St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-12-11
E. GLADSTONE.
Impressions and Recouections of
the Great Liberal.
His Physical Appearance and Rivals in the
Palme-stonian Era-Fascinations as
Orator-His Moral and
Domestic Life.

Gladstone could not have been much
under SIX feet two inches in stature.
He is taller than Bismarck, taller than
the Emperor William, taller than the
Crown Prince of Germany. taller than
the Car, and these are all tall men.
But there is that in his carriage and a
way he has of drawing himself up to
his full height when excited or when
facing an audience, which makes him
appear even taller than he is. fhvsi-
cally he is an Englishman of English
men. His frame is firmly knit and
massive. His bones are large. His
hands and feet are not models of beau
fy. They denote strength, muscular
energy, endurance. If Mr.. Gladstone
. had devoted as much attention to the
''noble art of self-defense" As James
Gordon Bennett or Roscoe Conkling
has there are not many amateurs on
this side or the other of the Atlantic
iwho. even at his present advanced age,
would consider the Grand Old Man
contemptible antagonist. The stories
about his feats with an axe are not
apocryphal. The lodge keeper at Ha-
warden pointed out to me a woodpile
which bore testimony of his prowess.
Abe Lincoln never did better work. In
the chilly dawn the statesman repairs
ito the garden and makes the chips flv
until his face grows red with the exer-
else and his digestive organs be-
come eloquent in their appeals for
breakfast. There is no doubt at all
that this careful regard for the law
which enforces the necessity of open
air exercise, especially in the case of
men whose regular pursuits make
heavy draft on their mental faculties,
lis the secret of his ability to endure the
prodigious strain of the last few years
without any apparent abatement of
vital force or any failure of confidence
and cheerfulness. His head and face.
though differing from them in many
respects. strongly suggest the head and
face of Webster. There are the same
ieonine expression, the same deep set
eyes, the same massiveness of proper
tIons, the same bredth and display of
forehead, the same commanding mien
and the same stamp and assurance of
intellectual power. All men in his
presence, no matter how disposed to
criticise his political career, are con-
scious, as all men were in the presence
of the sage of Marshfield, of an in
fuence which has been fitly described
in the case of the latter as s.godlike."
Here, truly, is a man that impresses
you as one who. while having the fail
ings OF mortal creature. has also en-
dowments which make him but little
lower than the angels"
The long twilight of an English June
evening was drawing to close when l
first laid eyes on William Ewart Glad
stone. The lights had not yet been lit
in the House of Commons. The crowd
was coming and going on the great
stairway of the Parliament buildings.
l found my way into the strangers gal
tlery. 1t was not a thronged house.
No matter of great public moment was
before the commons. Palmerston, then
itottering on the verge of the grave.
though mentally alert and vivacious,
was Premier of England. The benches
of the ministerial and opposition forces
were but partially filled. Yet it was
an illustrious gathering. Palmerston
I'D the floor. He was speaking to
LONE question in connection with the
Elgin marbles. Incidentally he took |
occasion to reply to . criticism that had |
thoroughly aroused him. His punv
form swayed with excitement. His |
penetrating voice could be heard be-
,yond the precincts of the chamber.
The words flowed from his mouths |
perfect torrent of eloquence and sar-
casm. just back of him on the lower |
bench little shriveled figure, almost
buried in the shadow of a broad |
lbrlmmed felt hat, sat as if it were lifeless.
PRESENTLY it moved: hand reached into
tine breast coat pocket of the coat and
idrew forth vast red bandanna hand
'kerchlef and the manikin blew its nose
Win an energy and resonance that
mementarily diverted attention from
The speaker. That shriveled little
figure was the figure of Lord John
Russell. Opposite to him and seated
close 70 the table which stands in front
of the Speakers chair. was q man with
= pale olive complexion, jet black eyes
and hair. At that time he did not
strike me particularly, but he was so
hultlessly dressed as to invite COM
parison with those in his immediate
,neighborhood. 1t was BENJAMIN
'Disraeli. Set in frame Of iron gray
hair and whiskers, and beaming as
benevolently As MIR. Pickwick. / recop-
n'zed, from its Likeness to the pictures / |