The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-23

"Of all my books" writes Dickens,
Il like this the best. 1t will be easily
believed that I am fond parent to
every child of my fancy, and that no
one can ever love that family as dear
ly as love them; but, like many fond
parents, have in my hearts Of hearts
a favorite child. and his name is
David Copperfield.'
The world in the main agrees with
the opinion of the great, kindly de-
lineator Of humanity, for David Cop
rerfeld and 'Pickwick Papers hold
first and second choice with most
lovers of this English author of the
middle of the nineteenth century. The
reason is not hard to discover. The
memory of the sad childhood of the
writer forms the basis of the novel
and provides the personal flavor. 1t
| is in many respects his ablest and
clearest book. The narrative, more
over, moves from beginning to end in
full swing with mingled pathos and
humor. The spirit throughout is kind
lily, sympathetic, and, above, all, hui
man. Mr.. G. K. Chesterton writing Of
David Copperfield' and its author
says: "He has created creatures who
!
lures whom we would not forget If we
could, creatures whom we could not
forget if we would, creatures who are
more actual than the man who made
them
| The novel begins with the birth of
it's hero, David Copperfie1d, six
months after the death of his father
An eccentric great aunt, Miss Betsey
! TrotWood, is present in the house but
departs quite as suddenly as she ar
rived when she learns that the child
is boy and cannot bear her name.
David's smother is quite alone in the
world with the exception of plain
! Peggotty, her devoted serving woman
iPeggotty, with no shape at all, and so
very plump that when any little exer-
!, ton is made after she is dressed, some
Of the buttons on the back Of her gown
| fly off.
Being however youthful and pretty,
. Clara Copperfield soon marries the
!; stern Mr.. Murdstone who proves to
be not only stern but hard and cruel
On the occasion Of his mothers mar
rage David is sent with Peggotty to
visit her brother at Yarmouth, where
he, with his niece, little Emily. and
nephew Ham, occupy a superannuated
Olu DOdI no" 1UlO
delightfully."- cosey home. Little Emily
with her winning ways grows very
; dear to David as do the honest fisher
,, folk with whom she lives.
Returning home. David at once be
comes an object of detestation to his
. stepfather, and in consequence is
packed off to school. Here his misery
> continues under a master, or rather
, bully, Creakle, whose chief zest in life
: consists in the infliction of pain on
some hapless victim. The one bit OF
, brightness in school life is his attach
ment for James Steerforth, a hand
some, debonair, dashing lad, with the
faculty of making everyone his friend
But school days are brought to sud
! den halt by the death Of David's moth
er, crushed by her husbands ceaseless
tyranny. Peggotty is dismissed anc
l. Barkis the stage driver whose court
l. ship has consisted in the singular
a message sent through David of Bar
J. kis is willing" finally succeeds in max
d ing Peggotty willing also.
= After months of utter neglect Davic
r is sent to London, where he become.
Il at ten years Of age, a little laborinf
}. hand in a dilapidated old warehouse
in the service of Murdstone and Grim
by, wine merchants. Half starved
wearied by long hours of labor amft
/ repulsive companions, including Micl
|, Walker and Neatly Potatoes. David
S life is a continued torture He lodge
l. with Mr.. and Mrs Wilkins Micaw
n Der and their numerous progeny MI
t. Micawber, always in pecuniary diff
r culties and always expecting some
IS thing to turn up and always in DOS
e session of a fine flow of oratory /
alternately buoyed up by convictio,
that fortune is at last about to smil
: upon him, and reduced to the depth
\ Of despair by her sudden and unac
countable withdrawal David come
to have genuine liking for the COT
pie, SO much so that when the Micav
| bers, having failed to meet certai
financial obligations, are obliged t
move to prison, and David to see
new quarters, he feels such sense c
loneliness that he determines to ru
away to his aunt, Betsey Trotwood a
Dover, an aunt whom he has neve
seen, but Of whom he remembers t
have heard
The aunt adopts him and sends hi1
TO school at Canterbury, where b
boards with his aunts lawyer an
man of affairs, a Mr.. Wickfield an
his daughter Agnes, whose serer
goodness becomes a Constant ;nsnir
ton to David. Here also he comes
contact with Mr.. Wickfield's cIer
Uriah Heep, "a very 'umble person
an individual with a cadayerous far
and a head covered with carrotv stu
Copyright, 1919, by Post Publish,
special arrangement with the McClu