New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06
"DAD'S ETHEL."
SOME DELIGHTFUL GLIMPsEs OF THACK-

SOME DELIGHTFUL GLIMPsEs OF THAcK-
ERAY.
The lady whore proud yet gentle nature and
whose slender young charms inspired Thackeray
In drawing Ethel Newcome also the model for
the novelisrs picture OF Blanche Amory. IN the COS,
tune wherein she went TO her hrst bail J'e IS
nowadays plump matron. but TO Thackeays
daughter Mrs Richie. she remains Dads Ethel
Some "reminiscences OF the novelist @nl of Other
interesting people, she impaired the other day TO
an interviewer FOR Black and White. beginrins
her talk with the warm hearted assertion that
Thac keray was the best and kindes, OF men
People talk OF him as Il cynic and Ill that. she
said. "At l,ast he never showed anything OF the
kind I'm his own home and surely the man II best
seen among the p"opl" with whom he IL continually
associated. There was nothing liked 80 much as
dining at his house In the old Dnslow Square days
Iut the prcttcst tale have to tell you Is OF later
days. when the house was at krnsinston. Thack
cray was always passionaiely fond o. children. and
they regarded him no loss aGectionately. Once
upon "a time when my eldest daughter WIS some
where between two and three. Thackeray asked
me to come To luncheon and to bring her. The
mere meal was delightful When II was over the
master of the house disappeared taking the child
with him Mrs. Richie and went upstairs to his
study and amused ourselves. ana 80 considerable
time passed Then = servant came and told us that
somebody Royal was below. having come to see
Thac k~ray. He had 20 be- found and In the end
ran him 10 earth I'm the garden You should have
seen the spectacle, He had undertaken TO play
bear for the amusement 81 my little daughter. and
hy way Of providing himself with an appropriate
den. had turned huge watcr-buit upon its side
lie Was inside this when came upon HIM and
the child was dancing a wardance outside. our
message being given. he came out OF the water
buti-black absolutely black, He had be
scrubbed and brushed bcfor" he could be made pre-
scntab,c'
And about Carlyle" said the interviewer
Il used often TO visit him at Chelsea H. answered
the lady. when he writing his Frederick the
Great him constantly In the attic, which had
become his study. and sometimes fear made him
angry when he told me to translate into German
for the benefit OF his secretary passages which he
had just written I'm English. There is memory
Of him which is almost a. curious as what have
told you OF Thackeray In the water-butt. went
down to Chelsea one day and Mrs. Carlyle told me
that he was In rather an unhappy temper that day
He not In his attic and she instructed me to
ind him. | searched the whole house and found
him nowhere. Finally. In despair opened the
door and heard sort OF cackle. Recognizing
IT, looked into the area Carlyle was sitting on
the lowest step and hold big waterproof out OF
which he pouring water upon the steps above
him to cool himsef"'
And about the others
II wish could show you book once possessed
1t had I'm 1t poems and drawings by Thackersy
Leech. Dicky Doyle and host OF others was In
Norton might write II poem In IT, She did So and
somehow or other IL was stolen on the way back. |
Was able the best assistance OF the secret
police. but the book was never recovered. But
have stl some interesting possessions. Here. for
example Is OF the cards OF invitation issued on
the occasion Of the baptism Of the Prince Imperial
By-thcbye. was standing at the side OF the French
Emperor then President certain Sunday
when every one knew that he was about 10 proclaim
himself Emperor. The 'hasscurs de Nmcenncs
came riding up To be- reviewed and they drew
they halted and salutcd him with cry Of 'Vivc
rEmperor' When next he spoke had my 'Oui
Sire, ready. and WAS probably the first who ever
addressed him In that way Here Is something
that value greatly
Tho subject OF the interview produced three or
four slips notepHpcr closely covered with writing
In Italian. and folded so that II might go into an
Mario among my dearest friends. and that IL
his copy, written by himself. Of his part I'm my
favoritc opera. The iiugucnots.' He gave II to
me day when dared to ask for II. Do you re-
member the opera? At his entrance he sings Salute
Sgnon" But Mt Frankfort ! was In stage
box. and ne made change in his part. lie looked
toward the box and sang Salute Sisnora' was
II not thing To make on" proud"
"A very pretty attention." said the interviewer.
And now about the Thackcray valentines?'
We'll that Blanche Amory drawing was valen-
tesquc little man making the Offer Of Il very big
heart with the inscription, BE mine. my Gera-
dine There was another too, though forget most
of he words Thackeray had taken me to VIZ
opened:
on Valentines day | was signing
And thnnng Of fought bu, the scene
And | for thy love, Geraldine"
Would "A cynic have taken the trouble to be so
pleasant to Il mere girl? And now will ccnfde to
YOU another of my regrets. Thackeray gave
some OF his books realizing that I'm those days
novels such as his were not regarded AS proper food
for minds so young AS mine was They were taken
charge OF by mother, and | never recovered