Chapter I: 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 the Nineteenth Century, when Victoria was Queen of Great Britain. Perhaps he was 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 author of that period. In those wonderful writings are found many pictures of child-life connected with the plan of the novels or stories. These child-stories have been taken out of their connections and are told by themselves in this volume. By and by you will read for yourselves, "The Christmas Carol," "The Chimes," "David Copperfield," "The Old Curiosity Shop," and the other great books by that fascinating writer, who saw people whom nobody else ever saw, and made them real. When you read those books you will meet again these charming children, and will remember 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