Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-04

raised prices and without rowdyism:
Evidently Dickens was not satisfied
with Well enough, though, for he regretted
that he had not put the price at So
seat for each lecture, instead of So. as
had been his original intention.
Alth no; the receipts from IN Washing
e f9n d nof rp large the
cities. yet the reader felt that he was
fully compensated for his work, in that
his audience was one of the finest ever
those present We're the Pres dent 5
family, many members from the Senate
and House from almost every sta
and So many foreign ministers that. it
was said nearly every civilized nation
in the world was represented. The re-
membrance of such an audience at four
lectures, together with a souvenir OF
over $4,000 in American currency and
one twenty-dollar counterfeit note to
carry away with him from the nations
capital, could not have been regarded
by the writer as showing a financial
failure.
from christmas Carol and the trial
from "Pickwick"; Tuesday, David
Copperfield" and tom Sawyers Party, ,
Thursday. Mr. Marigold.'' from "Pick-
wick; Friday, Nicholas Nickleby"
SCHOOlJ anu dt INC
Holly Tree Inn." These readings,
which were given at Carroll Hall. on
D street near 10th, were announced to
begin at 8 O'Clock and to be comprised
within two hours. The audience was
earnestly urged to be seated ten min
utes before the commencement of the
reading. From the accounts in the pa
pers at that time the shivering patrons
tried to comply with this request. Their
protests at having to stand outside the
hall many minutes in the cold were en-
phatically voiced by the press. The
management, which was criticised as
very poor made no effort to excuse
themselves for not having the hall in
readiness for the affair. They showed
no regrets that they had not had the
gas fixtures adjusted before that night
so that there might have been no cause
for the delay in seating the audience.
Instead those in charge of the arrange
ments announced that the success of the
lecture was assured and those who did
not wish to attend the following nights
might stay away The ventilation of the
place was pronounced poor and the
acoustic properties lacking; yet those
who had purchased their seats and ap-
precfated their opportunities to hear
such genius as Dickens did not re-
main away as the arrogant announce
ment suggested. On the first night
Dickens deviated from his almost in
variable rule by making a preliminary
speech.
The light, although improved by the
large tin reflector, was SO poor that the
author feared that he might not be able
to read his own familiar writings. In
his happy vein, he declared before the
lecture that if the flame failed him he
would have to look for his illumination
to the light in the eyes of his audience.
AS the great part of his hearers were
hoopskirted, this remark was received
most gracefully.
OF all the elegantly gowned ladies and
distinguished men who attended the read
ing that night none made such an i'm
preston upon the novelist as a member
of the audience who passed himself in
free and occupied a position of promi-
hence just as the reading was about to
begin This dignitary, large dog. came
into the hall by himself, got good place
and paid close attention throughout the
evening. The second night, when the
visitor came. he was scornfully shown
out by the check takers. The third night
h.