The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-25
GLADSTONE In TUE HOUSE.
How He Dominates the Entire Assembly

| lOhitlu GllS outSt SAiN Va 49,
ment bench listening to a debate. 1t
NAV be that this Is not his invarlable
rule, but at leastI havenever happen
ed to see him in the house in any Qth-
er garb than evening dress, with
der pan OF shirt front than
/ dinariiv worn even here, where
much linen is the fashion. He Z
back comfortably, with n thi0
over the other, and with his eyes mus
ingly fixed on the great mace on the
table beforehim, when in repose. The
full top light shines on his long, bald
crown, his clustering gray side locks
and his shirt front, and makes nm
the conspicuous object OF eA,y eye.
About 10 or IL o'clock in th1 senine
he always writes his daily S4etter to
the queen, using n pad on his knee
and a quill pen, and it is one OF tho
most familiar of his curious ways that
this occupation never prevents
his hearing acutely ali that is goingon.
All at once you will see him stop writ
ing and screw his head to one side like
q very wise old bird. and you may
know that he has heard something
which interests him. Ii the speaking
happens to be unusually good he will
turn and look at the orator steadily,
as if delighted at the discovery OF new
talents. When lesser lights o! the op-
position-and the name OF these Is
legion-are attacking him, he custom.
arily draws his head down INTO his
collar and looks stonily at them; but
If the assault bcfromsomebody worth
listening to, say Churchill orSmith, he
listens more sraciously, expressing on
his s%trikinsly mobile face as the in
dictment goes on all his emotions
amusement, interest, dissent, %inaigna-
ton, scorn, elatlon. No great actor
even knew better how to show forth
more varied feelings in all their inten-
sity on his lace. And then to see him
nod his head, or slowly shake it, inre-
Spouse to some controversial asser-
ton. Lord Burleigh's nod could not
have been more subtly eloquent.
When he rises to his feet a great
hush falls over the house. 1t would
not be exact to say that all eyes are
turned upon HIM, because he is at all
times the focus Of observation, but a
light of interested expectancy comes
into every face. He begins in q low
lOllc vi NOiC, DtU lllGlC 10 Setl StDSO-
lutte silence that his first words are
never inaudible and rarely indistinct.
He has been making notes during the
speech he is to answer, but he will not
refer to them once he is on his feet.
His form as he standsa at the side OF
the table, upon which he lightly rests
one hand, does not seem as tall as it
really is, SO delicately is it proper
toned. l wish there We're words in
which to convey the sound and fiber
OF his voice, tor until you are able to
associate this with your image OF the
man the mental picture fails. Itisun-
like any other voice, Just as Sarah
Bernliardt'sis; it has in itself thepower
Of generating new sensations, new
thoughts in the listeners mind; it
seems to have something OF primor-
dial weirdness in it's suggestions-like
the ocean or the "forest primeval.' OF
oratory, as such, there will not be
much. There will be nothing ut all
to recall Wendell Phillips or Web
ster, or to suggest Castelar, or Gam
BETA. 1t is not ever the eloIuence
OF Bright or OF Joseph Cowen. There
are no gestures, save limited move
ments with one hand: there are no
swelling outbursts OF the voice, no
trick Grounded elocntionary periods.
One feels only at the outset that a
great man is terribly in earnest; then,
as the slow, careful, logical sweep OF
speech goes on one feels that this earn
estness is contagious-one catches it's
spirit, hangs npprovIngly upon it's de-
velopment, thrills with enthusiasm at
it's climax of conclusions. The great
orators whom HAYS named could
elec6rify q legislative a%ssemblage, play
upon it's emotions at will, blanch its
cheeks, quicken it's pulses, command
It'll widest plaudits, but after the
east just as if it had not been made.
There areno such observation-disclosures
in listening to Mr.. Gladstone. He
does not storm your senses-he CON
quers your reason, convinces your
judgment.
This Tremendous power OF persua-
sion is the key to the whole man. 1t
accounts for both his strength and his
weakness. Heis so superb, SO match
less an arguer that he can lead English
sentiment around after him wherever
he wants to go. But he is also so 0
derful 81 casuist that he persuades
even himself out of his own Judgment
sometimes, and then leader and led
alike go into the ditch. Sentiment
and shrewdness are curiously mingled
IN his mental control. He may be as
cautious and wary as Machiavelli, up
to % certain point; then he will be for
a time as open and unsuspecting as
Lady Jane Grey-and then all at once
flame forth with the passionatefervor
OF aLoyola. Yet all the time he will
be, IN his intentions, deeply conscien-
tlous and sincere. Toward whatever
point OF the compass his steps may
reallyb be directed, his moral vision will
De liked upon the north star
OF political enfranchisement and
advancement. Hence it has happen
ed that while the clever men OF his
party, able at least to see that he was
temporarily in the wrong path, have
often held aloof from him, the masses
OF the English people, having supreme
faith in his intentions, have followed
him blindly through good and evil re.
port. And now, when Mr.. Goschen
and Lord Harrington feel constrained
OF one point OF view to part com.
pany with him, and Messrs. Chamber
lam and Trevelyan from q widely
different standpoint are threatening
to desert him, l believe that the peo-
pie OF England are more united in
sympathy with him and support of
him than they have ever been before.
BE that as it may-andth The question
Will soon be put to the test-there will
De no dissent to the proposition that
the house OF commons will be another
and different body when he drops out
Of it.
Mrs. Mary Pollard is called q. rsnra.