Dickens' Stories About Children Every Child Can Read Read online

  DICKENS' STORIES ABOUT CHILDREN EVERY CHILD CAN READ

  Edited by

  REV. JESSE LYMAN HURLBUT, D.D.

  CHARLES DICKENS.]

  Illustrated

  Every Child's Library]

  The John C. Winston Co.Philadelphia

  Copyright, 1909, ByThe John C. Winston Co.

  PREFACE.

  TO THE YOUNG READER:

  Charles Dickens was one of the greatest among the many story-writers of"the Victorian age;" that is, the middle and latter part of theNineteenth Century, when Victoria was Queen of Great Britain. Perhaps hewas the greatest of them all for now, a generation after he passed away,more people read the stories of Dickens than those by any other authorof that period. In those wonderful writings are found many pictures ofchild-life connected with the plan of the novels or stories. Thesechild-stories have been taken out of their connections and are told bythemselves in this volume. By and by you will read for yourselves, "TheChristmas Carol," "The Chimes," "David Copperfield," "The Old CuriosityShop," and the other great books by that fascinating writer, who sawpeople whom nobody else ever saw, and made them real. When you readthose books you will meet again these charming children, and willremember them as the friends of your childhood.

  JESSE L. HURLBUT.

  CONTENTS.

  PAGE

  TROTTY VECK AND MEG. _From "The Chimes"_ 9

  TINY TIM. _From "Christmas Carol"_ 24

  THE RUNAWAY COUPLE. _From "The Holly-Tree Inn"_ 34

  LITTLE DORRIT. _From "Little Dorrit"_ 49

  THE TOY-MAKER AND HIS BLIND DAUGHTER. _From "Cricket on the Hearth"_ 68

  LITTLE NELL. _From "The Old Curiosity Shop"_ 86

  LITTLE DAVID COPPERFIELD. _From "David Copperfield"_ 123

  JENNY WREN. _From "Our Mutual Friend"_ 178

  PIP'S ADVENTURE. _From "Great Expectations"_ 185

  TODGERS' 196

  DICK SWIVELLER AND THE MARCHIONESS 219

  MR. WARDLE'S SERVANT JOE 233

  THE BRAVE AND HONEST BOY, OLIVER TWIST 248

  ILLUSTRATIONS.

  CHARLES DICKENS _Frontispiece_

  PAGE

  "THEY BROKE IN LIKE A GRACE, MY DEAR." 13

  "MR. CLENNAM FOLLOWED HER HOME." 65

  LITTLE NELL AND HER GRANDFATHER 86

  DAVID COPPERFIELD AND LITTLE EM'LY 131

  SEATED ON THE CRYSTAL CARPET WERE TWO GIRLS 179

  "KEEP STILL, YOU LITTLE IMP, OR I'LL CUT YOUR THROAT." 185

  "MR. TUPMAN, WE ARE OBSERVED!" 240