Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-04

unbuttoned all but the lower button of his
waistcoat, and he was humping the table in
front of him like a pile-driver gone mad.
His voice was like the roar of lusty-lunged
young backwcods stump speaker, and he
drove LIS points home with force that was
tremendous.
The life of the ex-Premier is very simple,
as his son said. He rises at $50, or perhaps
little later in the winter, and at once puts
on the clothes he is to wear durlng the day.
Unlike most Englishmen, he will have
nothing to do with dressing gowns, morning
robes, breakfast jackets and the like, but
puts on his heavy frock suit at once. He is
exceedingly shy of new clothes, like many
other great men, and Mrs. Gladstone uses
an amazing amount of diplomacy in getting
new garments on the spare frame of her
liege lord.
FOND OF OLD CLOTHES.
He has fondness for rusty coat. A
morning is usually selected, when the ex-
Premier has a very busy day before him. he
is called late, his new clothes are laid out.
and If he discovers that there is the gloss of
freshness on them he is told that the old
suit has been sent to the cleaners. But
from the cleaners 1t never comes home.
The care that is exercised in this minor de-
tail of Mr.. Gladstone's life, is indicative of
euc COudAudl anu WdtCulul scrflCc WulCu
his wife always renders. She lives for him
entirely, accompanies him on all his jour
neys, sits on the platform when he speaks
and stands by his side when he undergoes
the periods of fatigue known as "recep-
tions, and shakes hands with thousands of
actual or possible Liberal voters after a
speech.
Mr.. Gladstone's breakfast is simple,
usually consisting of bacon and eggs or a
bit OF fish and cup of tea. Immediately
alter breakfast he goes to his library,
whether in town or country, and reads the
daily papers for the greater part of an hour.
Thls Is a matter of importance to him and
he will stand no interruption. He said, in
talking of newspapers, that it did not take
him long to run through lot of them as he
knew exactly where tn look for the infornla-
ton he wanted. The foreign news was usually
Drleny set forth and he was thorough CONVEX
SAINT with what went on in Parliament The
things that interest the Liberal leader most are
the ideas set forth in editorials. He does not
read criminal or social news but skins the
paper for political suggestions and views.
Then comes a correspondence that is of extra
ordinary magnitude. Mr.. Gladstone sees only
few of the letters addressed to him. A fair
proportion OF them are abusive epistles from
chieftain with every epithet known to the
dictionary of abuse. If a letter is par
5eas Gadsona ds@1sng shows its Ss hsT
and 1t never fails to bring smile.
A GREAT MANS SON.
Nearly all of the correspondence is managed
by the son. He is quiet, almost plaintive
man Of about IS, with small mustache and
bushy hair brushed back from his high fore
head. He affects extreme simplicity in dress;
turnover collar. cheap cent black cravat
loose-fitting and 1ow-priced clothes and an un-
obtrusive manner. He is exceedingly amiable
and is guyed good deal by his political oppo-
nents for his tendency to preside at women's
suffrage conventions and tea parties of the
weaker sex. but the opinion prevails among
politicians that he is a man of real and solid
ability, though he chooses to disguise it by his
affectation of extreme modesty. / heard Mr..
complimentary terms, and Mr.. Parnell is not
given to the bestowal of compliments with any
pronounced degree of recklessness.
About o'clock In the morning Mr.. Gladstone
begins to receive his callers, and from that
time on there is not a minute left to himself
till L This ordeal of receiving visitors and
delegations has arrived at an awful pitch of
perfection in England. The British statesmen
have horror to face that our politicians know
nothing of. On any and every conceivable
occasion the British voters will form commit
tee or a delegation and send it to call on the
most noted man within reach. To receive such
a band of visitors by making little speech
and shaking all their hands is the accepted idea
OF the duty of public man. Not to do it fills
the voter with amazed and startled incredulity
The delegations call for no particular reason
and usually leave no better than they arrived,
but they keep on calling on eminent men, with
the persistence of lightning rod agents. Mr..
Gladstone is particularly amenable to this
form of political persecution on account of the
varied interests he represents.
He takes light luncheon with his family at
i o'clock, and drives at once to the House
With his doings in Parliament the world is
familiar enough. AS rule the exPremier
dimes quietly at home at 7:30. His diet is care
fully considered. He chews every bit of meat
25 times, and drinks only light red wines. After
dinner he is back in the House again, and
unless an important division is expected he is
home and in bed at IL o'clock His day is
simply a routine Of hard and persistent work.
BLAKELY HALL