McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-07-10


Gladstone in Private Life.
Lppincotts Magazine.
saw Mr.. Gladstone first when he
was about sixty years Of age. Happen
ing to sit very near him at dinner
party, 1 had q good opportunity of ex-
aiming his appearance closely and Of
making mental notes of his converse
ton. / had heard him called ''a
sloven," but it struck me that he was
even scrupulously neat, from the ar
rangement of his already thinned locks
to that of the small bouquet in his
button-hole; and during the number of
years that had the good fortune of
seeing him from time to time the same
care was always apparent. The most
noticeable point about Mr.. Gladstone's
physique is his immense head, the ex-
treme development of the superciliary
ridge giving his dark eyes doubly the
appearance of being deeply set. 1 had
seen many photographs of the states
man, in all of which the likeness was
striking, but all of which more or less
exaggerated peculiarities and gave the
impression of a remarkably plain, al
most a repulsive person; whereas at the
period to which refer he was really
handsome man the women all thought
so, and with their hero worship there
mingled q good deal of personal ad-
miration. Mr.. Gladstone affected no
mysterious reserve in speaking of the
| political questions of the day; he was
frank and evidently sincere. While
avowedly the champion of the people,
he occasionally made remarks of a
startlingly conservative character. I
heard him say, when some one present
spoke lightly of ssweeding the upper
House of the spiritual Lords"
"No, no; not one bishop could be
spared" "
He thought that in schools s'those
youths should be class mates whose
similar position in society wonld bring
them in contact later in life.''
He remarked quite earnestly to lady
sitting beside him: 81 am sorry you
like Cromwell; I like Charles the
First
He spoke with affectionate reverence
of the present royal family, evidently
approaching not only their public posi-
ton, but their private virtues. ~
l. His manner, nevertheless, had re-
publican simplicity, and when a chord
was touched which the inalienable
rights of man aibrated, his eye kindled
and flashed, while his tongue poured
forth an eloquent appeal, or protest, as
it might be, and he showed himself a
true liberal. i5. - r.l .
Mr.. Gladstone is loved by his friends
as firmly as he is hated by his enemies.
In society he is very popular, in great
measure because he assumes no air of
superiority, is entirely free from AFRO
gance, and never monopolizes the con-
Versation. He listens patiently and
even politely to bore, never showing
WEAKNESS. He is not at all unwilling
that another star should shine where he
shines, and no diversion of attention
from himself ever appears to
awake his uneasiness. 1 was
present on one occasion at table at
which the famous but somewhat eccen-
trio Prof. Blackie sat next but one to
Mr.. Gladstone. The professor, who is
very energetic and vociferous, BRAN
dished his arms while he was speaking,
and that so wildly that a lady who was
seated between the two distinguished
men had more than once to draw sud-
denly back to avoid his clluched hand
striking her face. He interrupted Mr..
Gladstone's remarks several times, the
interruption being borne with perfect
equanimity and met by a smile, not of
superiority, but of indulgence for the
Northumberland man." The subject
under discussion was one which both
men had much at heart-Greece and
its modern explorers.
Mr.. Gladstone told me that he ap-
proved of every one doing a portion of
manual labor-a practice which ne has
always observed himself and encour-
aged in those about him. To this habit
a good deal of the vigor of his old age
is doubtless due.
Speaking of physical powers, he once
said to me:
81 think I preserve my strength by
outstanding it; if am obliged to sit up
late at night, I always rise proportion
atelv late the following morning; and
I never do, and never have done, a
stroke of work on Sunday
On another occasion we were discus
sing the use and abuse of wine. He
said, on being questioned
"When am at mental work, re-
quire and take certain portion of
wine; but can, and do, work hard
with my hands while only taking
water"
1t was generally at dinner parties
that met the prime minister, and [
noticed that he was very moderate
eater and drinker, yet without the least
| affectation of abstemiousness.
The topic of conversation at one din
ner party which remember was Bis
/ rao1.nE For finoo AR CIod ruac