New-York tribune., 1912-02-07
DICKENS CENTENARY FEAST
Lovers Of Great English Novelist
Gather at DeImoniCo's.
TALES OF HIS VISITS HERE
Kate Douglas Wiggin and Others
Tell of Personal Expert
ences with Writer.

ences with Writer.
A large company of literary producers.
lovers and fancieTs met last night at Del
monlcos to break bread with the spirit Of
CharleS Dickens, now century old They
fingered on in the brilliant, gold embrold-
cred dining-ball room TO attend post
prandial seance presided over by Seth
Low, at which Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs.
George c. Riggs. among all the mediums
succeeded most nearly in materializing
the famous novelists ghost.
Dickens kissed Mrs Riggs when she was
little girl of ten, on the occasion of his
second visit to America, in 1S67-kissed
her goodby after a journey tete-a-tete
most Of the way from South Berwick, Me,
Mrs. Riggss native village to Boston.
This was longer journey in those days
of slow trains than it is to-day. but the
memory of it has lived in the heart of the
New England writer as that of a glimpse
into the depths of a gentle soul Mrs.
Riggs ended her narrative in tears.
"A Little Girls Journey with Dickens
was the title OF 1t.
1.-TWO very nice old gentlemen. not in
this room, asked me before dinner" she
began. IF l had met Dickens on his first
or second journey to America. As he made
his first journey seventy years ago, ] sat
down here tonight with a spirit well has
tened"
Prepared to Meet Author
Mrs. Riggs described the library in hcr
home at South Berwick. which included
the works Of George Sand. Longfcllow,
Dickens and Life of p. T, Barnum. This
last, she explained amid laughter, her
father had given her I'm return for having
saved the life Of Jersey calf. But OF the
whole collection she loved Dickens best,
and when her mother informed her one
day that Dickens was on his way across
the ocean She had read all his works ,ome
OF them several times over.
Il prayed for him every day OF his voy-
age" she continued. Il prayed even that
he wouldn't get seasck He arrived, and I
followed in the newspapers his every
movement Finally it was announced hat
ne would give reading in Portland. only
sixteen miles away My mother bought
tickets but l was getting ready TO "isit
an uncle I'm Charlestown and the question
Of my going to the reading was never
raised II any martyr in Fox's book suf-
fered more than !, am sorry for him.
IL was the morning after the reading, the
m, rning that the little girl took the train
at South Berwick to so 10 Charlestown. that
she first saw Dickens. eating some sponge
cake on the station platform, waiting for
this same train 10 proceed. The youthful
worshipper slipped into an end seat in the
same car which carried the novelist the
seat occupied also by the boy who sold
magazines and popcorn, and gazed on her
deity from afar.
But soon Dckens's seat companion Mr.
Oswald, departed for the smoker.
Like a Real Dickens Girl.
Il never knew how it happened" said the
speaker. but invisible chains drew me out
of my seat beside the popcorn boy, drew
me down the aisle and pumped me down
beside him.
Cod bless my soul" he exclaimed. on
looking around d moment later. Where
Cld YOU come from"
4 told him 1 came from Berwick. that
my father had a pretty house beside the
river there, that 1 ten years old am
had read all his books
Have you come 20 call on me- ne
asked You don't mean to say that you
have read all my books?
Yes l said, I've read some Of them
many times.
Well. | can't believe it, Those long
thick books, and a little slip Of a thing
ike YOU"
Then l said conscentiousy that l had
skipped some of the long, dull parts He
Immediately asked me 10 indicate TO him
what ] considered some long dull parts
and he took out a notebook and pencil
while / went through a catalogue of pas
sages, thinking all the time that / was pay
ing him a great compliment"
After the conference over the long, dull
parts" Dickens asked his small companion
which of his books she enjoyed the most
David Copperfeld,'" was the unhesi-
tating answer.
Good, good: so do ], g." he exclaimed.
1t was not long before the little girls
hand lay in one of the novelsts and his
arm was around her waist. while the poor,
embarrassed mother of the child, looking
on from the end of the car, couldn't think
OF a suitable method of relieving the dis
tinguished stranger of her daughters com
pany.
Would you have liked to go to the read
ing?' he asked.
More than tongue can tell" she replied.
Tears came into Dickenss eyes. reflect
ing those on the lashes Of his fair little
worshipper.
do you care because l couldnt?" she
asked.
Care" he cried. Il should think So"
Then we came into the station in Bos-
ton," Mrs. Riggs went on.
"'By the way he exclaimed you're not
travelling alone"
Il came to earth. Why, l forgot my
mother. l said.
Bless me, you're a past mistress at
fattery," said he. and he took me back TO
my mother. where he introduced himself
10 our party and then gave me a goodby
kiss.
THAT was the last ] saw Of him as he
disappeared down the platform. but his
image has never left my heart from that
day 10 this"
Shaw EeIipsins Dickens?
Miss Agnes Repplier deplored the lack OF
affection for Dickens among the members
OF the present generation, whom she de-
scribed as running after Bernard Shaw and
n. G. Wells To illustrate her point she
described ali incident which occurred at an
afternoon tea she was attending recently at
the home OF a friend. a particularly inter-
esting conversation was in progress when
the telephone rang and the hostess arose,
annoyed by the disturbance. and exclaimed
as she left the room:
IT wish that telephone was in Jonadge's
bellyS
The other three women present besides
nd Of