The Washington herald., 1919-08-14
DOMBEY AND SON
BY CHARLES DICKENS
Condensation by Miss Caroline Ticknor)

This story opens in the gloomy
massI0n Of Mr.. DOmbey. head OF the
Llmous house Of DOmbey and Son,
Who is eXuItinE in the birth Of lit
tie Paul. heir to his name and
wealth
This great event is followed by
Tbc death of Mrs. Dombey. who
hFeathcs her last. cIasping her little
cduEhter Florence to her heart.
This child. neglected by her proud.
cold father. tries vainIy to win his
love, but he. with all his hopes and
affection tentered upon his son. finds
no place in his heart for Florence.
All the advantages that wealth
ctu offer are heaped on little Paul.
who is a delicate child. old far be-
yUnd his years. and totally untitled
%. fulfil his fathers expectations.
While gentle and loving to those
about him, PaUTs alteration for his
siSter Florence surpasses all his
other interests. a fact which rankles
IN the breast OF his father who would
be- first in the affection of his son.
Wishing to hasten PauTs educa-
Ilon. Nj. DOmbey sends him to DR..
I:Imber's school, famed for its method
fl u LGllllE OAl FttNll hON lS4l Il DIT anu
making learned prigs of all its pupils
Here the boy finds a friend and
champion in TOOts, the head boy of
the school. who falls a victim to the
charms of Florence. but in the end
consoles himself by marrying her
tIrthfUl maid, the sprightly Susan
Eipper-
The story OF PauIs life at DR.. Blm-
hers, where his weak frame is tried
beyond endurance. and finally breaks
DOWN, is a pathetic one. although it
is eulivened by much that is amusing
and absurd in the descriptions of the
school and Of the Blim5er family.
Fatally i'll. the boy is carried home
10 the big house, where all the skill
in London. coupled with his sister 5
devotion. cannot save him. and after
lingering awhile, he slips away from
the grand future his father has so
carefully arranged The death-bed
scene where little Paul leaves the
big house forever. is one OF the most
famous in fiction
CIasped IN his sisters arms. the dy-
uT boy murmurs. How fast the
-Ivcr runs . it's very near the
sea. I hear the waves" And
7oy there was a shore before him
Who stood on the bank" He sees
1.s mother there awaiting him and
Nhispers: The light about her head
shining on me as 60"
The bereaved father. in an agony
)f grief and blasted hopes. turns
.o.dIy~frOm the heart-break appeal
81 his sOrTOwinE daughter. who pleads
cor some response in this dark hour.
adding her seek her own apartments.
le shuts himself up in his rooms alone
Beside the dark threads in this story.
Ise woven many bright ones which
enter in the humble dwelling Of old
solomon ellis. maker of ships instru-
Tonts. and his devoted nephew. Wal
.er Gay who. with their good friend
-aDL cutie. form a delightful trio.
Tile captain. who wears a hook in
place of his right hand. and suffers
oatientIy under the insults and abuses
Of his landlady. the terrible Mrs.
NaCStinEer. is one Of Dickens best
beloved characters.
Walter. who has a modest position
II the great house of DOmbey, watches
with sympathy and admiration the
career Of the neglected daughter OF
lis employer. and upon one occasion
las the Joy of resCuing her when she
$ lost in London. From the night
when the frightened child is warmed
and cOmforted at the sight of the
Wooden Midshipman." Florence
holds Uncle Sol and Walter in warm
st regard. When later. during PauPs
lluess. Walter comes to plead for a
0an to save his uncIe's property, the
sympathetic boy at once becomes his