St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-13
CHARLES DICKENS SON.
How the Son Of the Novelist Appeared
in st. Paul.
READINGS FROM PICKwICK
Before Large Audience Made up Of
Many Of the City's Best
People.

Two portly gentlemen sat upon the
stage at Market hall last eyening, facing
an eXpectant multitude, comprising the
leading citizens of st. Paul and their
families who had assembled to hear
Charles Dickens, sou of the great novel
ist, read selections from the Pickwick
Papers of his illustrious sire. The
shorter and stouter of the occupants
of the stage was E. V. Smalley,
who had been chosen to introduce
the English reader, and he performed
this duty in an interesting manner,
by calling attention to the fact
that but score of years ago the
American people had been afforded an
opportunity of hearing the greatest de-
lineator of human character read his
own productions. Then turning to his
companion, a cOmpactly built Ameri-
can looking Englishman in the Gus
tomary evening suit, he said: ladies
and gentlemen, ALLOW me to present
Charles Dickens. Opera glasses
were leveled at the reader as he adj
vanced toward the reading desk, which
was covered with red cloth, and OPEN
ing small red bound morocco volume,
tention to the Pickwick Papers. Those
about forty years of age wearing gold
mounted spectacles which gave him
literary appearance and the SEN
sitive mouth of the elder Dick
ems, so conspicuous in his pic
lures was reproduced in his son
but partly concealed by a close
trimmed brown muStache. In the left
lapel of his dress coat was Marechal
Mel rosebud. There was a conSpicu-
Gus absence of jewelry of any descrip-
ton, not even watch chain being visi-
BILE. There was nothing awkward in
the movements of the reader, although
unconsciously standing in graceful
position, with one arm resting on the
reading desk his lett hand would slip
into his pantalOOns pocket.
In clear, well mOduiated tone, and
with perfect enunciatiOn, he read first
the ''Hunting Party" in which Mr..
Pickwick, Sam Weller and wheelbar-
row were the principal characters, and
at the conclusion of this portion of the
would be an interval of two OF three
minutes. From the time he began until
the close of his reading, Mr.. Dickens
enlisted the attention Of his audience,
and many who
HAD HEARD THE FATHER
voted the son great improvement as
an elocutionist. Bob SaWyer'S tribula-
lions with Mrs. Raddle on the occasion
of the famous party in honor Of Mr..
Pickwick, formed the second part of
the reading, but the treat of the evening
was reserved for the famous breach Of
promise trial of BardWell VS. Pickwick.
1t was in this reading that Mr.. Dickens
was at his best, and as he de-
picted the scenes in the court
room there were few in the au-
dience who could not trace in his delin-
cation, similar events of which they had
been witnesses. There were the bad
gering, browbeating attorneys, the re-
luctant witnesses and finally the ire
pressible Sam Weller. When his name
was called in the solemn tones of the
court crier, there was an Outburst of
enthusiasm with part of the audi
ence. for they knew that treat
was in store for them. Every motion,
ordnance and mimicry of the popular
valet was reproduced with wonderful
exactness by Charles Dickens, and it
was not difficult to imagine that the
famous witness was in reality before
the spectators. Elder Weller's pathetic
appeal regarding an 'alibi SamiveP'
was not lost sight of, and it was with a
genuine feeling of regret that the audi
ence heard the last scene in which Mrs.
Bardwell came off victorious with G750
for her damaged affections and the
red morocco book was closed for the
ayapipu