Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-14

lacking in evidence that both were. o
fancied themselves. adopts in dosing
and domestic remedies:
I will not delay my coming over
by saying more than that I hope
you are well and have taken some
camphor julep. If not, my dear
est, do so at once.
I send Fred with some black
currant jam which you will find
an efficacious. and at the same
time agreeable, medicine for your
throat. I have also desired him
to take some chloride of lime from
town. The good it will do in purify
ing the atmosphere of your room
will more than counterbalance
your dislike to it's smell.
I was very unwell all last night,
and my head, though better, is far
from being IN its usual state to-
day. Should it not be quite we'll
tomorrow, I think / will make up
my mind to be bled without delay.
I was taken so extremely unwell
when we got to KnightSbridge last
night that l really thought I
should have been unable to pro-
coed: my head was so extremely
bad. and the dizziness affected my
sight so much that I could scarce
see at all. in addition to which
cheerful symptoms my tottering
legs gave me the appearance of
being particularly drunk. I
Immediately purchased and took a
five-grained pill-which has quite
removed the original symptoms.
but is performing such singular
evolutions in my interior that am
at present quite unable to leave
home. I have ordered broth and
other soothing preparations to be
made without delay.
My cold, l am sorry to say, is
very bad, indeed, this morning. &C
companied with a headache and
all the unpleasantries which usu-
ally follow in its train. If it should
be a damp night, and the fog
should continue, would you advise
me to stay at home, take some
cruel, try hot water for my feet
and go to bed early? Let me
know.
Was Micawber Dickens Father?
Among these Affections anothe
crops up. There are Dickens com
mentators who say that Dickens per,
possessed some of the characteristic
his son bestowed upon Mr. Micawber
Others hold with Bernard Darwin, tn
latest biographer, that John Dicken
was Mr.. Micawber. Whatever ma
have been his exact share in that i'm
mortal, he intrudes upon this yer
private correspondence in two mysteri
GUS passages. We can all put our owl
construction upon them. but perhar
we shall all be led to agree tina
John Dickens may be better to rea'
of than he was to live with. Thes
are the illusions:
My dearest love-"This comes
hoping" you are quite well as it
leaves me at this present.
On reflection I think perhaps I had
better not write to my father about
the unpleasant setout of yesterday,
but take an opportunity of seeing
him tonight and talking to him
about it. Does this meet your ap-
proval, my dearest?
My dearest Katie-Dont say you
are angry to receive a letter from
me, or that I could come to you II
1 would. have only this moment
returned from accompanying father
to Cold Bath Fields. " ."
The conclusion may be wrong, bu
it is irresistible. There is significant
in the brevity with which Dicken
records these occurrences; he who
generally so fertile in making tn
most of a little. Il have only thl
moment returned from accompanyin
father to Cold Bath F'ields''-does
not remind one of another great Eng
fish writer who was seen sadly walk
ing with his sister to another an
worse prison. house?
Those who know most about tn
love letters of great men and sma
should be able to say whether it
common for lovers to grow nor
familiar and more lenient with tn
passage of time Very little tim
passed before Charles Dickens re
lapsed from his dignif1ed style Of ad
dressing Catherine Hogarth into tn
employment of pet names and pettin
symbols.
Dearest Pig" As Pet Name.
She becomes by stages MY deare:
life" Dear mouse" My deare:
mouse" Dearest wig" and eve
Dearest pig" The last was probabl
a whimsical twisting of the nor
common wig" AS for the others.
will be recalled that David Copperfiel
called Dora his mouse and also h
life.
The symbols Dickens employs al
different from those most in fave
with lovers. Instead of putting crosse
for kisses he sets down an exact mum
Der. One letter, for example, enc
with SO followed by no fewer tina
33 noughts. and as a tear in tn
paper cuts them mercifully short tt
actual total cannot be computed.
By exercising little critical pedar
try it is possible to perceive in tn
exaggerated definiteness a resemblanC
to the peculiar realism out of whic
Sam Weller, Mrs. Camp and the re.
of them sprang to life.
Sometimes the absence of kisses
supplied with a God bless you. m
own dear love-" to which on an occs
sion when Catherine is i'll there
added, Take rare of yourself for n
sake, not for your own: I am vel
selfish"
Now, too, we get glimpse of ne
attitude toward the lady's whims
the first sight of "coss," evidently
loverly rendering of Gross" "N
'coss'?" he hopes, an again:
am most happy when you have
not been "coSs I perceive
you have not subdued one part Of
your disposition-your distrustful
feelings and want Of confidence.
However this may be, you may rest
assured that I love you dearly
far too well to feel hurt by what
in any one else would have an
noyed me greatly. 80" God bless
YOU. Pig, and believe me Off you