The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-05-29
For Representative.
Death of Little Nell.

woman whose personality and surround
ings suggested to Charles Dickens the
character Of Little Nell, died in London
last month. London paid her very lit
tie notice, but the world has shed an
ocean OF tears over the character she
inspired.
One Of the secrets OF Dickens works,
hardly less important than his charac-
ter creations, is the number Of these
wonderful character studies in each
story and the constructive manner in
which they are linked. There are at
least half a dozen star parts in the Old
Curiosity Shop outside OF the character
OF Little Nell. Dick Swiveller is hero
and the Marchioncss heroine. As a
villain Daniel Quilp had no counterpart
in fiction. And then there is Kit Nub-
.bles, who guarded the shop where Lit
tie Nell slept alone unconscious OF her
protector, and Kits benefactor, Mr..
Garland. There are also Mrs. farley,
OF the waxwork exhibition, and the
good schoolmaster, both champions and
unfaltering friends Of Little Nell. Its in
deed a wonderful story, but in the purity
OF her spirit and undying devotion stands
the character Of Little Nell, without a
parallel in the world of fiction, whose
life stirred the genius Of the great Eng
lsh novelist as nothing ever did, and
which probably has made his fame as
lasting as all the ages OF literature.
There are many wonderful literary
achievements in the Old Curiosity Shop,
but none more imperishable than the
reflections OF the novelist suggested to
his mind in Kits attachment to bis
mother and her humble surroundings,
as follows:
And let me linger in this place, for
an instant, to remark that il ever house,
hold affections and loves are graceful
things, then are graceful in the poor.
The ties that bind the wealthy and the
proud to home may be forged on earth,
but those which LUX the poor man to
his humble hearth are Of the truer
metal and bear the stamp Of Heaven.
The man Of high descent may love the
halls and lands OF his inheritance as
part OF himself--as trophies OF his birth
and power; mis- associations with them
are associations OF pride and wealth and
triumph; the poor mans attachment to
the tenement he holds, which stran-
gers have held before, and may to-mor-
row occupy again, has worthier root,
struck deep into purer soil His house
hold goods are OF flesh and blood with
no alloy Of silver, gold or precious stone;
he has no property but in the affections
of his own heart; and when they en-
dear bare floors and walls, despite Of
rags and toll and scanty fare, that man
has his love OF home from God and his
rude hut becomes a solemn palace.
''Ohl il those who rule the destinies
OF nations would but remember this
III thy would but think how hard it is
for the poor to have engendered in their
hearts that love OF home from which |
all domestic virtues spring, when they
live in dense and squallid masses where
social decency is lost, or rather never
found---if they would but turn aside
from the wide thoroughfares and great
houses and strive toimprove the wretch
ed dwellings in bi-ways where only pow
erty may walk-how many low roofs
would point more truly to the sky than
the Hottest steeple that now rears proud
Iy up from the midst OF guilt, and crime,
and horrible disease, to mock them by |
its contrast. In hollow voices from the
Workhouse, Hospital, Jail, this truth is
preached from day to day and has been
proclaimed for years. 1t is no light
matter mo outcry from the working
vulgar nor mere question Of the peo-
ple's health and comforts that may be
whstled down on Wednesday nights,
Ii love OF home the love Of country
has its rise, and who are the truer pa
tyiots and the better in time OF need
those who venerate the land, owning its
wood and stream, and earth, and all
that they produce, or those who love
their country, Boosting not loot OF
ground in all its wide domain9"