The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-18

] tO ou! uaCA lhc COpyElkut On 01t Sketches" which he had sold to a publisher for 150 pounds, and for which the owner declined to take less than 2,000 pounds. "Pickwick Papers were published collectively in 1887, and "Oliver Twist" which came next in it's serial publication, was pub lished in book form in 1888, "Nicho- las Nlckleby," "Young Gentlemen" 1" "YouDg Couples" "Master Humph- rey's Clock" "The Old Curiosity Shop" and "Barnaby Rudge" fol- lowed each other in close succession iu the order named.
 Dickens and his wife came to America in 1842, reaching Boston on January 22d. They were received and feted in this country and made the 1 objects of snobbish admiration that provoked "American Notes" and "Martin Chuzzlewit," with sneers and caricature. "The Christmas Carol,' D published in 1843, was the beginning of series of short stories tor the Eoli- days that were immensely popular, and some of which have been drama tized. Dickens went to Italy in lS44 and remained year. He assumed editorship of the Duly Ne,cs, new morning journal of liberal politics, on January 1, l846, but was unsuccessful aud the arrangement was terminated after four months.
 Dealings with Dombey and Son. was published serially in lS47-S and David Coppertield" in 1s49-50. In 1850 Dickens established Household Words, a weekly periodical in which his "Child's History of England" Q852) and "Hard Times" QS54) were published. "Bleak House" appeared serially in 1S52-S and Little Dorritt" in 1S56-7. He separated from his wife in 1858, and in the following year, after buying out the interest of the publishers in Household Words, he suspended it's publication and es- tablished All the Year Round, in which he published "A Tale of Two Cities" in 1860, and "Great Expecta- tions" in 1861, followed by "Our Mu- tual Friend" which was published in monthly numbers. The next and last effort of the novelist's pen was "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," the publi- cation of which was commenced in April, 1870, but was unfinished when the famous fiction writer died-on June 5 of that year Besides his ge- nius as novelist, Dickens was great lover of the drama, and was frequent performer in private theatricals.
 He left behind him a fortune of 95 900 pounds, amassed partly by the success of his novels and partly by the large returns he received from public readings, which he began in England in 1858 and pursued with profit dur ing second visit to America in 1867-68. The analysts of the character of Dickens say that it is not at all unlikely that one of his defects helped in securing his extraordinary popu- larity, .. c., his ignorance. He cared but little for literature, and there are those among the critics who believe that he would have written as well if he had never read book. Such was his genius that people of refinement do not fail to read his words, while his ignorance prevented his flying over the heads of the masses, by learned allusions, and kept him in the lines of narrative that provoke the popular sympathy.
 The cause of the novelist's death was apoplexy, brought on by overwork. He left five sons and two daughters, and one of the former, Charles Dickens, Jr., is now in this country giving public readings from his fathers works.
 One of the characteristics of Dickens was his hatred of undue display. He refused a baronetcy from the queen, and in his will he wrote: "I emphat- ically direct that be buried in an in- expensive, unostentatious and strictly private manner; that no public an- nouncement be made of the time or place of my burial. direct that my name be inscribed in plain English letters on my tomb, without the addition of Mr. or Esquire conjure my friends on no account to make me subject of any monument, memorial or testimonial, whatever. rest my claims to the remembrance of my country upon my published works, and to the remembrance of my friends upon their experience of me. In addition thereto I commit my soul to the mercy of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and exhort my dear children humbly to try to guide themselves by the teachings of the New Testament in its broad spirit, and to put no faith in any mans mar row construction of it's letter here or there." Dickens was buried in the poets' corner of Westminster abbey. Very Interesting Indeed.
 We are glad to call attention tO A