DEAD IN THE WORKHOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 292, 8 December 1900, Page 5 (Supplement)

DEAD IN THE WORKHOUSE.

END OP CHARLES DICKERS' MANAGER.

"GOOD OLD GEORGE DOLBY."

(From Our .Sp-cial Correspon lent.)

LONDON, October 1.9.

-iii--.' days ago a penniless, llrty, and emaciated old man claimed the hospitality of Fulh-Hi Workhouse. He said his name was Dolby—"good old George Dolby"—and that he had been the agent of Charles Dickens during his later reading tours. The workhouse authorities paid little, attentiou to tho latter fairy tale. They hear too many such. When, however, shortly after their worn-out guest heaved a sigh and quietly departed for—one hopes^—less censorious spheres, they discovered he was indeed the erstwhile celebrity in question. How he came to such an awful pass the inquest showed but imperfectly. The witnesses said he drank to excess and had dea*eloped such dirty habits that lodginghouse keepers turned him out. But "de mortals," etc.—the details of this brilliant man's fall may be left in the shade. Rather let us turn to the days when he.was righthand man to Dickens, an invaluable secretary and untiring manager. The full history of Dolby's connection with the great novelist is to be found in the latter's "Charles Dickens as I Knew Him," a lively volume in the author's breezy style. He is also constantly mentioned in the "Lette.s of Charles Dickens," being spoken of as the "Dolby who would do anything to lighten work, and does everything." "He hardly ever dines, and is always tearing abom: at unreasonable hours." Again (in illness). "Dolby is as tender as a woman, and as watchful as a doctor." It was Dolby who was chosen to help the- novelist in making presents of bank notes to old friends who had not prospered; and it was'Dolby who, on an off night of the Liverpool readings, Avas asked to buy some books for the novelist's amusement—"anything of Sir Walter Scott's or my own." "The Old Curiosity Shop" was purchased, and Dolby used to describe how he found Dickens laughing immoderately over its perusal— not so much at the book as at the recollec- ■ tion of the circumstances under which certain parts of it had been .vritten (Dickens was never slow to praise Scott; he considered "The Bride of Lammermoor" the best of the novels). ! ; In the "Dally News" of Monday there appears a sympathetic sketch of* George Dolby as he was during the halcyon days of. the great Dickens readings. I cannot quote it all. but the following may suffice:— The history of Dolby is the history of the readings. He was always in difficulties. So fierce was the demand to hear the reader that Dolby, not being Procrustes, could never accommodate the hall to the public. But ei-t'h-,.iasi.ic crowds used to flip them to the roofs, and hundreds used to be turned away nightly. Their only resource was to "pitch Into Dolby." "In" Dublin," says Dickens, "people su*e besieging Dolby to put chairs anywhere: in doorways, on my platform, in any sort of hole, and corner. This was in Dublin. Iv Liverpool the police intimated officially that three thousand people were turned away—they carried in the outer doors and pitched into Dolby." It was Dolby Avho used to administer to the distinguished reader the Oysters arid champagne, and other fillips, between the "acts" in the dressing-room. It, was Dolby Who used to amuse him in the harassing ralhvay journeys between the towns and cities. It was Dolby who, bubbling over with joy, used to bring him the evidence of his amazing popularity, as judged by the heavy bags of money jingling in his hand. And sometimes Dolby used to come with hair dishevelled, and garments torn- and tattered, after a fight with an enraged and disappointed crowd. It was Dolbv who used even to help him on with Ms clothes when thero was a train to catch after the reading was over. "Reading," paid at £70 a night of two hours, with all expenses paid, seems about the most, agreeable way of earning a living that one can imagine, until we remember the awful exhaustion, the dreadful reaction which follows violent efforts Iho story of his'readings is the story of sleepless nights, with terrific applause still ringing in the reader's ears mingling often enough with the roar of the train rushing through the night. Then it was Dolby who used to carry him off to the sea for a whiff of the briny. It was Dolby who used to provide cold collations and the best ot drinks for those night journeys At some of the bigger cities the excitement to hear him was so great that Dolby used to leave the genteel parts -of the'house and stem "the shilling tide." It was Dolby wiro kept oft too pressingcallers There was a poet, for instance, who had chr-i-ten-ed his child after Dickens, and haunted him. At mm place they lived under the same roof with Chang, who so frightened the gasmen that Dolby had to be called in to appease him. Then there was the Tartar Dwarf, who av.ts always twining himself upstairs sideways. He had to be rebuffed. "No 1-oav at Glasgow. Great placards were posted about the town by the anxious Dol-' by, announcing that no money would be taken at the doors. This kept the croAvd off. Tavo files of policemen .and a double stall everywhere did the rest." In America the scenes were even more remarkable. The pay place— \ve giA*e one instance—was to open at nine on Wednesday morning, and at midnight on Tuesday a long due of speculators were assembled en queue: at two in the morning a few honest buyers had begun to arrive;- at five there were, of all classes,' two lines of not less than SOO each; at eight there were at least 5.00 persons in the two lines; at nine each Hue was more than three-quarters of. a mile lv leng-tli. lleinbers of families relieved each other in the queues; waiters flew across the streets aud squares from' the neighbouring restaurants, to serve parties who were taking their breakfast In the open December air; while excited persons offered live or ten dollars for the mere pel-mission to exchange places Avltlr other persons standing nearer the head of the. line. Just like a gold rush! But poor Dolbv was the most unpopular 'and best-abuse . mail in America. "This chap calling: himself Dolby got drunk down town last night - and was taken to the police station for fighting an Irishman." That was a sample of the lies that were told about Dolby whose real crime was to have refused advertisements to the conductors Of the i__rtial in which the paragraph appeared As tiro fever grew Dolby's task got still more d.thcult. The speculators used to''com. with mattresses, whisky, and food and camp by his office. One .night the crowd actually made a bonfire in the street, it was so cold. The police interfered, and a general fight took place. In the morning when Dolby appeared with a portmanteau full of tickets he was saluted with, "Hallo, Dolbv' So Charley has let you have the oarriawha_ he Dolby? How is he, Doh^ D._% drop the tickets, Dolby! Look 'all™"Dolby!" In the midst of which he got to business and concluded, as usual, by g,vw complete dissatisfaction. Mr Dolbv h-.----moi-e serious troubles. He had to keep a smtrp eye on the mas:er who called forth this extraordinary enthusiasm. On th. nturnoon of his birthday, for Instance a ftv.nd dropped in and found Dickens covered with mustard poultices andl voiceless He turned to Dolby and said, "Surely Dot. b.\ i- ,-s '^Possible that he can read to night?" Said Dolby, '■_ have told M?D___ens so four times to-day, and I have been very anxious. But you have no idea W he will change when he irets to rWi_.il table." It was Dolby, t__oC£. AVh, ,V_T_, tender as a woman, and as watchful a, a doctor. He even sat by his ™dwhen he was reading, and kept his eye on Mm all the tune. It was Dolby who got confused with his manifold duties that he o ™ e sen.

lhe reading will be comprised within two minutes, and the audience are earnest entreated to be seated ten hoZ befo_e tcommencement."

■Luc it was Dolby who counted the money Which was the most interesting of all his duties. His own commission was £3000. The expenses were about £14,000. Dickensnet reward was £20,000. The whole set produced over £30,000. But they killed him and poor Dolby does not seem to hare benel lited much by his h-aorarium.