Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-11-23
Special Correspondence.


I DNpON. nov. 49, When Charles
Dickens died in 1870, leaving his last
L. novel 1.-The Mystery Of Edwin
brood" only half finished. the English
speaking world-and a good many ~
the folk who speak other languages too
spent much time trying TO guess how
IN, great author had intended that his
perplexing story should end And that
guesswork has been going on with more
or less soasmodic yigor ever since.
Many literary Sherlock Holmes, in
Guiding Andrew Lang. have filed many
magazine page trying 20 prove from
the clues left by Dickens what the con-
cluslon was 10 have been. Several au-
thors. more ambitious than discreet,
have audaciously assumed the mantle
Of the dead prophet and finished the
book. Mediums have invoked the spirit
Of Dickens himself IN solve the mys-
terry. with results equally uncoiiy1ncing
For 81 years the mystery" has re-
NAMED the great puzzle OF the literary
world. None of those who have tried
to unravel It have supposed that IL
eyer could be proved whether or not
ne or she had found the correct solu-
ton. as planned by the master hand.
II can be, though. for something has
been found by the granddaughter Of
the great novelist Miss Ethel Dickens,
which contains the proof that has 50
long been sought. Il is play written
bv the eldest son of Charles Dickens
that play which IS dramatizatipn
or the unfinished Mystery" ends as
Dickens has intended 10 end his baf-
fling and fascinating story. have
been extremely fortunate in obtaining
from Miss Dickens herself this ac-
count OF b..
''The play Of Edwin brood Was writ
len some years after my grand father
death and my fathers chief object
iu writing IL was to give the ending
OF the story ss he had received IL from
my grandfather lips.
WRITTEN FOR AMERICA
my father had long had the idea Of
this play I'm his mind. but / think IL
was during his visit % America and by
reason 90 the extreme appreciation ana
love OF my grandfather ana his works
over that country. that the play was
finally written-and written for Amer
There can be little doubt that as
ma grandfather progressed with the
story o. Edwin brood many noun
cations were made ~ the original plot
and this Is clearly proved by tho cone
versation that I VIII speak OF present
Ia which took place between hlmhtI
fore his death.
ne was. 1 believe. kccnly Interested
ia this his last work The develop
ment Of the story and the Hludy OK
Jasper. whom he evidently intenaea 20
prescut 10 as as an uumitigated villain
from the first 10 last nlled mis- remain
ing days with a restless eAelteih'H'
which. however ruinous To- ms own
health. gave 90 the world "a most inter-
osting and bafhng enigma, the Clues 10
The mystery one is invited tn follow
hsln~ a. numerous aud $50 apparently
impossible 20 M neatly together in or
der to arrive al any definite ana SALTS
factory conclusion
HOW DICKENS WORKED.
"My grandfather pursued his usual
method of work during the writing ~
Edwin brood that IL 90 say. az ar
AN early breakfast he would go Go his
study on in nnc warm weather Go ile
chalet in his garden and there worh
on grind away as be- sometimes called
a. until the luncheon hour n Was
never difficult / have heard my rather
say. to Judge from the expression on
hiH face whether hc had been success
ful ia the arduOuH task ~ pleasing
himself Very often he looked sad aud
worn and spoke little and retired 10
his work again after taking a mere
pretence on food but there were
brighter days when his eyes ahoue
when his face and manner were alert
and cheerful and when he looked for
ward with pleasure % the wall ne
would take Boz the afternvoh Then
those about him knew Edwin Drood'
vas making happy progress. Ay grand
father was a roticent man aeld0n