New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-27
THE BOYHOOD OF THACKERAf.
PLEASANT DETAILS ABOUT THE 1hEA
ENGLISIIMAN
,ay Richie In 81. Nicholas.

mv,o . =, al home and which own children LOOK
at now a. 1t hang %pU DeuclIcd and tinted done in
India some three quarters OF century 10 Vent 70 cal
wellknown artist of those days, wo , IN barming
s sSina all" "'p''' ..,, family rroup-fathcr
oib ns nsant chda subject which has been popH
lar with painters ever since aney a w known this
particular composition was favorie Wtm pera,ion
Spectators as w leA mothers continue to clasp their
little ones in ter arms ms sleclaI o E,o ~ nv
t,Ser;s earliest childhood. but & gives viva passing
mnrrssion of his first home. which lasted Tor SO SNORT
osa rs people allowed themselves I'm tho.e classic
DAYS propIed in a stiff chair in tight white duchS Anu AM
Richmond Thackeray of the Bengal civil serylc' the
then revenue collector Of the d,,nHs ca' Goautih
Young woman of some two and twenty snmIneIs ,s
stands drared IN b %e eerched upon hall zsn big
piied books. with his arms round MS nolhei ncu
her b6v Of sG bee year old dressed IN white muslin
flock He has curly. dark hair an inno1ent idce az
The same indeed after lifetime; neither long YEAR
of work and trouble, nor PAIN nor cn,n ,Snneh his
any oc NAV have sometimes come between his
and those who did not know HIM very well. ,oo,.o,
at This old waiercolor. IL is pretty drawing ne
used to say but If his father in thc picture. Hn e eSo
nine feet high according he length of the legs 'heIe
depicied Ny father used to tell VS. he Gomu jS'
rising ont OF bath lie could also rememr ,Me
ali he ever described of India though IN ms mtfr
writings there ara many illusions TO East lndlah ne
In The Tremendous Adventures OF Major "anass t
Tor instance there is enough meaning ard intent ON
a. he names and IIindusianee 10 show that he stiil
wear after the sketch in question was painted Inc
peaceful home in India was broken up forever Inc
Of fever on board ship where he had been carrea
from the shore for freher air; ms was about 1910
WIFI pi,cbHond TbacEeray was himself little thirty
when ne diel. His young widow remained IN lmdla
married a
after her first husbands death her little son came
back 70 England win care COUSIN Of an Oh Indian Civilian Mr.
James McNabb. who had promised 10 be1rend me
children on the journey home and OF whose Kindness
we were often told in our childhood.
In the Roundabout Paper on Letts'S Diary my
father m men Gomsn ms SIR Te cmond hapca Who had
been his little playmate and friend from the time OF
writer he saws. man is described toternc up thG
steps Of the Ghant hayng just Rsgd g from TS G
wrote this remembering I'm long long distant DAYS shch
Ghamt. or rverSiar ~ 1acH'la a1u d , 1S M,,u,
down those steps TO boat which was IN waiting cam"
two children whose mothers remained ON the shore:
$50 he saws speaking OF his aunt. Mrs shakespearJ
NV grandmother happier fate, and She re-
grow M and prosper and set his mark upon his time.
The little traveller must have been about six years
Tareham. in HAMPSHIRE TO the care OF MS mGtner
aunt and grandmother where she had also livea rs a
was called in those DAYS. and sim NAV be for AL
know II stood in Fsrcham S ST., WIN ,n,d Pe,g i o and
narrow porch. The low front windows looked across
flower garden into the village roadway me PACK
windows opened into pleasant fruit garden slophg 10
My fathers great grandmother Mrs Becher. had sat
10 sir Joshua I'm her yOuhshc died in 1925 at eighty
nine wears Of age. Her name which the writer has
we have copy of c Sir Joshua portrait. reprcscnng
stately dame in the flowing draperieS Of the period
She lived in the old house at Fayeham after her his
hands death: she the mother OF many daughters
spartan times ala not always quell the wild spirits of
Their rising generations. Ny grandmother has 9iie9
daughter anything but Miss Becher' her little grand,
daughter was 4" Miss Nancy she used 10 come anu
! have played with the cane though its owler died
long before I born as for the great ahs re
front with apple cheeks and 4 blue shawl holding out
Ssr SRn 10 9e Wren s dtd Se left
her brothers picture out Of the paror to my grand
it hangs With its red coat upon our
parlOT wall; We are all very sic. a fond ,n Of
lace RIFLES. He is. in the portrait yonng man OF
some TWENTY-FIVE wears OF age. with an oddly familiar
His name was John iIarman Bechcr. AMI he TOO went
10 India and did good work there, and died Young
was born I'm April, I7G4 and died about 1900.
Farcham itself with its tall church sprc ana Us
Mis-. Austen likc village peopled by retired naval
officers and spirited old ladies who payel whist every
England not without some a>pcrty. well remem
Der. Among other things which my grandmother haS
often described TO us was the disastrous new OK
Nelson's DEATH coming TO them all IN that same little
paIlO a
peace Thackeray sat- laborOuSly writing to his mother
I'm India. .,,o, a.,
Mrs. r. ThacEeray. care Of Mcs.rs. Palmer's. per
r. of Orange calcutta" 1t took six months to reach
ifs journeys end.
My Dear Mama hope you are quite wei; have
given my dear Grandmama hiss my Aunt Ritche Is
very good TO me like Oh swick there are 50 many
fine place. 81. Pauls Church too like very much 1t
finer Place T than nv e2Pef d him and nQPG T4he e
must bring you home 10 your aiIeciionaie itIe son
William GOT SO tired of his Zen he could wriio
longer with H." says his great aunt IN POSTSCRIPT 10
this Indian letter, so he hopes you Will be able to
Gdr ns she continues nor emitting his monkey
looking out of the window and black Betty at The Top
driving the towels. and he told us of the number yon
collected his birthday in that large room he pohci
out to u.s. Their are also FEW o %o ,d IRON snn a
! have seen my dear little nephew AMI am delighted
ncs , all these posscrpts there is faint pen
Gil sketch representing, as imagine, oap,an
CarmichaelSmyih horseback; That eenliemah wss
after the kndes Of friends and parents 10 my father
We have an Interesting book compiled by member
Of The family for private cIcualion in which there IS
s 81 beean very early says Mrs. Bayne in his
volume. His mother told me mat once VIII Inv
al the evening hour. she Obscrtcd him gazlni upward
and los; I'm admiration. 'Ecco. he claimed point
ING TO the evening star which waS shining likn
diamond The crescent moon THIS struck her i
moe she had herself noticed ", sam Le@",lh
combination the night of his DlIh 'EccV wac
probably dccco. which Is Iiindu>tanee for look
have OFTEN heard when he first came TO London ara
was driving through the city he called out mat j. ~
Paul's . lie had recognized il from rctue' ne
with his fathers sister, Mrs. Richie. al re ume
and she was alarmed by noticing that his nnces hat,
which he had put on in play quite fitted him She
took him Charles Clarke the great physic Of
the day, who examined him. and said: Don't re
afraid he has large head but there is great deal III
it,"
Looking Of my grandmnthci'S letters
found more than mention Of my father
have had 2 delightful letter from my man. The
mOth9r writes from India, and then quot
ing from her home CORES pondencc she con
tinueS The day Charles Colonel slaNnchar
smythl arrived, he 1.-THE Loyl in high spirits all
DAY, but when he went to bed he could restrain no