Evening star., 1918-02-10

Charles Dickens began his readings in
Washington on tho night OF Monday.
February 3. 1868. and The
Dickens' Star Of the next day has An
p,. account OF the occasion.
neao1ng. Carroll Hall. on q street
between 9th and 10th. was completely
dlled with q fashionable audience. The
walls were hung with carpet to aid Mr..
Dickens voice. There was some trouble
about the lighting, the gas fixtures being
inadequate, 30 much SO. indeed. that Mr..
Dickens was greatly annoyed and re-
quired persuasion on the part Of his man
ager to go on with tho reading. The
Star says:
He entered directly upon the reading
Of The Christmas Carol Description has
exhausted itself upon his style OF read
ing: in the main. accurately. but causing
the hearer to expect too much As an
elocutionist he does not satisfy the ear
as do some Of our well known profess
sionals. Mr.. Murdock or Mr.. Bailey. and
so far as the mere trick Of mimicry is
concerned he Is left far behind by such
facile imitators as Chanfrau or DR.. VAL
entine. But We feel at once that We shall
be sorry to find in hi1n mere mouther
The true fire Of genius is shown behind
the uttered words. and the wonderful play
of eye and countenance. now mirthful. now
tender. tells Of the fountain head that has
Of the humorous and pathetic. His con-
slant use Of the rising infection Is OBJ
jected to. but do we in this country not
use the falling infection too much? But
people como to see Mr.. Dickens, almost
more than to hear him. His face strikes
one as German in type. rather than Eng
lish, but the ruddy complexion is thor
oughly Great Britainous, and the flush OF
health color extends up to his baldish
brow and to the finger ends of his healthy
looking hands. He looks the personifica-
tion of buoyant, ruddy health. in fact.
So much for active out-of-door habits.
What literary man of this country. even
under forty. can we show looking as
with animal spirits as Mr.. Dickens?'
The high cost of living from which
the United States was suffering fifty
years ago. as It Is today,
Co.nnerofiva was causing keen in
terest for projects in
buying. cooperative stores. In
The Star OF February s. 1868, Is the
following on the subject:
'.The matter of cooperative stores is
now occupying considerable attention
in Washington. and various enterprises
of the sort have been started or are in
embryo. The following. embodying the
most successful plan now in operation
in England. will be Of interest to those
connected with similar associations
here. It is store established in Lon:
don. called the Commercial and General
Society. The quality of the goods 1t
retails is first rate, its managers hav-
ing no personal interest in selling in
-ferior or unduly cheap goods, and 1T It
freely accepts any customers who may
present themselves on condition of a
subscription of five shiliings a year.
It's pricebook also offers q useful guide
for those who do not wish to be
cheated in their housekeeping: It de-
livers its goods free. and to facilitate
the payment Of goods before delivery
it's members are allowed to open de-
posit accounts at the store in sums OF
not less than five pounds These de- de-
posit accounts are debeted with the
amount of each order and can be bal
anced at any time and any surplus
Withdrawn on application to the man.
agement There Is no risk in such an