The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-17
THE MAINE STATE PRESS.
AN IDEAL WIFE.

AN IDEAL WIFE.
Mrs. Gladstone an Example of Per-
feet Health and WomanIiness-A
HeIpmeet in Every Sense.
That Mr.. Gladstone remains at so I'M
shaken in health and in the fullness of his
mental vigor is largely due to the lifelong
care and devotion of his wife. Little is
heard of Mrs. Gladstone. She is not So
ciety leader nor political woman. Nomin-
ally she is the head of the woman's liberal
federation. but her politics consists of an in
tense admiration for her husbands pro-
gramme. Mrs. Gladstone has not been con-
spicuous in any department of life in which
her husband has won honors, writes r.
Donald in Harper's Bazaar, but she has
played more important part in his life
work than is generally known. 1t is in a
great measure owing to her that he has been
able to accomplish all the work associated
with his name. She has always regarded
her husbands work for the nation as of the
first Importance, and has relieved him from
all trouble about business or household af-
fairs. She has shielded him from all the
POtpJ WOIII6S anu lLlCluuS VI lllb. DleSSGu
herself with perfect constitution and I'M
broken health, she has looked after her
husbands health with the skill of profess
ional nurse and the vigilance of guardian
angel. She has been a most devoted help
mate, and the ideal wife for great man.
When Gladstone first met the lady, then
Miss Glynne, who was to share with him the
honor of his triumphs, he was young men,
Der Of Parliment, and one of the rising hopes
Of the tory party. Miss Glynne belonged to
an aristocratic Welsh family. Her father
was Sir. Stephen Glynne of Hawarden,
Cheshire. Young Gladstone had no aristo-
cratic connections. He was the son of
Scotch merchant settled in Liverpool. 1t
was not the fashion in those days for the
daughters of aristocratic families to marry
any one bearing the faint of trade, and Miss
Gynne's friends were anxious that she should
choose husband from the ranks of the no
bility: Her own charms and beauty were
considered sufficient to win her marquis,
or duke. What first attracted Miss
Glynne's attention to young Gladstone was
remark made by an English minister who sat
beside her at a dinner party at which Mr..
Gladstone was also present. Mark that young
man." said he "he will yet be prime minister
of England" Miss Glynne keenly scrutinized
the handsome and expressive features of the
young nj. p, who sat opposite her, but it
was not until the subsequent winter that he
made her acquaintance in Italy. Perhaps this
with Mr.. Gladstone sfondness for that count
ry, and his frequent visits to it.
After his marriage Mr.. Gladstone went to
live in his father-in-law's house, BaWarden
raised conditions, and Mr.. :Gladstone helped
him by buying part Of the property. The
two families lived happily together in the
same house until Sir Stephens death. After
having put the affairs Of the estate in order,
it is said that Mr.. Gladstone seriously took
in hand the tuition of his handsome young
wife m UoohAeepins, anu size applied nef-
self with diligence to the unwelcome task.
After a little practice she went in triumph
to her husband to display her domestic ac-
counts and correspondence, in what she
thought perfect order. Mr.. Gladstone cast
his eye over the results. OF his wife's labor,
from beginning to end" Mrs Gladstone
has not succeeded as bookkeeper, but she
has been valuable ally in helping her hus-
band to keep all his books, papers and corre-
sp0ndence in neat and meth0dical way.
She never touches his papers, or moves any
thing in his study.
Mrs. Gladstone had been an ideal mother
as we'll at an ideal wife, She nursed all her
seven children herself She looked after
them from infancy, and cared for them in
every way The girls were educated by gov
ernesses, and the boys went to Elton. and
then to Oxford. There were seven children,
four sons and three daughters. Mr.W. ii.
Gladstone, the eldest, manages the Harvard
stone is rector of Hawarden church. Henry
Gladstone has recently retired from Parli-
ment Herbert the youngest, is In Parllment,
and is regarded asa bright young man who is
likely to make name Tor himself. Two
daughters have married Church OF England
clergymen, and the other, Helen Gladstone
helps her father with his correspondence.
Except when Mr.. Gladstone is in London at
tending to his Parliamentary duties, the whole
family live near each other at Hawarden.
Mr. Gladstone ic fnllU cQngihln 0f what hn
owes to his wife, and has made no secret OF
the fact that This continuance in public life
was.dependent on the health of his partner in
life. To be the wife of great statesman and
prime minister is no doubt to occupy a fine
and imposing position, but the position has its
trials. The wife of aBritish prime minister
who fills two ministerial offices at the same
time as Gladstone recently dld-and who
IS leader of the House OF Commons, sees very
was in office he was absorbed in legislative
and state business, and had little time
to spend with his family: During these
times the self-denial and self-abnegation
OF Mrs; Gladstone were beyond all
thing that would interfere in the very
least with her husbands official duties. She
mas been known to remark that when Mr..
Gladstone was in office and In London during
the season, it was quite treat to her to be
invited with her husband, to a friends house
to dinner. She always tried to get seated
next to him, "when," she said, SIT is at least
possible for me to have some conversation
with my husband; otherwise see nothing
of him.
Mrs. Gladstone is frequent visitor in the
ladies gallery of the House of Commons;
she is sure to be there when Mr.. Gladstone
is expected to make speech; and no matter
how late the house sits, she always sits up
to welcome him home. She takes the keenest
interest in his political work. When he ad-
dresses meeting she often accompanies him,
and sis on the platform beside him. 1t is
delightful to see how proudly she looks up to
him, and how charmed she is to hear him
praised. From her worshipful attitude to-
ward him, and the pride she takes in hearing
his name cheered, one might think that he
was young man Just crossing the threshold
Of political NE, and receiving the first signs
of the nations favor. Mrs. Gladstone pre-
pares the stimulant which her husband takes
while making great speech with as much
care as if it were medicine on which his life
depended. Mrs Gladstone speaks at meet
ings herself now and then, but only makes a
few remarks, which are not in oratorical
form. She is too womanly to be a success on
the platform.
At Hawarden Mrs. Gladstone is equally
solcitous for her husbands comfort and
onomizer Of time. II it were not SO he could
net get through the marvellous amount of
work which he does even when out of
office-making speeches, reading more
| DOCKS IMAM any other man in Eng
land, writing for reviews, porting over
the ancient classics, invetlgating theological
problems. and attending to his vast cores
pondence,, His wife sees that his time is not
| wasted. she knows precisely when to dis
| turb him ana when to leave him alone.
When visitors go to Hawarden Mrs. Glad
| stone receives and entertains them until an
| opportune moment arrives for them to be in
| troduced to her husband. She will show
| them over the castle, tell them enthusiast
ally about her husbands work, and then
lead them 70 the Temple of Pea e." as she
calls the library. She will enter gently, and
show the visitors the room without disturb
| ing Mr.. Gladstone. He will continue intent
ly reading or absorbed in his WORK, and will
never look up until she calls him. When
the. Grand Old Man has once begun to talk,
he is sometimes led away with his subject,
and will prolong the conversation much to
the enjoyment Of his listeners. But Mrs
Gladstone is at hand to quietly interrupt the
| conversation. She knows that her husband
| hae some work finish vrb;oh ~ ,,,iII ha