The Washington herald., 1909-02-28
TALKS OF DICKENS
Old Bargeman Says He Was
"N0 Gentleman"
CANE DOWN TO MAKE BOOKS
Capt. Parera Says Novelist Put Him
in a story aud Described Hin az
mahogany Faeed"-BaIfour stag
Gered at Number Of Aged Poor IN
IreIaBd-Officiai Figures Given.

Prom the Grief EurvDeza C0--usDoadsnt q ne
LaFzn News Bureau.
London. Feb. z7.-An afternoon paper
publishes a talk with an old LAmehouse
barge master, who tells how one man al
least on the river Dickens knew and
wrote Of so well considered the novelist
10 be no gentleman. When the old
barge master was youngster q Capt.
Psrera was harbor master az LimehoUse.
It was Capt Parera who denied that
Dickens was a gentleman.
Napier Hemy, the sea painter. used
to sit on my bsrges for days painting
The view" the Old barge master IS quoted
"Parera said to him one day. that M
Dickens IS no gentleman. though he
gives me many a cigar; his cigars are
nearly as good as yours oh" said Mr.
Henry
He came down to make books said
Parers. the sams as you make pictures.
and he went away ana put me in one OF
his books and called me- "a mahogany
faced captain and an amphTbious animal"
likewise my assistant. Joe, he put in his
book as "a bottle-nosed person IN q
giazy hat" Do you call them the acts
Of a gentleman
story Of Dickens.
Another story OF Fsrera and Dickens
the old man told was as follows:
''Parers taught the boys In IIne'us
workhouse something OF sailoring BY
means Of a rigged craft standing on the
pavement in the yard Dickens brought
some ladies and gentlemen down one day
for what be called a voyage 10 the West
Indies Parera was captain and the boys
were the crew.
The captain wanted 70 give them an
order, and stepped over the side or The
craft to the pavement Dickens came
running Up with a life buoy and soma
rope. and shouted. Man overbOardr He
flung the buoy 10 Parera and knocked him
head over heels Capt Parera swore once
more that Dickens was no gentleman
The old barge master remembered the
original Of Rogue RiderhOod iu ''Our
Mutual Friend He was called Nasty
DiChy on the river
The "Bird of Prey"
''One day. said the barge master. "3Ir.
Hemy and a sen Of Capt. Psre-a were
leaning over the haTbor masters veranda.
when a boatman rowed uD TO the ladder
OF The Grapes for a drink with a body
towing behind.
Have you read Our Mutual
Friend?' asked M Parers- sYes2 Do
you remember the doings Of the Bird OF
Prey? Wen. that's him. Nasty Dick is
the Bird Of Prey He's got another
Another meant another body.
Dick picked bodies I'D in the river and
brought them IN for the usual FIVE shfll-
ings reward-thats the customary thing
when body's found
so Parera said, Where did you find
itT On the Point. on the mud What
has he gotT 7 don't know said Dick;
II Il had been dark I'd have run the rule
over him. Then Mr.. Hemy knew he was
indeed Rogue Riderhood-'
Old Age Pensions.
IN his speech in the House Of Commons
yesterday afternoon AIr. BaIfour. touch
ing OF the old age pensions, said that he
was fairly staggered st the extraordinary
and abnormal number OF the aged poor in
Ireland. and he invited the government 10
make a thorough investigation into the
matter. There really seems 10 be ample
ground for wonder On this point.
A member OF Parliament. writing TO the
Times yesterday. gives some Official fg-
Ures which during the autumn session
were supplied 20 him n answer 10 cues
tiOns in the House OF Commons. Put
shortly. this Is what he wishes TO have
explained:
Number q TSrs0u5 IN Ireland Of seventy yeas
11s1 lss1o0
OF these there are in recsipt of poo- lsw
g tI
Leaying the highest posSibss uuTnhaF q pen
sso1able peTso-is at---.--..-.-.- -. e, 90
let The lCnbsT q claimants f0T pe-siCn is mon
And the Euus5sr actually granted I'D % Jznu-
a-y 10 GO
An investigation will probably be mads
into this state OF affairs by the chanceI-
Tor of the excheQuer, and viii probably
bring some remarkable facts 10 light.
The member whose figures have been
quoted above says that 1t is estimated
that between 5000 and 1000 persons, or
all ages, IN ireland are to-day receiving
old-age pensions who are not qualified
under the act" Il was stated in the
lObbies of the House OF Commons last
night that one OF the women 10 whom
an old-sge pension had been allowed had
since given birth 20 a child.