THE LITTLE DICKENSES.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 83, 12 March 1877, Page 2

THE LITTLE DICKENSES.

▲ paragraph, is going the«mnd of the. papers just now about a little nephew and niece of the late Charles Dickens, who are o>>lt kept from the work-house at Amboy, Illinois, by a poor old couple, who, ha?e found! the children a home since their motor died. Nearly everybody who reads this paragraph, gaohes over it* and say*, " What a pity! what a shamef that the poor little children of such an uncle should- he allowed to be fed, lodged* and clothed by the charity of strangers." Yet the same paragraph, goes on to- state that, their late father was a drunken, unprincipled . scoundrel, who deserted his wife in England when; she lost her eyesight, and eloped with a school girl to- America. As he was abrothejr of the great novelist, however, interest was brought to bear, and a good biHet was found him in the band Department of the Illinois Central KaUroad. Bui h* spent hto. money a« fast as he got it, sponged on his brother and everybody else within reach, got discharged from his billet for misconduct, and at length deserted hi» second wife and thi two children above referred to. He sponge* his way through the States, ami to Australia, here his brother's great reputation bang hi* only capitSl; bat it waa snfficient: it pro* cured him free quarter* in every town and township he visited ; pound notes, half- sore* reigns, half-crowns, and unlimited dnnk*, at bush public-houses— for the poorest bushmaa had known and appreciate* Charles Diokens. This Augustus Di<sfent.w»j »fcßri»UwhMk

tot ft few days twelw or thirteen years ago, I Mmwntwr, • bloated, ebabby, dirty loafer. He died a pauoerand an oßto*«rt--»8 he was bound to be, to «pite of fete and d 1 the help Of all the people in the world. The poor ftaim whom he «edac«d and took to Amene» wleh Him, lived in utter mi«*" tnr « number ofyww, snd afc.Ja»t poi»nod heraelf, and her two children hwe been with thwo'd couple SbAmbot, mivoii, ever mnoe. Th» "pity •nd tbe"»h»n»«" of the whole matter ia that »uoh a mm ahoaid find people foolish enough to tbo* him kin mess of which h» w»a onwortby-'-siatply became his brother WW * great genius. It is the best thing that could happen to the two children at Amboy, lllinoit, tbafc they are no longer under the blighting influence of sneh a father ; and it will be the worst thing thai could happen if they arc deluded into the idea that bra ;use thro uncle was a gienfand gifted man, there* fore tile; have a claim ou the rev iing publio of tfee whole world, and ought not to be compelled to earn their bread by hard, honest work. The sooner we letrn to call things by their right names the better.— " Bohemien " in the Qaeenslander.