The Washington herald., 1913-02-02
MRS. WIGGINS journey
With CHARLES DICKENS
Magic Power Drew the Little Maid Who Was Herself to
Create Many Book Children to Men Of Genius.

away from her seat and into the car
where Dickens sat. She slipped into
seat at the end of the car where she
could gaze at the creator OF David Cop
perfield and her other friends. stopping
long enough from her hero-worship To
be thankful that her mother had changed
her hat and tied me down with blue
under the chin" For II the great Dick
ems should happen to rest his eyes upon
her. it was so satisfying TO think that he
must be pleased with the effect Of that
gay bit of ribbon and another that held
in place "a very small squirrel mum.
The eternal feminine"'-cannot you
imagine the sensations OF the little
maid?
For half an hour or so she hoped. but
hoped in vain, for not once did he glance
| her way. or let up from the steady stream
OF conversation with first one, then an
other, in the car. But at last the friend
who sat by his side arose and went into
the smoking car.
"InvIsibIe Ropes"
And then-Mrs. Wiggin says she never
knew how it happened, for she had no
plan and no preparation - invisible
ropes" pulled her out of her seat and
she planted herself "squarely down. an
unbidden guest in the seat Of honor"
She had a minute or two TO recover her
breath. for Dickens was looking out OF
the window when she crept in by his
side When he turned and saw the uneX-
pected little figure, blue ribbons. gray
mun and all. he asked. in glad surprise:
God bless my soul. where did you come
from
And from that time on the fiood-gates
Of talk were opened.
II came out how the little girl had
lCnged TO hear the reading. how she had
read and re-read his books, some Of them
six times and how she skipped sorle of
the very dull parts once in a whil':. not
the short dull parts but the long ones"
Apparently he found those long dull
parts" distinctly amusing. because he
examined her very closely TO find out
just where they were. Chuckling all the
time SO pleasantly and constantly that
she kept ON dealing these infant blows
under the delusOn that / was fling!ng
him bouquets"
And then his arm slipped around her
waist, her little hand stole into his and
she told him how she loved all the dear
children OF his exquisite fancy, how. in
their home. they named their little yellow
dog Mr.. Pip" and another one Mr..
Pocket" how they cried about Tiny
Tim" and a few others. cried so hard
that they never dared read about them
on Saturday nights. "or our eyes are too
swollen to go TO Sunday school" And
most impressive OF all. when the great
author leaned over and asked II she had
wanted very much to go TO his reading.
she grew all choked up and trembly in
the lip. but managed 70 tell him, Yes,
more than tongue can tellr'
The poor little kiddie waited until she
was quite sure that the tears in her
eyes were not going to fall, then she
looked up at the big man at her side
and. to her astonishment, saw that his
own eyes were ready TO drip.
He stayed with her until the last
minute. talking, questioning. and hearing
all about her exceeding admiration for
his books. and reading between the lines
by his storytelling art
And did the great author enjoy this
whole-souled tribute from the depths OF
"a countrified little heart?''
Mrs. Wiggin does not say that he did.
but it spoke out all over in the happy
surprise that such a slip OF a thing
appreciated his books: II eloquently de-
Clared itself in the tear in his eye. in
the strength of his hand-Clasp and in
every other way that a man could take
to show that he was pleased. glad and
proud to know that the tiniest reader
was thrilled by his art.
And II, through some magic power he
could have guessed that the ''countri-
fed little maid at his side was destined
in the years to come to have some quaint
ly charming bcok-children Of her own.
perhaps the tribute. child to man. might
have pleased him all the more.