The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-07-25
"PickWick Papers"
By Charles Dickens


much as 1t did not come within
my learned friends province to
tell you, what are the facts and
circumstances of the ease. Those
facts and circumstances. gentle
men, you shall hear detailed by
me. and proved by the unim
peaehable female whom | will |
place in that box before you"
Here Mr.. Sergeant Buzfuz,
with a tremendous emphasis on
the word box" smote his table
with mighty sound, and
glanced at Dodson and Fogg. who
nodded admiration of the Ser
geant, and indignant defiance of
the defendant.
The plaintiff, gentlemen,
continued Sergeant Buatu2, in a.
soft and melancholy voice, the
plaintiff Is widow: yes. gentle
men, widow. The late Mr..
Bardell. after enjoying for many
years the esteem and confidence
of his sovereign, as one OF the
guardians of his royal revenues,
glided almost impereeptibly from
the world, to seek elsewhere for
that repoae which custom
house can never afford
At this pathetic description of
the decease of Mr., Bardell, who
had been knocked on the head
with quart-pot in a publie-house
cellar. the learned sergeant's
voice faltered. and he proceeded
with emotion.
some time before his death,
he had stamped his likeness upon
little hoy. With this little boy,
the only pledge of her departed
exeiseman, Mrs. Bardell shrunk
from the world; and eobrted the
retirement and tranquility of
Goswell street; and here she
placed in her front parlor window
written placard, bearing this
inscription Apartments furnish
ed for q single gentleman. In
4 quire within. Here Sergeant
Buzfuz paused. while several
gentlemen of the jury took note
of the document.
''There is no date to that, is
: there, sir?" inquired juror.
There is no date, gentlemen
replied Sergeant Bu2flz, but
am instructed to say that il was
put in the plaintiffs parlor win
dow just this time three years.
| intreat the attention of the jury
to tho wording of this document,
Apartments furnished for sim
: gle gentleman Mrs Bardell's
opinions of the opposite sex, gem
tlemen, were derived from a long
contemplation of the inestimable
qualities of her lost husband. She
: had no fear, she had no distrust,
she had no suspicion. all was con-
fidence and reliance.
Mr.. Bardeil, said the
= widow; MIR. Bardell was man of
honor, Mr.. Bardell was once a
. single gentleman himself; to sim
3 gle gentlemen / look for protee-
} ton, and for consolation; in sin
gle gentlemen | shall perpetually
: see something to remind me of
what Mr.. Bardell was, when he
} first won my young and untried
affections; to a single gentle
} man, then, shall my lodgings be
let
"Actuated by this beau tiful and
touching impulse, the lonely and
desolate widow dried her tears,
: furnished her first floor, caught
the innocent boy to her maternal
bosom, and put the bill up in her
parlor window. Did it remain
there long No.
1.-THE sergeant was on the
watch, the train was laid, the
mine was preparing, the sapper
: and miner was at work. Before
the bill had been in the parlour
window three days--three days
gentlemen-a Being, erect upon
two legs, and bearing all the out
. ward semblance of man, and
not of monster, knocked at the
door of Mrs. BardelPs house. He
inquired within; he took the lodg-
: ings; and on the very next day
. he entered into possession of
/ them. This man was Pickwick-
Pickwick, the defendant"
Sergeant BuZfuz, who had pro-
5 Ceeueu Will SuCH NOluDlllLy IHat
! his face was perfectly crimson,
: here paused for breath. The
( silence awoke Mr.. Justice Stare
/. leigh, who Immediately looked
: unusually profound, to impress
: the jury with the belief that he
5 always thought most deeply with
his eyes shut. Sergeant Buzfuz
Y proceeded.
: "Of this man Pickwick / will
/ say little; the subject presents
4 but few attractions; and l, gen.
n tlemen, am not the man, nor are
+ you, gentlemen, the men, to de-
a light in the contemplation of re-
t. lvolting heartlessness, and of sys-
\ tematic villainy.
h IL shall show you, gentlemen,
0 that for two years Pickwick con-
4 tinued to reside constantly, and
without intermission, at Mrs
Bardall's house. l shall show
you that Mrs. Bardell, during the
whole of that time, waited OF
him, attended to his comforts