Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28

that his voice was limited in power, husky and
naturally monotonous, and that he had patiently
and partially succeeded in overcoming these
defects by the force Of his will and his fine
dramatic genius. He employed the rising in
Election, never altogether coming 10 a fun stop.
IL is difficult TO see how the Christmas Carol
with Its twenty-three different oh Aracters could
have been read or acted better. There never
was more beautiful sermon. Church and
charity are not always synonymous
Charles Dickens gave his farewell reading in
this country in Boston on the evening Of April
., 1865: Upon his entrance pleasant surprise
awaited him. HIS reading stand had been deco
rated with flowers and palm leaves by some
ladies OF the city. He at once ACKNOWLEDGED
tins graceful tribute in the following words:
Before allowing DR.. Marigold to tell his story
In his own peculiar way kiss the kind, fair
hands, unknown, which have so beautifully
decorated my table this evening" At the end
OF the reading the reader endeavored in vain TO
retire-persistent friends demanded one word
more. Returning to his desk, pale. with tears
IN ms eyes and broken voice, he said: ladies
and gentlemen, 1 beg most earnestly, most
gratefully and most sffectionstely 10 bid you
each and all farewell" This was his last leave
taking here.
Longfellow frequently declared to his friends
mat the Dickens nights we're 1.-THE most de-
lightful evenings Of his life
THE CLOSE OF HIS CAREER.
With the Christmas Carol" and Trial From
Pickwick' Mr.. Dickens brought to a close the
brilliant aud memorable series of readings
which had for sixteen years delighted audiences
uneSampled in numbers. Every portion OF
available space in St. James Hall. London. was
occupied some time before the appointed hour
Ii was the 18th of March, 1870, and Mr. Dickens
never read with greater spirit and energy or
gave so faithfully his own Interpretation of the
characters called into existence by his wonder
fully creative pen. His voice TO the last re-
tained its distinctive tones and marvellous
transitions as each parsonage of the story. called
up by word or gesture. rose wildly before the
mind. The distinguished assembage hushed
into GREATNESS silence, suffered not SYLLABLE 20
escape the ear or action of the part the eve and
the rich humor and deep pathos Of one OF the
most charming books in the English language
FOUND once again the fullest expression and APP
probation. The usual bursts o. merriment re-
sponsive to the description of poor Bob
Cratchlts Christmas dinner, 70 blithely rem
dered, and the tender sympathy with the little
crippled child, Tiny Tim, had prompt and spon-
taneous play. The general delight at hearing
OF scrooge sudden reformation was only tenn
pered by the saddening remembrance that with
tne ending OF the familiar page the fond strains
OF the dear old carol, as sung by the MINISTRIES
voice. were dying away forever. And so the
In the spring of 1871 visited England. spend
ing nearly year in London. Soon after NV
arrival In the great city passed morning
among the monuments Of Westminster Abbey.
In the poets corner stood for some time en-
gagged In examining the marble busts adorned
with rainbow colors from the marigold oriel
window. The bust of Thackery, upon a pedes-
TAI. caused me TO think of Dickens. who had
died at Gad's Hill only the wear before, and
glanced around in vain TO find his monument
CHANGING to look down saw that it was at nv
ieet-a plain fiat slab of stone with the simple