The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24

As the generation still living is aware,
the state of Illinois gave a considerable
quantity of land 20 the Illinois Central
railroad as an laducement to its con-
struction. In the COS the Central did
literally "a land-ofiice business" 1t EN-
ployed large force Of surveyors and
clerks. It's land office was as busy then
as its freight Office now. One day Au-
gustus Dickens appeared among the
clerks. How he came to get employment
there Is not known. lie was a brother
of Charles Dickens. That was probably
enough, for by that time Charles Dick
ems name had become first in English
fiction. Augustus Dickens, as he is de-
scribed by those who saw him fire.
quently was inert Indifferent and
but he was addicted to intemperance to
a degree that practically blighted his
usefulness. What he might have be-
come If of correct habits no one dared
predict AZ he was he wasted his slen-
der salary on liquor, and the house he
occupied with Mrs Dickens, at No 56S
have been acquired with money given
her by her father.
When Charles Dickens came to give
his great series of readings in the United
states the fellow clerks of Augustus
Dickens, in the Illinois Central office
knowing the struggle the hapless man
wrote TO the novelist kindly at first. tei;-
ing him of the distress of his brothers
family and gently intimating that it would
be worthy the fame of the great writer
if their condition should be relieved now
that it had been brought to his notice. A
second letter, the first securing no ac-
acknowledgement, entreated Dickens to come
to Chicago, not only to see Tor himself
the plight of his brother, the original of
Boz, but also to give the people of this
city an opportunity to hear and welcome
him. Appeal, entreaty, finally protest,
brought no sign from Charles Dickens,
except one that was wholly public 1t
was a brief statement that his American
arrangements were in the hands of his
agent, Mr.. Dolby, and that they did not
include a visit to Chicago.
Indignation succeeded sympathy among
those who knew that Augustus, whose
sole fault so far as they were aware
was his intemperance, was a brother to
the now rich and famous writer. They
assumed that he remained away be-
cause he did not desire to be confronted
with the wretched state of his brothers
health, and because coming might com
pei him to make provision for Mrs Dick
ems, who also showed signs of falling
health. The newspapers of the city
printed at the time pungent and far
from respectful comments upon Charles
Dickens meanness, as 1t was called and
there was little restraint upon the in
vective poured on his head. "Avaries'
and "hunkeyism" were among the least
of the accusations. Not long after Charles
Dickens died.
Mrs Dickens became an object of gem
eral compassion. Her widowhood was
soothed by thoughtful friends and her
loneliness cheered, so far as that was
in the power of those who had an OPP
portunity to be of service to her on
Christmas eve, 1868, having put her house
in order and arranged all things de-
GENTLY Mrs. Dickens went to her room,
laid her head upon the pillow, swallowed
a dose of morphine, and was found the
next morning unconscious. DR.. Seiffert,
neighbor across the street, was hur-
riedly called, but it was too late. The
empty phial told the dismal truth of sui
eide.
The death Of Mrs. Dickens was at
/ tributed to grief for her husband and
g1a rrrf1f tr11
difference of his celebrated brother. One
of the Chicago newspapers thus COM
mented upon the incident:
The loss of her husband and the cold
neglect of a famous relative must have al
! most broken her spirits. Were 1t not that
she bore great name her death would
not attract the attention that II does the
contempt with which Charles Dickens
treated his humble relative hightens the
interest in the case. Charles Dickens dld
not write a Christmas story this year be-
cause "others initiated his productions,
but discarded member of his family,
1000 miles away, who shines like the moon
by light reflected by him. has furnished the
subject of a Christmas story that in pa
thos and all the elements of sorroWtul
tale cannot be initiated by any one or
produced by Charles Dickens himself
When the question Of the disposal OF
the homestead came up in the probate
court strange fact was discovered The
property was not in the name OF Augustus
Dickens nor of Bertha Dickens, but of
Bertha Phillips. Suspicion was unwilling
to confess that it had ascertained pain
ful truth Mrs Dickens friends hushed
the matter up at once. 1t was necessary
to send to and receive communication
from London. Before the legal details were
completed for the disposal of the material
interest the fire came and destroyed the
records of the probate court. Inc resldu-
airy interest that had been acquired was
| quietly transferred. But for recent trac-
ing of the title probably the truth would
never have been brought out, and Charles
Dickens would have continued in the minds
a a W q
little better than a monster toward his
own kith.
one reference in the letters of Dickens
opens the door to the whole truth. He
writes home from Liverpool: Give my
love to Henriette." Henriette was the law
full wife Of Augustus Dickens. When he
deserted her and went TO America she
was blind The elder brother, silent amid
ealumny, made Henriette one Of his own
family. provided for her devotedly, ut
tered no complaint OF the extraordinary
baseness OF the one-time pet brother, and
gave no sign when tainted win being
! indiffrent to him or his. Henrtette knew
no lack Of human comfort during her life,