ordeal. They
were not many, and they seldom camC
twice; for the distance IrayerScd was
seldom less than twelve miles. and The
pace was COOL throughout. have now
in my minds eye portly American
gentleman in vanished boots, who
started with MS full Of courage, hui
whom We left painting by the waysile,
and for whom the basket carriage had
TO be sent.
IL was during one Of these walks that
Dickens showed me- in Gotham park,
the stllc close by which, after fearful
struggle, Mr.. Dadd had been murdered
by his lunatic son in 1915. dickens
acted the whole scene with Ids usual
dramatic force. had heard something
Of the story before from Firth. who is
on excellent racontcgr. The murderer
then escaped, but was ait"rwirl Sc
cured; he had been travelling in coach,
and his homicidal tendencies had he n
aroused 10y regarding the largr neck,
disclosed by n very low collar, of u fCl-
low passenger, who. waking from a
Sleep. found Dddd's fingers playing
round his throat. en- searching badd's
studio, after his arrest. they found,
painted on the wall behind screen,
portraits Of Egg, stone and FIRTH
Dadd'S intimate associates, all witt
their Threats cut-a pleasant Suggestion
Of their friends intentions.
Generally act antcd Ly hS dogs
lwhrn was first with him hy were
Turk. a livurC0lOrrd mastilf, and Linda,
a 81. lCrHard, which Albert Saith had
brought from Sutherland, Dickens
would 20 aloDg ut swinging pace;
SnugCt mes over the marshes fI"ops in
Great EEur"'ai ou,; sUm'i tim Is along
billy. tgampint,Stei road TO nElves-
eBl. Skiuiu. Gotham park, aud past
the "Leathcr Bottle, whether Mr. Tup-
man retired; past Fort Pitt, near which
DR.. Slammcr proposed TO take Mr.. VIM
kles life; down miry lanes and over
vast Stubble fields, 10 outlying little
churches, and frequently TO quaint
Old almshOusc standing, ] can not re-
member where, in green courtyard,
like an Oxford quad.
They were stiff walks for any one not
in full training, aS Dickens Away was
at that time, but to me they never
seemed long or fatisuiHg, brguilr;l ~
the time was by his most charming talk.
With small difficulty, if The subject We're
deftly introduced, lie could he induced
to talk al out his books, TO tell how and
why certain ideas occurred 10 him, and
how he got such and such scene or
character Generally lis excellent
memory accurately retained his own
phrases and actual words, so that he
would at once correct misquotation
but on more than one occasion have
in conversation with him, purposely
misquoted from one of his books, il
'ih'l llldN nv NiHib oib hi' llSHls
One day aqueen's birthday, on which
! hrl a holiday from my office, We haC
spent together ut Gads hill. The family
were absent, and the house was il
charg, Of the gardener, whose wifi,
cooked ms q steak. and Dickens hat
taken car TO bring the celar-key will
him. We rambIrd about during the af
trrnoOn. an NJ night we went 10 tn
I colchester theatre. forget the play
indeed rrrolcct nothing but the pres
cnce Of mind Of large man in a grca
baizc tunic and pair of buff boots, who
10 Dickens Joy, evidently did not know
q word Of his part. He strobe into th'
middle Of the stage without uttering |
syllable. looked fercely round, then sait
ia stcntorian tones, 81 will r-r RETURN
anon" aud walked quietly of 10 read NJ