The herald., 1895-08-06
DICKENS HAD
ThIRTY.EI0HT WIDOWS, SOME ONE
HAS FIGURED


Charles Dickens did not act upon the
advice which he nut into the mouth of
old Weller to Sam to beware of the
widows in his creations. The novelist
ran to widows, In his stories. He intro.
duces thirty-eight, as follows: Five in
David Coppsrfeld, four in Little Dorrit
three each in Pickwick. Old Curiosity
Shop. The Mystery OF Edwin nrood-as
far as he got with that, bis last work.
and Sketches by Boz, two each in Oliver
Twist, Great Expectations. Unoom mel
cial Traveller. Dombey and Son, Bleak
House and Hard Times, and one each in
S,lverman's Explanation, published in
the Atlantic Monthly and in Lendon
Nicholas Nickelby. Sketches of Young
Couples and Seven Poor Travellers,
In Copp,,rheld, which was the child OF
his heart, he introduces David's mother.
Clara, an artlcss, affectionate little woman
Betsey Trotwood insisted on calling
mere baby. and who gave birth to David
afterward married Mr.. Murdstone, tho
stern man. Tnen comes Miss Gum midge,
"the lone, 'lorn creetur' who sat in the
most comfortable corner OF Peggotty's
house and complained that everything
goes contrary" Uriah Heep's mother is
a very 'umble widow; and the dead
mother of Mrs. DR.. Strong. and who was
called "old Soldier lby the boys on ac-
count of her generalship." and the skill
with which she marshaled great forces of
relations against the doctor. Mrs. Steer
forth was the proud and obstinate widow
mother of James, who was found on the
shore Lying with mis- head upon his
al - HalI b,d off h m,
lis at school.
The next largest installmcnt of widows
we find in Little Dorritt." There are
four: Mrs. Clenham, "a hard, stern wo.
man, with cola gray eyes. cold gray hair.
and an immOvaele face. She had lost
the use of het limbs, but Dickens left her
mind at work. Although she was re-
leionist she suppressed will, and find.
ing she was discovered she begged the for
giveness Of the girl she bad wronged.
Mrs. Flora Finching, the neat widow
in Little Dolritt." was wealthy, 3S or
40, says Dickens-same old story-seDti-
mental and affected, but good hearted.
This widow. it's SAID, was Coppertield,,s
child wife,. Dora. when she was girl.
1T was a fancy" said Forester, in his
life of Dickens, that had a comic humor
in it,
Mrs. General, another widow in the
same novel. was 40, and was engaged by
MIR. Dorritt to form the mind" and
manners OF his daughters. Mrs. General.
oeen taken to the top of the Alps and the
bottom OF Herculaneum without dsar-
ranging fold of her dress or displacing
PIN" She was also to the novelist a
cool. wax, klown-out women who hao
never lighted WE'LL"
Mrs. Gowan. in the same novel, was
courtly old lady. lofty in her manner,
and Of ho
artist of the story-'a distant ramihcation
of the Barnacles es"-who married Minnie
Meagles, called Pet by her mother.
In Pickwick there are three widows
Mrs. Martha Bardell. Mr.. Pickwick's
!!andlady. drawn from life, who, becom-
ing impressed with the idea that Mr..
Pickwick had offered to fmarry her. be-
came indignant whom she found out her
mistake. On this is based tte famous
action for breach of promise.
The second widow il Pickwick is
Mrs. Budger. She is little and ola and
has plenty OF money. She was Mr.. Tup-
mans partner in a auadrille at the Char
ity Bali at the Bull Inn. Rochester, where
she went accompanied by Mr.. Jingle.
Mrs. Jihiwin, mother of Mrs. Quilp with
whose husband Mrs. Jiniwin wages per.
petual war, although she tremb bied when
she saw hi.n, for he was "hideous, fullsof
feroclty and cunning
Mrs. Nubbles is a poor bnt industrious
widow in this same story. She went with
the single gentlemean t, bring back little
Nell when tidings had been received of
her at last.
The third widow in this novel is known
simply as Barbaras mother, and Barbara
was Mrs. Garland's housemaid, who aft
erwards became the wife of Kit Nubbles.
There are three widows IN Dickens un-
finished story, The Mystery of Edwin
brood: Mrs. Billikin, who left furnished
lodgings in Southampton street, Blooms
bury square. Personal faintnesS and an
overpervading personal candor are the
distinguishing features of her organiza-
tion." Then comes Mrs. Crisparke, the
China Shepcherdess, ''the m other of the
Rev. Septimus Crisparkle, a pretty old
lady with bright eyes, calm and cheer
full face, and u trim and contract figure.
The last widow depicted by Dickens was
Mrs. fisher. And this is her picture:
"A deferential widow, with weak back,
a chronic sigh, and suppressed voice,
who looks after che young ladies' ward
robes at the Nuns house. Miss Trink-
leton' S seminary at Cloisterham.
In the Sketches by Bo are three widows
Mrs. Bloss, the wealthy widow of
cork-cutter. whose cook she had been.
She always imagined she was ill. but had
an amazing appetite. Mrs. Maplesone
was another widow in the Sketches. en-
terprsing, so years old, shrewd, schemng
and good looking, with no objection to
marrying again if it would benefit her
dear girls.
Mrs. Taunton is good looking widow
of 80. with the form of a giantess and
the mind of a child" Her sole aim in
life was the pursuit of pleasure and some
means OF killing time. There is one other
widow in the sketches. Mrs. Briggs, but
as bare mention is made OF her, she
doesn't count in this resume.
Two widows lighted up Oliver Twist
Mrs. Bedwin, the housekeeper of Mr..
Brownlow, and Mrs. Corney, matron of
workhouse, afterwards Mrs. Bundle.
There are two in Great Expectations
Mrs. Brandley, under whose care Estella,
the adopted daughter Of Miss Havisham.
the heroine OF the story, is placed. and
Mrs. Collier, "a toady neighbor of Mr..
and Mrs. Pockets. of highly sympathetic
nature, agrees with everybody, blesses
every body. and sheds smiles or tears
on everybody"
m