The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-07-04

great . man! Even though bis books
were not favorites with rs, could we
refuse to honor and respect one who
has done % much for his fellow men?
Yes we must prepare for poverty,
often dirt, and We will sometimes
find vice and even crime; for our au-
thor believes that from these repul-
sive sources, he may teach lessons of
the purest good.
And now that we understand more
fully the character Of our guide and
Of our walk, we will start without
further delay. The Inns Of London
have great fascination for Dickens.
and are very frequently mentioned
In his books. So early as Pickwick,
he starts old Jack Bamber to telling
stories about them, and It IL interest
ing to know that the greater part OF
this book was written In Furnival's
Inn, which is immortaIized by Dick
ems as the home Of John Westlock.
Our acquaintance In these Inns are
20 numerous that we can indulge:our
selves in only q passing glance at
their homes.
At Thavies Inns we find the disor-
dered rooms Of Mrs. Jellyby, that
sham type Of philanthropy SO famil-
lar to everyone! On his arrivals in
London, Pip occupies rooms In Barn
ards Inn, which he had pictured as q
grand hotel kept by Mr.. Barnard,
but found to be 1.-The dingiest collect
ion Of shabby buildings ever squeezed
together In . rank corner Is . club
for tom-cats.,' Pip moves to the
Temple, nor Is he our only friend in
that Inn: here are the luxurious
rooms Of Sir John Chester: there Tom
Pinch dusts and arranges the books
for his unknown patron: and looking
about until we see the most dismal
Of dismal windows with the most dis
NAL Of boys before It, we know that
we have found the chambers Of those
queer but attractive partners, Light
wood and Eugene Wrayburn. That
the names Of Goldsmith, Chaucer.
Hooker, Addison, johnson, and
Lamb are closely associated with
this Inn, adds somewhat to our in
terest In it, though we feel that Dick
ens's characters have the greatest
right to the place. In Lincoln's Inn
Fields We find the home Of Mr.. Tulk-
inghorn, and the Rag and Bottle
Shop OF Krook.
A most interesting feature Of these
Inns il the presence OF lovely women
within their dreary precincts. So
peeping out Of . smoky upper-story
window we see the laughing blue
eyes and yellow curls Of those charm
ing "blue and gold editions Of girl
hood Ada In Symond's Inn, Rose
bud in Staple Inn and Ruth In Furn-
ival's. Dickens always frightened
these dingy places by this pretty
contrast Of youth and beauty: and
the memory Of it leaves with III, as
with Ada's fric nds, "a mournful glo
~ shining on the place which will
shine forever"
A stroll with Dickens would be
very incomplete IL we visited no
haunt Of the immortal Pickwick Club
As We happen to know that this dis
tinguished leader (for he certainly
does distinguish himself, in q pecu-
liar manner, on every 0ccasiOn) is
boarding with Mrs. Bardell we re-
pair thither. The Pickwickians are
all here, but stand gazing vacantly
at Mr.. Pickwick, mute alnazement
written on every face.
Following the direction OF their
eye we actually behold Mr.. Pickwick
clasping his fainting landlady in his
arms, and returning their helpless
stare. The ever. gallant Mr.. Tupman
leads the lady downstairs to the
great relief Of Mr.. Pickwick.
"very extraordinary thing says
Mr.. Pickwick. Every says his three
friends.
"Placed me In such an extremely
awkward situation" Very reply
the friends coughing slightly and
looking obviously ut each other.
Their evident increLulity does not
appear to increase Mr.. Pickwick's
cheerfnlness.
At this point the inimitable Sam
Weller who has been waiting in the
passage, Is sent for, Sam enters, seats
himself, and deposits his old white
hat upon the floor. '.Taint . VERY
good 'un to look ut, says Sam, but it's
an astonishin 'un to wear, and ..afore
the brim went, It was q very hand |
some tile. However it's lighter |
without 1t, that's one thing, and
every hole let's in some air. that 3 an
other. ventilation gossamer calls |
it,"
Sam Is designed as q typical Lon
doner Of the lower class, in his most |
entertaining form, though he brings
In more witticisms than 4 hundred
actual men of his class could think
Of In years.
Only pleasant scenes SO far, but, as
we know, our memory scenes from
Dickens are not al. cheerful-nor pa
thetic, but sometimes send tremb-
ling horror through US. So now we
pass from this absurd but character
istic scene to the bare, desolate room
In which the robber Skies sits after
that foul, cruel murder of Nancy.
Now our guide points to the half
crazed ruffian sitting motion!ess, his
ewes fastened on what WAS moor Nan |