Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 148, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1910 — THACKERAY WAS BORED. [ARTICLE]

THACKERAY WAS BORED.

Amnilnf Incident of the Author 9 * Second Visit to Boston. During Thackeray’s' second visit to Boston, James T. Fields, his host, was asked to invite Thackeray to attend an evening meeting of a scientific club, which was to be held at of a distinguished member. I was, said Mr. Fields, very reluotant to ask him to be present, for I knew he was easily bored, and I was fearful that a prosy essay or geological paper might be presented and felt certain that should such be the case he would be exasperated with me, the innocent cause of his affliction. My worst fears were realized. I dared not look at Thackeray. I felt that his eye was upon me. My distress may be imagined when I saw him rise quite deliberately and make his exit very noiselessly into a small anteroom adjoining. The apartment was dimly lighted, but he knew that I knew he was there. ’ Then began a series of pantomimic feats impossible to describe. He threw an imaginary person—myself, of course—upon the floor and proceeded to stab him several times with a paper folder,'Which he caught iip for the purpose. After disposing of his victim in thia way he was not satisfied, for the dull lecture still went on in the other room, so he fired an imaginary revolver several times at an imaginary head. The whole thing was inimitably done. I hoped nobody saw it but myself. Years afterward a ponderous, fat witted young man put the question squarely to me: “What was the matter with Mr. Thackeray that night the club met at Mr.' ’s house?”