by MAMIE DICKENS. the ROXBURGHE PRESS , fifteen , victoria street , westminster . this work , and all the publications of the roxburghe press , are supplied to the trade by messrs. simpkin , marshall , hamilton , kent & company , limited , and can be obtained through any bookseller ....

Seeing “Gad’s Hill” as a child.—His domestic side and home-love.—His love of children.—His neatness and punctuality.—At the table, and as host.—The original of “Little Nell.” Charles Dickens Reading in Garden If, in these pages, written in remembrance of my father, I should tell you my dear friends, nothing new of him, I can, at least, promise you that what I shall tell will be told faithfully, if simply, and perhaps there may be some things not familiar to you. A great many writers have taken i

Buying Christmas presents.—In the dance.—The merriest of them all.—As a conjurer.—Christmas at “Gad’s Hill.”—Our Christmas dinners.—A New Year’s Eve frolic.—New Year on the Green.—Twelfth Night festivities. Mr. Pickwick slides Christmas was always a time which in our home was looked forward to with eagerness and delight, and to my father it was a time dearer than any other part of the year, I think.  He loved Christmas for its deep significance as well as for its joys, and this he demonstrates i

My father at his work.—Rooms in which he wrote.—Love for his child characters.—Genius for character drawing.—Nicholas Nickleby.—His writing hours.—His only amanuensis.—“Pickwick” and “Boz.”—Death of Mr. Thackeray. When at work my father was almost always alone, so that, with rare exceptions, save as we could see the effect of the adventures of his characters upon him in his daily moods, we knew but little of his manner of work.  Absolute quiet under these circumstances was essential, the slighte

Furry, lazy, warm and bright, Peeing from her fringe of white, She blinks and sleeps both day and night, A happy Spitz! She need not fear the cruel stick, Nor has she learnt a single trick— Just deigns her mistress’ hand to lick, As she knits. She eats, and drinks, and eats again, Is never out in wind or rain,— Takes many a journey in the train, And her admits. She has her own coquettish charms, Knows no sorrows, no alarms, And dozes in her mistress’ arms— A sleepy Spitz. How small and piquant a

Interest in London birds.—Our pet bird “Dick.”—Devotion of his dogs.—Decision to visit America.—His arrival in New York.—Comments on American courtesies.—Farewell public appearances. The warm affection which was so characteristic of my father toward people was also directed, as I have already told, towards animals and birds.  A few further anecdotes occur to me, and I have ventured to give them here, before proceeding to tell of his visit to America, his readings, and the, to me, sad story of hi

Last words spoken in public.—A railroad accident in 1865.—At home after his American visit.—“Improvements” at “Gad’s Hill.”—At “Gad’s Hill” once more.—The closing days of his life.—Burial at Westminster. My father gave his last reading in St. James’ Hall, London, on the fifteenth of March.  The programme included “The Christmas Carol” and the “Trial” from “Pickwick.”  The hall was packed by an enormous audience, and he was greeted with all the warmth which the personal affection felt for the rea