The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-05
DICKENS AND THACKgRAY.
Children's Party at the House of the
Author of David Coppertleld."

Childrsn's Party at the House of the
Author Of David Copperf1eld."
From MdcMillan's Magazine.
One special party l remember, which
seemed to me to go on for years with its
kind, gay hospitality, its music, its streams
OF children passing and repassing, says
Anne Richie, Thackaray's daughter. We
were little shy coming in alone in all the
CONSCIOUSNESS Of new shoes and ribbons, but
Mrs. Dickens called us to sit beside her till
the long, sweeping dance was over, and
talked to US as if we were grown
up, which is always hattering to lit
tie girls. Then Miss Hogarth found us
partners, and we, too, formed part of the
throng. l remember Watching the white
satin shoes and long, flowing white sashes
OF the little Dickens girls, who were just
about our own age, but how much more
graceful and beautifully dressed! Our
sashes were bright plaids of red and blue
tributes from one of our fathers admirers
lis it ungrateful to confess now, after all
these years, that we could not bear them q,
our shoes were only bronze. Shall also
own to this passing shadow, even in all that
radiances But when people are once dane
ing they are all equal again aud happy.
Somehow after the music we all floated
into long supper room, and l found N.Y.
self sitting near the head of the table by
Mr.. Dickens, with another little girl much
younger than myself ;fshe wore a necklace
and pretty little sausage curls all round her
head. Mr.. Dickens was very kind TO the
little girl, and presently I heard him
persuading her to sing. and he put his arm
around her to encourage her; and then,
wonderful to say, the little girl stood up
she was little Miss Huldah) and began very
shyly, trembling and blushing at first, but
as she blushed and trembled she sang more
and more sweetly; aud then all the jeu-
nesse doree, consisting of the little Dickens
boys and their friends, ranged along the
supper table, clapped and clapped, and Mr..
Dickens bent down to her smiling and
thanking her. And then he made little
speech. with one haHd on the tsbls; think
it was thanking the jeunesse doree for their
applause, and they again clapped and
laughed-but here my memory fails me and
everything grows very vague aud like a
dream.
Only this much do remember very clear
ly, that we had danced aud supped aud
danced again, aud that we were all stand
ing in hall lighted and hung with punches
of Christmas green, and, as have said,
everything seemed altogether magnificent
and important, more magnificent aud inn
portant every minute, for as the
evening went on more and more people
kept arriving. The hall was crowded,
and the broad staircase was lined
with little boys-thousnnds of littlo
boys, whose heads and legs and arms
were waving about together. They were
making great noise aud talking ard shout
ing, and the eldest sonof the house seemed
TO be marshaling them. Presently their noise
became cheer, and then another, and We
looked up aud saw that our own father had
come to fetch US and that his white head
was there above the others; then came
third and final ringing cheer, and some one
went up to HINT was Mr.. Dickens him
is for your and my father looked up sur
prised. pleased, touched. settled his specta~
Giles, and nodded gravelY 20 the little boys.