A Story Of Dickens

The íollowing ia entirely new. It comes from one to whom association witL Mr. Dickens waa so cömmon as to have jeen without novelty. He was one of ,ï:e few wlio waa wont to accompany the novelist u li is diiily walks. He to.d ;he story one duy lately to a nuuiber of frii-nds, amung whoin waa the prcc-eut wr ter. " One won ing - pe bapa you don't recall it, Mr F.elils- Mr Dickens carne n, ciad peculiarly ; a buff overcoat aiid int to match, ahoes, and a cañe that ooked liko a club. You coald nnt go, and he beckoced to rae, aud we slartcd off. " I have an odd mood on me tuis morniug." Mr. Dickeus remarked, as we walked to the ouiskirts of the city, bearug towards Craigie's bridge. " I cali t odd, becauss the mood is not the one which nature desigiied to be my cbaructeristio one. I ain aD author. Now . feel like acting. Perbapa these roadngs huve contributed to uiake the teelug tcud to be habitual. But I could uui ." lie glauceJ up anu l saw lit aoro-8 his face lights and eliadows of half dozen different charaeters, as hougli the rcmembrauce of them in apid suoceesiou had caused them to be rt-flecied in lus own person as tliey pawd. " I am a singular c'oiupound," he said. ' Generally I am cast down till . work. Characters come aod go, but my exturior usually shows no sigu there0Í - ehaiacters old and ccw - uovr I cüuld aot ttiem." He looked straight before him over ha loug bridge, aud we incresed our mue and hurricd through the Port and .urough Cambridge, thia time right on ast the oollego, due Dorthwest, pat .'orter'n to North Cambridge, and BÍgn told ub that we were ou the road to Arlington. We oon carne upon that own, lyiüg on the plain with its pretty steeples and the range oí billa beyood it, over wbioh blew a keen west wind, as exhilera! iog as ever I breathed. Indeed lic air had invigorated ug 11 the while. it w;;s a good sil miles walk, when Spy 'oud carne into view, Mr. Diokeuf oame to a staiid-ütill near where the inaiu street and a back road met. He itopped and oüked orer a white fence at the pond. Jp tli" road a quartcr of a ruilt-, past a cliurch with a graceful steepU, was louse ihat tood with tts wiudows lookug dowa the street. Mr. Dickens fixe lis eyet upon that house. " BUI," he Huid, in a sort of low solilojiiy, '''Bill Sykes tore h's coat, and Vancy nieudcd it for him. He paid er by thruting the needie into her lesh - t lic villain - and yet at tbia nioiR'ut I fccl like pt-reonatiug Bill S ke " [Ie tilippcd Lis buff overcoat slightly 'rom hib shouldcrs und moved Lis shoul deis with a tuddcn rtrain. I hetrd rip. " That will do,"said he. "Come," and ou he walked. He slopped at tho door of the house before inentioned and rung. The moment the band of ome ono insult', comiug ia response to the ringing, was hcad on tho door koob, a truusforuiation cume over Mr. Dickeos. LI e etood there an old man - the very ' gi andf.ither" of Lis own story. Thft Old Curiobity Shop. A palé faced girl opcued the door. Her large eyos rested on the upttirncd fuce of the old man, whose eyes were lified to her. " Nell," ie eaid, in an indescribably pathetio tone of voioe, " ih lilis Nuil ? l've been look ing for her uil this weary while, and if vou - if you are - . My eyes are old. They Uil mo you were buried. Speak -Nell !" " What do you want?" sid the girl wimdcringly. " 1 knuw Nell will mead my cont for me. These are her eyes. Will you, Nell?" " 11 is coat ia really torn," eaid I, for slic looked as though she was about to run nway. " look." " Graudma will," said the girl, nd we eutered. I was in advaneo of Mr. Dickens. In the sitting room to which the girl led the wk y Bat an old lady in a chair, sewing. " Grandinn ia blind," said the girl. " What- and sews V" " Sewg, eh ?" resounded a gruff voice from tho huil way. We turned and then 1 observed that Mr. Dickeus had not yet come in. " But can she thread tho needie ?" I said, for tho purpose of returning the itten'iou f)f the child, who looked somewhat startled, " You do that for her V" " O, no," said the girl. " She does it all herself." " Who is this gentleman ?" asked the old lady. " You see I get along well cnough with this needie. It hax a slit through to the eye, and I prees the tbread through. Herc, let me show you." And fhe threaded the needie to satisfy my ouriosity. "Sews, eb 'i again resounded the gruf! voicebuhind us. The girl turoed with a start aud gazed at the figure ihat dow Btood half recliniDg ogainst the door post. It was Mr. Dickens ; but I sliould hard'y have recognized him. It was Uill Sykes, rather, in costume, in attitude, iu facial expreosion, in the Biony and bloar-oyed sulleuness aud ferevitj of tbe èbaraotor. The girl Bhrank away from before him. " Bewa, tb ? eew my coat tben, aud be quick about it; d'ye bear ?" He flung his cot towards the old lady, aud with ruffinnly deliberation seated himself. The child lung in terror to l:cr grandmother. And it was just at this momout that the horrible hurdnees of Mr. Dickens' face began to relent. A sinile glimmerod at oue end of bi cheek. Ttie smile crept slowly around over tlie f;ice. A few movemest df hand and bamikerehief, and tbe hidcous paleness of face gave wuy to a rubiouiul hue. Tho nosa received a toucb, and thea s!.oiid out, nd aud jolly. Huiuau kiodneaS, simpiielty aud jollity lightened up tbo faee aud yleimed from tue eyes. The attitude was changcd. " And tbe blind old grandina sewi, ch ? Let'a -eo, let's see, my child, a needia tbal Ü;roads itself aluiost V" And Cap'aiu Cuttlu stood before na. " And he's drowuded, ain't be 'Í Floreuce my child - . Cunie the farco ia over." Suddenly Mr. Dickeus rosa to bis feet. Stoopiog over, he picked up bis coat. Ho slipped bis baud into his pocket und drew out a bilí. I caw the figure 20 on it. " Theie, chüd," said be, " tnke it to pleaso me. I almost thought I had met with littlo Nell, verily in the flesb. Good bye, cbild. líe good to your grandma." We K-fi tbe liouee, and I must say I wan sorry when tnu play was over.