OCR Text |
Show Autograph Mania. While visiting, this country, Dickens ono morning recolvlng a letter purporting purport-ing to havo been writton by an English Eng-lish laboring man and his wlfo, in which, in rough phraseology, they stated that they heard a great deal recocting re-cocting the beautiful books he had written, and tho good he had done for "us poor folks," and aoked his permission permis-sion to name their Uttlo baby boy after him, promising to so educate him that he might fully appreciate the works of tho novelist. Dickens sent a letter stating that ho was proud to know that his name had been conferred on the child in recollection of his writings, and wishing that tho little one might become all that his parents hoped to boo him, adding that if ho could ever learn that ho bad been tho moans at awakening In the little one any new lovo for his fellow-creatures, and a de-slro de-slro to help them with his sympathy, he ahould feel much pleasuro In tho knowlodgo. This first letter, It appears, ap-pears, was merely a subterfuge on the part of the son of an officer In the army, ar-my, who was desirous of obtaining tho autograph of tho novelist for his collection. col-lection. He was ashamed of the mean trick ho played upon Dickons, but from It he gained a far hlghor appreciation of the character of the writer than ho othorwiso might have had. |