The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-07
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their most emphatie form those tralts in the writing of Charles Dickens which snr a.csf give oPorsunity to his critics oessiys ssntinsntaiity' The charges &.N bassd on truth: but the lovers of DieRSns can afford to acknowledge it, a T M issrsTy SFtsssiss ondsr sna ful ,characters created in the course cf this story are like real and een- tsmporaneous beings to-day. Little
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 Amidst suits of mall standing Ike ghosts in arnor. amidst fanastic car- wings brought srom snasis monkssh cioistsrs .st.s distorted figures in metal, china and wood, grotesque tapestries and furni- cures that might have been designed fn wild dreams Little Nell existed fresh, pure, youthful object in all the
 The human fife around her was as strange and unnatural as the old cnrosity shop in which she dweiled. Her grandfather. who had lost his fortune some years besore, had gone half-mad with fear tha ( he might die and leave her poor; and the old man crept away from home every night to gambling houses, only to creep back home again at dawn, pinched. gray and stripped clean but with his de- sire and hope for Q big winning burn. ing only the more fierceiy Ter his re verses.
 To obtain money for hIs fight with fortune he gave bills of safe and other deeds to . creature whose every pres ence in the same place as the gentle beautiful child would have seemed an unpardonable crime to any one not obsesseda like the old man; for in Quilp nature had made . being as re- pulsive without as he was malignant within.
 His stature was so low as. to make him quite . dwarf. His head and fea- lures, however, were very large. Cum ming. cruel black eyes and a mouth that disclosed fang-like teeth were briBtly with black stubbie. He wore an immense high crowned hat and linen that was SO dirty as to be in Keeping even with his hands.
 The dwarf was the only visitor to the place with the exception Of Nelps brother who honored the old curiosity with his society at intervals when he generally drunk and used such threats and menaees to aid his ex- tortton that the child trembled when- ever she saw him.
 Living thus 1t was inveitable that she should become thoughtful and grave beyond her years. To the old man she was still the same. When he could dlsengage his mind from its mania he saw her with the salns Huaiie for him, the same afsectiunatp words tlteT same love that had been present to him through her whole life. He did not see that, child as she wan. she watched him with dreadful fear and sorrow.knoWfng that there was sonething greatly wrong with htm, and struggling with her alarm and grief all alone.
 This lay on her heart more heavi- iy. far more heavily, than the mono tonous days uniit by variety and un- cheered by companionship the dreary evenings and the long, solitary nights, the absence of every slight pleasure for which young hearts beat high and the lack of Knowledge of what belongs to youth except it's weakness and it's easily wounded spirit.
 Many and many a long evening and far Into the night Little Nell sat by 8 window watching and waiting and mourneul fancies came, crowding on her mind. She looked at other houses and wondered if there were rooms in ! them as lonely as her own. She fhouBht of her grandfather and dead ed lest his changed manner should develop Into madness. She even thought that he might kill himself w4f0hA xvfAsA a so desparing and hopeless. Always her thoughts were mournful, but when they became thus terrible she would sink to her knees and pray with all the trusting belief and cour- age of an innocent young heart.
 The only childish pleasure that came to her was through Kit, the boy who ran erxands during the day for the old shop. The shock-headed, shanablins lad, with his uncommonly wide mouth, his very red checks and his upturned nose, had the most comical expression that one could wish Co behold;' and whenever Nell saw him she elapped her hands and laughed heartily-an honor that delighted Kit beyond all meas upe. for the uncouth favorite looked on the child as something nearly akin to an engeL
 There was only one person in the world whom this good-natured, slna- pie. loyal young Kit disillssd, and that person was ouilp. Though he did not know what brought the dwarf to the shop, he knew that his visits distressed the old master and made Nelllery; and '6or Q much lesser offense than that to his worshipped young mistress Kit would have flown at a Hon.
 In one of his passages at arms with Quilp. Kit told him that he was an 1glier dwarf than could be seen for a penny. Quilp heard gt with an evil aeer and treasured up the remark for 6uture payment.
 At last came the time when Quilp dad in his hands bills Of sale and other documents that made him owner of the place. He appeared and took posses 1. slon with his attorney. Sampson Brass Esqs tall, meagre man with . nose like wen. a protruding forehead. re- treating eyes and hair of deep red. The distinguished lawyer wore a black surtout reaching nearly to his ankles, short black trousers high shoea and cotton stJcklngs of . blnish gray.
 He had so many reasons to concilIate MT. Quilp that he was In e state Of perpetual cginging when in his pres. encei a devotion that the dwarf repaid Sy every form of cruelty that malicious meanness could Invent.
 Thus, although tobacco smoke caused him excessive agony. Mir. Brass pufsed steadily if not valiantly at an enormous pipe, while the dwarf rubbed his handa dn glee when he observed that his legal adviser shuddered at intervals and was wlnking constantly with anguish. He had been placed by Mir. Quilp's fore- thought on an antique chair that was inganiouely hard and sloping. Having