The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-10
Aneedote. or the GIadsto"es'
From Temple Bar.

A
Mr. .Iobn Gladstone liked that his chllu-
ron should exercise their judgment ny
stating the why and wherefore Oh e,.i3
opinion they offered, and college .lem
OF Williams, who went on a VISIT 10 f'sq"S,
in KIncardmesnire during the summer y,
1880. furnishes amusing pictures Oh .no
family customs in that house "where the
children and their parents argued upon
everything" "They would debate a. 10
whether the trout should be boiled or
broiled. whether window should DC
onened. and whether 1t was hkely 10
he fine or wet next day. IL was at
,yoys perfectly good-humorcd, but curious
"a 4 stranger because OF the evident care
which an the disputants took TO advance
no propositions. even to The prospect OF
min rasbIy. One day Thomas Gladstone
knocked down wasp with his handker-
chief. and was about 10 crush II on the ia-
HE. when the father started the question
as TO whether he had The right to XIII the
insect; and this point was discussed WIN
~ mulch seriousness as II human life had
been at stake. When at last il was ad-
jldged that death was deserved because II
was trespasser i'm the drawing-roOm, a
common enemy and a danger there, 1t was
found that the insect had crawled from UNI
der the handkerchief, and was flying away
with n staggering sort OF buzz as II To
mock them ALL"
On another occasion William Gladstone
and his sister Mary disputed rs to where
certain picture ought TO be hung. I'm ola
Scotch servant came In with ladder ana
stood irresolute while the argument pro-
crossed: but az Miss Mary would not
Weld William calamity ceased from speech,
though unconyinced, OF course. The SER
want then hung up the picture whore The
Young lady ordered; but when he had done
This he crossed the room and hammered
nail i'm the opposite wall. He was asked
why he did this. '|Aweel. Miss, that 10
to hang the picture on when yen have
come roond to Master Willie's opeenion."
The family generally did come round to
Williams opinion, for the resources OF MS
ton0ue-fencing were wonderful, ana ms
father. who admired clever feint as much
AZ a straight thrust. never failed TO encour-
ace him by saving: "Hrar, hear; well
soid. wen nut. Wilic!" ii the young de
hater bore himself well i'm an encounter.
Another thing which Mr.. John Gladstone
taught his children was to accomplish to
the end whatever they might begin, and
no matter how insignificant the under
taking might be. Assuming that the
enterprise had been commenced with
n deliberate. thoughtful purpose, it would
obviously be weakness 10 abandon II,
whereas IL il had been entered upon with
ont Thought it would be useful 10 carry it
through as "A lesson against acting without
reflection. The tenacity with which VIII
liam Gladstone adhered TO this principle
exercised no doubt beneficial moral dis
cipline upon himself, but was frequently
very trying To his companions. " NJ
Fas0Ie.r saws his friend already quoted.
- we often had archery practice. and the
arrows that went wide OF the targets would
yet lost i'm the long grass. Most oi us
would have liked to collect only the AZ
rows that we could find without trouble,
and then BEGIN shooting again: but this
WAS not Williams way. He would insist
that all the arrows should be found
before we shot our second yOli6yS,
and would marshal us in Indian
file and make us tramp about in the grass
fill every culver had been rehlled. Once
we were 50 lOng i'm hunting for pariicu-
lar arrow that dusk came on and we had
10 relinqush the search. The next morn
ing as | was dressing | saw through my
window William ranging the field ana
prodding into every tuft OF grass with Il
stick. He had been busy i'm this way for
two hours. and at lenelh he found tie
arrow Just before breakfast. | remarked
that he had wasted q good deal OF time.
Yes. and No." he said. :" was certain
the arrow could be found il | looked for it
I'm a certain way, but il was the longest
way, and failed several times from try
ing shorter methods. When | set To work
in the proper fashion ! succeeded" " Well
done. Williel" concurred his always ap-
prcciatiyc father.
II was the same at Oxford. Gladstone
would start for walk to some place eight
miles distant, and make up his mind To 90
" at least more than half the way Rain
might fall in torrents "a serious matter in
those days when no undergraduate ever
carried an umhrellal, but this would not
shake him from his purpose. So long IL
he had not passed his fourth-milc post no.
thing would make him turn back. Directed
toward higher objects thi, stubbornness
could be dignicd with the name of perSc-
yerance, and it was a master quality that
kept all GladStOnc's friend, in subsection
To him more or less. Those VINO would
not give in to him from reason would do 50
10 avoid a contest, this being world in
which there are more carthern pots than
iron ones. and The earthen pots try 10
ascape co sions when thqy can