A collection of pieces from Dickens wrote for his journal Household Words. Contents: The long voyage -- The begging-letter writer -- A child's dream of a star -- Our English watering-place -- Our French watering-place -- Bill-sticking -- Births: Mrs. Meek, of a son -- Lying awake -- The ghost of art -- Out of town -- Out of the season -- A poor man's tale of a patent -- The noble savage -- A flight -- The detective police -- Three detective anecdotes: The pair of gloves. The artful touch. The sofa -- On duty with Inspector Field -- Down with the tide -- A walk in a workhouse -- Prince Bull: a fairy tale -- A plated article -- Our honourable friend -- Our school -- Our vestry -- Our bore -- A monument of French folly