Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-23

personal whims or tastes. On the contrary, his
habits were simple. his wants few and his indi-
vidual caprices seldom costly. But he was very
free with his money-when he had it-and be
never refused any one who asked him q favor
There is well authenticated story OF his giving
20 an impecunious friend the last sovereign IN
his pocket and then walking home because he
had not money enough TO pay for cab.
Some years ago there were unpleasant stories
whispered In London concerning certain OF
uncertain claimants upon MI. Disraen. There
were said to be two young, or youngish, women
who said that he was their father, and 8 well.
grown man who claimed to be his con. The
story ran that this interesting trio, neither OF
whom was the child Of the same mother, was
heavy drain upon the resources of the great
statesman. What foundation for this scandal
of Mr.. Disraelrs most intimate friends declared
that 1t was perfect fabrication, without the
slightest foundation In fact. But be this as Ii
riage his wife had not the slightest cause to
complain of him. Whatever might have been
his former indlscretions, after his marriage he
was the most devoted and conscientious OF
TWAS also said that his wife, who was the
widow OF his fellow member for Maidstone,
MI. Lewis, proposed to him, and not ne to her.
She had conceived great admiration for him
during the life OF her first husband. After the
death OF Mr.. Lewis she found herself the mis-
tess OF large fortune, and without any en-
She i has s snspe 9 m or
great career WAS open to Dlsraeli, but that b }
was hsmpered by debt and the want OF 10 )ney.
she to end iy to gss
the generous offer. He could not, he said, &C
cept such favor from any one-most posi-
lively not om woman even
In his. Sne conquered, and he was her de-
voted friend and lover ever after.
But Mr.. Disraeli was essentially an actor, in
private as well as In public life. and it has been
limited that he even acted his protested love
for his wife, and really had no romantic or sin.
cere affection for her-regardlng her only as a
nephew might look upon rich and afrectionate
old aunt, who would give him all the money he
wanted so long as he was good and kind to her.
This was, most probably, baseless SANDER. Mi.
vivid Imagination. which enabled him to invest
any object with the attributes and charms
which he desired 1t to possess, In this way he
beautiful nor very Mighty gifted With Intellect
paragon OF everything that was charming
and worshipful, and he accordingly thus wor-
shipped her.
One Of the unexplained mysteries In Mr..
Disraelis political life is that most curious
declaration OF his, made at meeting of his
constituents at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshlre,
emphatic and deliberate manner, that her
majesty had become physically, morally and
mentally 1ncapactated from discharglng her
functions as sovereign" The reporters for
them experienced stenographic reporters, and
accustomed to take down Mr.. Dl5raeli 8
speeches In the House--were astounded as they
recorded these extraordinary words, and could
scarcely believe that they had correctly under
stood his meaning. They consulted with each
other at the end Of the speech and found they
fearing there might be some mistake,
and Wishing to be positively certain. they de.
puted one OF their number, Mr.: Thompson
Cooper Of the Tires e stan and editor OF the
ask II they had correctly understood him.
sRead your paragraph as you have it," said
Mi. Disraeh to MI. Cooper. He read 1t: you
exactly what said and what meant to say"
The excitement which this strange phrase
when published In the London papers created
bered. Mi. Disraen never retracted 1T, nor
made any explanation Of it. But it was this
lady-who, in Mr. Disraens opinion, was a
physical, moral and mental wreck-Whom he
afterwards made Empress Of India, and from
whose hands he received his titles of Earl,
ViscOunt and Knight OF the Garter.
MOI did this strange utteranee at all initiate
against the cordial and affectiOnate relations
between the queen and himself. She always
was fond OF him. and at times displayed her
friendship for him in such pronounced man
tended to order him to marry her. He was q
wicked wit who said In relation to this story,
that "there were two Johns who stood In the
way Of the proposed nupsials-John Ball and
Mr Disraen was also great friend Of the
Prince of Wales, and IL was understood that
whenever his Royal Highness was In scrape-
and that was not seldOm-he went to DISraeli
for advice and succor, as well az for cash, some
times. 1t was the story ia London that, in the
unhappy case OF Lady Mordaunt, when the
as witness, he ran to Disraeli, explained the
strait he was In, and said that he thought
the best way out OF 1t would be to go to
,ha strait and remain
said Disraeli, 'yOu must face the music. Go
into the court and boldly say that so far as you
know the lady Is chaSte as 1ce.' The Prince
ODeyed; he SHOre "iike man" to what almost
every one believed to be lie, and left the court
amid the plaudits Of the people. There ara
plenty OF other men. probably, who have done
mary embarrassments in which the Prince
found himself Mr.. DiSraeu was also not untre-
quently his best friend. There are plenty OF
sor, Osborne OF Baimorai. see the queen, and
come back with big check In his POCKET which
he would hand over to the Prince with the
remark Don't y, do It again. my boy your mo-
All this may seem to contrast somewhat
strangely with the correctness OF the Earl'S
own nfe-after his marriage, at leastmand
with the moral purity Of all his novels. What
a contrast there Is between his works and those
of George Eliot or Ouida in this respect. There
is, so far as the writer now remembers. not q
suggestion Of impurlty, immortality or adultery
In any OF the EARS early or late novels. The
love In them Is pure; the women are chaste and
sweet the men are honorable.
MT. OBSTACLES TelallOQS WIN MT. 6t6oStO06
were curious. Bitterly as they opposed each
other in public, each OF them respected and ad-
mired the other. Occasionally, but not often,
1t fell out that they met each other in society
at dinner or at some other social gathering.
And then 1t was amusing to see the awkward
ness and embarrassment Of Gladstone and the
ease and Self-posseSsion of DIsraelI. The
latter once said In private that he thought
Gladstone would die either In monastery as a
Roman Catholic lay brother, or in madnouse
Some tattler took the tale to Gladstone and II
made him very angry. But afGer Gladstone
had written his anti-Vatican pamphlet
DlSraeli remarked that there was no longer any
danger OF the monastery; and after the last
general election, which resulted In GladSGone's
victory, he said, with sigh, "PerhapS 1t is
and not Gladstone who is TO end his days in q
madhouse."-N r. Graphic.
The Curse Of Smoke.
Innum cradle are the complaints that are
made Of obnoxious tobacco smoke. Some Of
them are published In the newspapers; others
so vigorous in language as to be unfit for pub
ncauon, find their way into editorial waste
baskets, but most are made verbally, and many
are by men who themselves enjoy an occa
siOnal cigar or pipe. 1t is not the use OF the
weed that Is objected to, but the general lacs
OF taste and sense as to the proper times and
places for Indulgence. There are many virtues
that would be annoying to beholders II prac
ticed in public. What can be said, therefore, IL
defence OF q petty but general vice that thrusts
itself under the noses Of everybody? Every
place out Of doors where half dozen people