Evening star., 1934-05-15

buying a few of the thousand and
one things a house needs, and meet
ing with such disappointments as
most men have encountered on the
road to matrimony.
Found House Rent High.
strolled about Pentonville
thinking the air did my head good,
and looked at one or two houses In
the new streets. They are ex-
tremely dear. the cheapest looked
at being SIS pounds a year with
taxes. Their situation for business
is undeniable certainly. and the
houses themselves are very pretty,
but this is too much.
As your Mama has not seen the
sideboard, and as there are great
number of new purchases which
even you have not seen % think
the best way will be, for you, and
she. and Mary, to spend the day
here Furnivals 1nn) on Satur-
day. I will ask Mother to come to
tea; the purchase can be COM
pleted, and you can all get home
by the last Buss. Let me know
what you think.
I have bought to-day a pair of
quart Decanters and pair of
prints, a chrystal jug, three brown
dittos with plated tops. for beer
and hot water a pair of Lustres,
and two magnificent china Jars
all. ! flatter myself, slight bargains.
Meanwhile Dickens was not only
lonely, but was experiencing the truth
that even young bachelors are not
exempt from worry There is some
trouble with a butchers
boy.
The Butcher wrote me last night
to say that his boy was going to
take out a warrant against me
for an assault. i wrote back that
the sooner he did it. the better,
and that I had instructed my
clerk to take in no more insolent
attempts to extort money You
shall see this precious correspond
ence, too, tomorrow.
Had Dickens a clerk? Or was the
existence of a clerk assumed for the
purpose Of impressing the butcher?
More probably the name was con-
ferred upon a male servant shared
with other occupants of Furnivars
Inn. 1t does not matter so much as
the identity of the butchers boy. Can
it be he who is mentioned with
tantalizing brevity in another letter
about this time?
am very glad to hear that your
Mama is pleased with the report
of the kitchen. hope she is not
overcome at my cruelty in being
vexed with the Tom-foolery Of the
Sunday School Paragon.
Again, what kitchen? The SEN
tence suggests that house had been
taken, but evidence to that effect is
lacking and, indeed, unlikely. Full as
they are of little details, the letters
present plenty of such riddles. No,
there Is small indication of a house,
but by this time Dickens was get
ting launched on his literary career.
have had a visit from the Pub
Usher this morning and the story
cannot be any longer delayed-it
must be done tomorrow. AS there
are more important considerations
than the mere payment for the
story involved, too, I must exer-
else a little self-deniaI and set to
work.
They Chapman and HalD have
made me an offer Of fourteen
pounds a month to write and edit
plate, entirely by myself, to be
published monthly and each num-
Der to contain four wood cuts. I
am to make my estimate and cal
culation and to give them a de-
cisive answer on Friday morning.
The work will be no joke, but the
emolument Is too tempting to
resist.
"Pickwick" Is Started.
The monthly publication was "Pick-
wick" and all the world has read
how, after hanging fire in the first
four numbers, it was carried to
abounding success in the fifth by the
appearance of Sam Weller. Dickens
must have started in earnest on the
work which was to be mo joke" for
he soon writes:
I have at this moment got Pick
wick and his friends on the Roch-
ester coach and they are going on
swimmingly, in company with a
very different character from any
have yet described, who hatter
myself will make a decided hit. I
want to get them from the Ball to
n 4 At 4 M 4 q