The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-07
TRE "GRAND OLD MAN,"
WHO AT sEvENTY.SEvEN is THE
STURDlEST
And Most Wide Awake OF the Lead
ers In English Politics What He
IL In Social Life.

New YoRK, July 6.-The Star pub
fishes the following from its London
correspondent: There are other things
besides his mental and moral qualities
for which Englishmen will point out
their grand old man as an example TO
their children. "The Peoples Will
liam is not only mighty statesman, a
powerful orator, an authority on the
Homerc legend and on the geology OF
the book OF Genesis, church goer
and a model husband and faithful,
but he is also, ii should not be forgot
ten, the champion tree fe Ter Of the
British Empire. The physique of this
prodigy Of an old man, who at three
ecore aud eighteen undertakes the
most gigantic work OF his career, is one
OF the most extraordinary things about
him. He HIS just set of, as | write,
upon his Midlothian campaign. An
idea OF the physical strain an election
eering campaign Of Mr.. Gladstone's
imposes mfy be gathered from the
fact that yesterday, duiingthe journey,
before he arrived in Edinburgh at all,
he delivered ten speeches in the open
air. You remember what admiration
as n physical effort Mr.. Blaine
peechmaking tour in the WIS.,
evoked during the last Presidential
election. i fancy Mr.. Blair nodded
his tactics upon those cfA campaign OF
Mr.. Gladstone'e. TIE speaking from
railway cars, from open ca rIages, from
hotel windows, in public halls and on
opon .AJ platforms, the incessant
speaking, day and evening, almost
from the first day of the campaign TO
the last -tbese are the well known
features of the campaigns in which
MR.. GLADSTONE UNDERTOOK TO "RoUaE
THE COUNTRY"
on the great political issue with which
his name 10 associated. Nest poll
ticians, even in the prime OF lie,
would be utterly unfit for such aphys-
ical strain, or, ii they lived through it,
would be Frustrated after 1t for weeks.
Mr.. Gladstone, day or two after q
Midlothian campaign is over, is to be
seen in his shirt sleeves, perspirlng
like a Maine lumberman, laying a
heavy ak to one of the big beeches In
the wood at Hawarden. The first
Sunday after, be II rain or shine, he
tramps afoot from the Castle tn the
Hawsrden Church, OF which his SON.
in-law is rector, and reads out the les.
son in sonorous voice. He is
now n years OF age, and, with
bounding split, he goes into
the most difficult electioneering cam
paign he has ever undertaken. Think
OF it-77 years OF age. Will the reader
recall some man OF that sge OF his &C.
quaintance, il he have such patri-
arch among his friends lean
and slippered pantaloon, bordering on,
II not already in his dotage, and strive
and imagine him bearing the constant
labor, the unchristian hours, the fierce
mental strife OF one of the greatest
legislative assemblies in the world, q
life In which young, strong men grow
old and waste away before their time.
Imagine this old grandfather not only
an active participation in these scenes
but the central and dominant figure
around whom everything revolves,
the Jove like master of men, enthrall-
ing the Legislature by his eloquence,
swaying the destinles OF a great En-
pire, and taking upon his shoulders
the frat responsibility for its govern.
ment. And imagine him, further, de-
feated by the Parliament in a colossal
policy, and
APPEALING TO TIE COUNTRY TO vINDI.
CATE HIM
in a spirit which is nothing short Of
the spirit OF social revolution. lima
CINE this at an age when most old
men are doddering helplessly by the
freside. You will meet MIR. Gladstone
ut a dinner table after delivering
great speech In the House OF Com
mons, and will look at him in vain for
any signs Of exhaustion, physical or
mental, any OF those attitudes OF
weary absorption which great think
ers or great public men are 60 apt to
fall into in society, whether uncons-
Ciouslv or deliberately, and at which
theiradmirers gaze with baied breath.
Mr.. Gladstone In society is Just as much
acenter OF attraction and spectacle Of
exuberant energy and brilliancy as 10
the House OF Commons. He talks in
cessantly, and, let us hasten to add,
talks delightfully."-, never mentioning
SHOP" His eyes sparkle, his whole
face lights up with animation and he
laughs the loud, joyous laugh of
Bchoolboy. His conversation fits with
the highest of wings over q whole
world OF subjects. One evening no.
Gently at dinner a curious friend Of
mine made note that in the course OF
the repast
HE TOUCHED UPON THR + LOWING
THEMES.
The latest excavations by DIR. petrte
ia Egypi, with picturesque detail or
two about Babylonian and Egyptian
dom, site lie; Alphonse Daudet's
"Ssppho,' giving a text for some We.
hement remarks about the deeeneracy
OF French novelistic literature since
the realists came into vogue; Norwe-
glan fishing tust )ms Sarah Bernhardt
and Mary Anderson as women and as
actresses, with q decided preference
for Mary as The fret and Sarah as the
second; anecdotes OF Lord Brougham,
Taglioni, Charles Dickens, Louis
Philippe, Tom Sawyers, Gatibaldi;
whether the flowing grace OF the
Greek chiffon YVES preferable after all
to the inviting prettiness of the small
waist; the meanhets OF muzzling
dogs; q mention of old china (of
which Mr.. Gladstone is connoisseur
and eolleCtor) leading TO an account of
the Due d'Aumsle's brio a.brac, that
leading 70 sketch Of the beautiful
palace of Chatillon, that TO a chat
about Nine. dc Seviegne, and
that to regret that the En-.
glish have not that faculty for keep
ing memoirs 90 attractive in the
French, and that, again to a correction,
with personal testimony, of some of
Greville's mistakes. A bubbling, eff
fervescing stream, coming from the
springs OF the heart as fresh as in the
sprinRtlme OF young manhood. Some
body has compared Mr.. Gladstone's
heart and intellect TO winter pear,
which blooms and ripens under the
snows of age. He is fond OF the so.
clety OF pretty women, aud in sweet
girl graduates Of the drawing room he
takes an interest which. while inst as