Huntsville gazette., 1886-07-24
A WORKING MAN.
Wonderful Industry and Endur-
ance of g treat Britain's
Premier. MfFFF

HR EiE
If this article were to be an exhaustive
exposition of its title, and fully describe
Mr.. Gladstone at work, it would resolve
itself into minute description of every
hour of the waking day. Mr.. Gladstone
is at work only once day. But then it
is all day long. Heaven, in endowing
him with intellectual qualities of the
highest order, added the gift rare in
this combination of incom parable bodily
health. OF his more than seventy years
of life, very few weeks have been
filched from him by illness. This is an
advantage to man in any rank of life.
TO a public man it is priceless. If we
review the list of prominent public men
throughout Europe and in the States,
it will invariably be found that they are
men of robust health. This is, of course,
not because craftsmanship is a pecul-
iarly healthy avocation, but because
only physically strong men can stand
the wear and tear of public life.
Gladstone, who was always fond of
music, is now quite enthusiastic about
negro melodies" Lord Malmesbury
writes under date 1860, in his recently
published memoirs. ''He sings them
with the greatest spirit and enjoyment,
never leaving out verse, and evidently
preferring such as Camp Down
Races Mr.. Gladstone has long ago
abjured negro melodies, but this ex-
tract is strikingly illustrative of his dis
position. Whatever he undertakes he
performs with. the greatest spirit and
enjoyment.
Some years ago he was smitten with
the china mania. This ran through the
period of the. Parliament of 1868, when
he was, or might have been thought to
be, engrossed with such works as the
Irish Church bill, the Irish Land bill,
the Education bill and the Ballot bill.
But he found time to 60 on with the
collection of china, pursuing rare cup
and saucer as if they we're clauses of the
Land bill, upon the carrying of which
he had set his heart. He had not only
a collection of china, but one of the best
in the possession of a private collector,
and every piece he had himself secured.
His passion for telling trees is of
worldwide renown. It is characteristic
of him that he should take up this un-
usual method for recreation. Telling a
tree, as any who has tried it will know,
provides for two Or three hours, accord
ing to girth, about as hard work as a
man can put his hand to; and this is the
outdoor recreation which the Premier
kindly takes to. He never rides, does
not shoot nor hunt. He ewalks with long
strides and unfailing vigor. But with
a trusty axe in his hand, coat and waist
coat off, trouser-band frightened. and
braces looped at his side, he enjoys some
intervals of rest.
Like all men of healthy organization.
the Premier must have his reasonable
allowance of sleep. He can do with
eight hours, when he can get it, but his
allowance rarely exceeds seven. When
at home in Hawarden. ne makes point
of going to bed before midnight, and is
down with the regularity of clock-work
at quarter to eight. His first work is
to walk over to the church in the
neighboring village, of which his son
is rector, where there is always early
morning service. No vicissitudes Of
weather prevent him from fulfilling this
duty, Lord William Bentick used tosay
of Mr.. Bright that if he had not been a
Quaker, he would have been a prize
fighter. 1t is at least equally safe to as
sert that if Mr.. Gladstone had not turned
his attention to politics, he would have
been Bishop, and in due course an
Archbishop. Failing that, every Sum
day morning when he is at Hawarden
he walks out to the readers desk in the
parish church and gratifies crowded
congregation by reading the lessons for
the day.
During the session of 1885, just before
the adjournment for the Whitsun re-
cess, Mr.. Gladstone, as he sat upon the
Treasury Bench, looked dead beat at
last. Things were troublous at home
and abroad. Negotiations with Russia
were still proceeding to no visible end.
Egypt was in state of confusion; whilst
IN the House of Commons the free
lances of the opposition, encouraged by
this dark lookout, had redoubled their
personal attacks upon the leader of the
House, drawing from him an eloquent
and pathetic protest in the name Of the
liberty and dignity Of the House Of