The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1890-03-22
CHARLES DICKENS LIFE
Among His Children Remembered by
His Eldest Daughter.
Book Review

Book Review
Charles Dickens eldest dau6h in
her last contribution to The Cornhill
Maya inc, says:
During the years spent at Tavistock
house one of his daughters was for a
time a great invalid, AMI after worse
attack of illness titaa usual her father
suggested that she ShOuIl be carried as
far as the study, and lie on the sofa
Shere while he was at work. This was
of course considered an immense priv
Iege. and even il she had not felt so
weak and i'll as she did, she would have
Been bound TO remain rs still and quiet
as possible. For some time there was
no soIn3 to be heard in the room but
the rapid working of the pen when sud
denly he umned up, went to the look
ing gas rushed back to his writing
table ani Cited down a few words;
back to the glass again, this time talking
to his own reflection, or rather to the
simulated exp ,ession he saw there, and
was tryins 10 cat b before drawing it in
words. then back again to his writing
After little he got up again, and
stood with his back to the glass, talking
softly and rapidly for long time, then
looking AZ his daughter, but certainly
never seeing ley, then once more back
10 his tab,c, AMI to steady writing until
Luncheon TIM. 1t was curious eX-
perirnce and a wonderful thing to see
him throwing himself so entirely ont of
himself an mo the character he was
writing atoat. His daughter has very
seldom mentioned this incident, feeling
as if If wo2ld be almost a breach Of con-
Aden 10 20. But in these reminiS-
eeneeS Of her father, she considers it
only right that this experience should
be mentioned, showing as it does his
characteristic earnestness and method
of work
After a hard mornings writing, when
he has been alone with his family and
no visitors in the house, he has come in
to luncheon andgOne through the meal
without uttn:'ing n word, and then he
has cone back to his work in which he
was so completely absorbed. Then,
again, there have been times when his
nerves have been strung up to such a
high p.ycA hat any sudden noise, such
rs the drop ng of spoon or the clat-
ter o. a plate, seemed to cause him real
agony. lie never could bear the least
aoise Wen he was writing, and waged a
fierce war against all organ grind
eTS, &C.
In 1885, the purchase OF Cad S Hill was
made Charles Dickens had never been
inside the house until it was his own.
very year he had some bright idea
or some contemplated wonderful i'm
provement" to PROFOUND to us. And il
became qrite a ioke between him and his
younce daughttr-who was constantly
at Gad'S Hill-as to what the next i'm
nrevement would be- These additions
ena alterations gave him endless amuse-
ment ana delight, and he would watch
the growing o. each one with the utmost
earerness and impatipnce. For one
Improvement" he had iOOSing-glasS put
into each panel of the dining room door,
and showing it to his Youngest daughter
said, With great pride: ''N0w what do
you saw 70 this, Eatie?' She laughed
and said: "Well. really, papa, 1 think
VIII n you'r re an angel your wings VIII be
made Of 10 ,king-g'ass, AMI your crown
of scarlet geraHiUmS,,"
He lovei All flowers hut especially
bright towers, ahd SCARLET geraniums
were lis. fdvorite OF all. There were
two largo beds Of these on the front
lawn, and when they were fully out,
making one scarlet mass. there was
blaze enough to satisfy even him. Even
in dress he was fond of a great deal Of
color, and the dress OF a friend who
came 70 his daughters wedding quite
delighted him because it was trimmed
with a profnSiOn OF cherry colOred
ribbon re used constantly to speak
about it afterward in terms Of the high
est admiration.
During the summer months there was
n constant succession of visitors at Gad's
Hill, with pirn!cs, long drives and much
happy ho.iday-making. At these pic
mics there was freruent request to this
lover O. light and color of please let us
have the luncheon in the shade at any
rate D" He came to his daughter on
day and said he had "a capital idea
about picnic lInchcon. He wished each
ners0n to have his or her own ration
neatly ,,One up in one parcel, to consist
O. a nation pie, hard-hoiled egg. a
roll, a piece of butter, and a packet OF
salt. Of course this idea was faithfully
carried out. hut was not always the rule,
as when the choice of food was put tC
the vote, it was found that many people
cared neither FOR mutton pie nor hard
boiled e-g. But tie ''capital idea" Of
separate rltionS was always followed a;
closely as possible.