THACKERAY'S "JEAMES."

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 43, 19 August 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

THACKERAY'S "JEAMES."

«_ In Sir William Fraser's " Hie et Übique" some capital stories are told of Thackeray. The individual whom the satirist perpetually jibed at in Punch and elsewhere was one Foster, the Bocial reporter of the Morning Post. Thackeray affected to believe that the accounts of fashionable balls which at that time filled the columns of the Post were contributed by a footman, whom he created as " Jeames, of Buckleysquare." Mr. Foster was a power. He was the only man in London who knew " everybody that was anybody " by sight, and was, therefore, invaluable to his paper, This made him autocratic, and when offended he readily found ways to give effect to his resentment. One gentleman expostulated with him for misspelling his name, whereupon Foster introduced him at a number of parties as " Mr. Muggins." It will readily be understood that one name never appeared by any chance in the Morning Post, and that name was Thackeray. "Thackeray," bays Sir William Fraser, " who occasionally condescended to associate with duchesses and marchionesses, was surprisod at this omission. "With the simplicity of his nature, he walked up to the table iv the entrance-hall of v great house, at which Mr. Foster was recording the brilliant array that passed before him, and said to the reporter, 'My name is Thackeray.' Without looking up, the individual said, 'Yes, and mine is "Jeames." ' Thackearay's namo never appeared to Jeames's last hour. " When Thackeray was editing Cornhill, a friend sent him a short poom, with the following note, both in a disguised hand : — "A widow, the mother of an only son, has had for some weekspast the sad task of watching by his death-bed. It wasannonced to her that her boy's life could not be prolonged beyoud a month. She knows that the object nearest to his dying heart is that some verses which she encloses, and which she believes to be not without merit, should appear iv the Cornhill Magazine. If Mr. Thackeray's kind and gentle nature will oblige her, he will have the satisfaction of feeling that ho has given a short happiness. to the poor boy, who will not long outlive its publication." The frieud met Thackeray noxt day in Piccadilly, who said to him, "I've got your verses ; I will put them in." Sixteeu publishers in turn refused " Vanity Fair," and Thackeray had a deeply rooted hatred of the whole race, expressing his contempt very forcibly, as it will be remembered, in " Pendennis." Galling one day on a publisher, he waited in a room the carpet of which was a gaudy design in red and white. On the host entering, the author of " Vauity Fair " said to him, " We have been admiring your carpet ; it is most appropriate. You wade in the blood and brains of authors."