The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-08

+ By CHARLES DICKENS i
!. Frederick II. Dole, Junior Mas !.
!: ter, Boston Public Latin School :
EE:.:.,:::::::::-::.s:..
In G. X. Chesterton's searching study
of Charles Dickens, he points out what
an extraordinary difference there is be-
tween the popularity of Dickens and
the popularity of the most eagerly read
English writer's of today. People read
a Dickens story six times, says Mr..
ChestertOn, because they know 1t so
well. If they can read a modern pOpu-
lar novel six times. 1t is only because
they can forget 1T six times
One reason for this difference Is the
vividness with which the people of
Dickens stand out. There are dozens
OF characters In Dickens whom readers
feel they know better than they do
their most Intimate friends. One has
but to think of Dick Swiveller or Quflp
in "The Old Curiosity Shop to see
them moving past. And there are
others in this book and In all the
novels who are SO familiar that the
mere mention of their names conjures
them into life. Much as we like and
are thrilled by the men and women
who dare and love in the popular
stories of today, there are none of them
whom we should recognize as quickly
II we saw them in the street as we
would Micawber or Mrs. Camp or Sam
Weller or n host of others created more
than half century ago.
1t was the writer's Imagination that
made his characters seem giants when
they are placed beside the characters
of later men. 1t Is this Imagination,
snow humorous, HOw terrible, now
simply grotesque., that Professor
Sainfsbury terms "of a quality which
stands entirely by itself, II ap-
preached at distance, and with n
difference, only by that OF his great
French contemporary, BaIzac."
a LITTLE child-the beautiful
~ ly drawn character sketch of
such a one as the Divine Mas
ter so often chose to hold up as mod
ell for his followers-this is our hero
inc.
Though not yet fourteen years old,
she could look back on better days
gone by. Then her. grandfather was
happy and contented and had often
talked of her angel mother. She had
walked with him in the fields beyond
the city's noise, and they had there en-
joyed many delightful hours.
Now he has changed. He is anxious,
worried, and secretive. He often sends
the child on business to the house of
the hateful dwarf. Quilp. He is away
from home every night, returning just
before day, and is filed with gloom
whenever he comes back. The child
cannot comprehend the reason for this
change.
She tells this to the sympathetic
loaned her grandfather money listens
at the door. He has supposed the old
man to be possessed of great secret
wealth and to be in the way of making
much more money IL only he could be
carried over a temporary emergency.
But the child's statements to his wife
made the dwarf suspicious. He inves-
tigated and found Nell's grandfather
had taken his loans to the gaming ia
BILE and had lost.
II am no gambler" cried the old
man fiercely, when accused by Quilp.
II call heaven to witness that never
played for gain of mine or love of
play; that at every piece staked /
whispered that orphans name and
called on heaven to bless the venture
which 1t never did,"
He cried out that his winnings would
have been made from evil men and
would have been spent on sinless
child. Quilp was unmoved by his ap-
peals for further aid. He had "a legal
hold on the old mans curiosities and
other property and brought his lawyer
to take possession of the premises.
Kit, the servant boy Of Nells grand
father, had angered Quilp by calling
him names, and the dwarf took re-
venge by telling the old man that Kit
had Informed Of the gambling.
Early one morning, before Quilp
and his lawyer awoke, Nell and her
grandfather crept softly out and left
their home forever. They had visions
Of fair fields and country scenes
through which they would journey.
The child had learned that she must
be the leader, and he followed willing
". She had little money, but they
must depend upon charity when that
was gone.
The first day they made long Jour-
ney and were given a ride by kind
countryman. They stayed that night
at an inn with two Punch and Judy
showmen for whom Nell had done a
bit Of mendings With them they went
to the races the next day, but Nell be-
came suspicious of the men and es-
capped with her grandfather into the
open country.
Nearly exhausted by another long
walk, they arrived at a school play
ground. The schonlmaster kindly took
them homo, and they stayed there q
few days. obtaining needed rest.
Continuing their journey, they next
met with a travelling wax-figure show,
and Nell so favorably impressed Mrs.
farley, the manager, that she received
employment. Her bitterest experience