The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-28
ronD BIZ D1oKEvs,s roUn MANAGER.
"reminiscences or the Wan who Piioted the
Novelist Through America

From the chicago Record.
Does any ono remember George Dolby? ]
imagine. not. Yet thirty years ago this vorJ
winter ho was ono OF the busiest and best
known men In America. In 1867 Charles
Dickens determined 10 give n series Of readings
IN the United States. Mr.. Dolby, as mana
ger. preceded him. and assumed entire charge Of
the business arrangements. That tho venture
was n success may TO judged by the result.
Dickens remained Ave months in America,
during which period he gave seventy-six read
inRs. The receipts for these Entertainments
wore SECS, 900, tho expenses 500. 900.
went to call upon Mr.. Dolby not long ngo,
because everything per aiming to the person
ality Of the novelist has for me q wonderful
fascination. have talked with Scott, who
was Dickons's valet. and so have formed a new
and pleasant IDEA Of the genius Of the master.
as view ed from tho standnoint Of his servant.
Prior to his doath sat for two hours with the
who wore Dickons's earliest publishers, and
listened entranced as he related reminiscences
these mon know Dickens so in .imateiy as did
of ,S s.adyinss his 5noods and ss chsrSs Ut :; ~.
inGs. broken III health and spirit and ~oartlsliy
eraciously. and once aware Of the OLDEST of my
visit he. became enthusiastic. IL was easy to
divine div sor that his his c Sonpe SnIsaa, with II IN the i'm nO " iSs
became asauainted with Dickens in 1906"
s MSs.r NC oh RoIsIii ofra en dh Nm yf e 500 c61 for aI tnirs ~
public readings in London and the provinces. I
s Es' n ssIsf inssr Ss mf | SsS With sh him n IN ]re fS,Sss
z 9e sn' RRsS'aSd.,; in wei Msil iH aeS o sefses Z. aL a. SUB SPs
himself Thoroughly satisfied, When, I took
leave he shook me heartily BY the hand and
hope We shall like each other on tho termina.
tlon of the tou- as much as we seem TO do now.
Thereafter until his last puolio apreir-
him everywhere while engaged IN reading,
and went with him to America, My experi-
recall It while sitting alone here. He was tho
kindest-aearted man ! ever have known. Many
and many a time while on tour we came across
ing: Joey. lot me have $50 in crisp. new
from IL Til y knew what this meant. He
had invited. his old friends to call at this hour.
and @L saoh me- fF' tei1 y a'an Wig, 90 h awe eSli RSpT %c .Jooy.,
Dickens was exceedingly fond. when in merry
mood. Of assuming. for the moment. the role
he WAS a wonderfully clever actor. Weli. II
had happened into his room at the hotel and
sHia, 'h hs would sSat rd Is s Sp. Il Il, nFo he h mooS. to- to-
~stantly. assume the attitude, Of the clown when
particularly pleased, and thump me ap ,roy.
s say. Keen Sa 1h i n 1pet old i 6n.'S You %g know f1s' ! that SSui IL
theatrical phrase the clown is dubbed Old
IAN amusing instance OF this foollng comes
to me. Mr.. W, II. VIII. and myself wore one
day walking, with him at south,ea; we came
semoled a scene set for the comio business OF
a pantomime. Here the temptation to Mr..
cd Itself. The street being entirely clear Of
people. Mr.. Dickens mounted three stops lead
fhfAR Fana on tho d0nr most wna nrncRRdinQ tn
when tho door suddenly opened and a stout
Mr.. Wills and myself. who Immediately beat
o retreat, followed by Dickens. with an i'm
take a parting look at the scene OF action. when.
TO our dlsmAy. we saw avery doorstep and
DOORWAY occupied by the tenants of the houses;
Dickens had certain peculiarites which I
had opportunity o. observing. He greatly dis
liked. for instance. TO enter any shop to make
called upon to purchase gloves or other tribes
for him. never could understand the reason
r ree snis; dni and II stared Gae in az. ne He s0l %as ce 20 q eflny
on the watch for now and striking names. and
witt this object In yiew was always reading
pleased vita the name 'Pumblechook.' one OF
the characters in Great Expectations He
imagination. Once when we were at Birming
ham I noticed that he kept his head out of the
s ss I'll. so S,ndo F,n %hii' I r asneS f him tn. 'hs r s.ssiSn
and he replied: 1 am very much afraid that |
may como across the name 'Pumblechook.'
Once at Liverpool, where we had an Of night.
was obliged to leave him to himself for an
and send him something to read; i asked him
what he would like. and he replied. Anything
Of Sir Walter scott's or my own ppr-
myself. whereat he was delighted. saying he
had not read tho book for years. was curl
and upon my return was amused to find him
laughing immoderately at certain incidents
w sh not 0HH nah, ns % s1 bis oSn c Hemsoes' as sh mue sS
as ut the recollection OF the circumstance an
der which certain passages and Incidents had
Dickens was one OF the most abstemious
men haye ever kno ~n; He ate bu. sparingly.
at aeu dinner. 'f He % WAS a .n char N S:Ai host % at " the
dinner table, and could brew q gin punch that
was famous among all his friends. He liked
that he drank less OF it than any ono who
him merry This wac in Dublin. where we
had a particularly large house. Dickens had
, Inv rs, 2 Dabli Go friend = ,b to SUP fbs with IoD him r. after
late. I noticed that both were allghtly happy.
Dickens greeted. me nth a shout. arose from
ut l%eapfrog. My pockets were bullying with
money. the receipts Of the night. and as he
tuberans Sc Of my coat. and down we both came,
the S9i e. VI ay I'm II IN h, all ns dI1 nndn ns., ~ Bus sn you
70 hO ", hAo iVNb nhu hho
20 ptcS up the scattered gold and silver.
"Isaw Mr.; Dickens for the last time on Thurs.
day. June 9. 1870. when called upon him at
his office. He looked then sadly worn and all
ing. and as n he were in great pain. Seven
days later. at my own home In Ross. / had
Just finished shaving when my wife came into
my room with a white. scared face.
"'What Is it2' I asked.
"'Charles Dickens is dead was the reply.
ALIAS! IL was true. The world had lost its
friend ever man mad"