*J. WALKER McSPADDEN*
_Author of "Stories of Robin Hood," "Synopses
of Dickens's Novels," etc._
NEW YORK
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1906
BY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY
*Preface*
The title of this book rings in the ear with a pleasant sound. "Stories
from Dickens"! "Stories" alone usually suggests such delightful rambles
in the land of dreams! And when it is coupled with the name of a king
of story-tellers by divine right, the charm is increased a hundredfold.
These stories are--as the title indicates--taken directly from Dickens,
very largely in his own language, and always faithful to his spirit.
They are the stories of his most famous boys and girls, merely separated
from the big books and crowded scenes where they first appeared. In
stage talk, the "lime-light" has been turned upon them alone. Their
early joys and sorrows are shown, but always with more of the smiles
than the tears. There is sadness enough in real life without
emphasizing it in books for young people, and so only two of the
numerous deathbed scenes found in Dickens are given place here.
The book is not intended as a substitute, however small, for the
complete texts; but is offered in the reverent hope that it will serve
as both introduction and incentive to the bulky volumes which so often
alarm young people by their very size. The compiler has in mind one
child of the "long ago" who looked with awe upon a stately row of fat
books kept for show, like mummies in a high glass case, and labelled
"Dickens." This child never suspected that the books were intended for
reading--at any rate, not by children; so he contented himself for the
time with trashy little books with highly colored pictures "intended for
children." What a world of delight would have been opened to him if
some one had placed in his hands the story of Oliver Twist; or the first
part of Nicholas Nickleby relating to Dotheboy's Hall; or the early
history of David Copperfield (he might have demanded _all_ of _that_
story!); or some of the inimitable Christmas tales! Afterwards he would
have read on and on for himself.
To other such children this book comes as a friendly guide to
Dickens-land.
It is barely necessary to add that the book is in different vein from an
earlier handbook, "Synopses of Dickens's Novels," which is a quick guide
and index to all the plots and characters in full.