Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-02-20
GLADSTONE AT EIGHTY.
The Daily Life and Pursuits of the
Great English Leader Described.
An Enormous Capacity for Hard
Work His Countless COrrespon-
dents How He Reads Book.

Gladstone at so has all the marvellous
capacity for work that ever he had. His
form is unbent, his physical powers ur-
abated, and his mental faculties show no
signs Of exhaustion He. has tried more
than once to retire from public life, but
his exuberant vitality impels him INTO
the political arena again, and never was
he more anxious TO serve his country lhan
he is to-day. His mind was never clearer
and. fortunately, his health was never
better. Mr. Gladstone has so often aston
ished us by his phenomenal activity, as
well as by the range and accuracy of his
knowledge, that his actions no longer
surprise people, When he visited the
Paris Exposition he went everywhere
saw everything, attended banquets, and
seemed TO be doing nothing but ENJOYING
himself; he nevertheless found time 10
write a long article on Italy and the triple
alliance, which set all Europe talking.
Last winter when he went to Italy to
rest quietly, as everyone thought, in
that genial climate. he fulfilled many
social engagements, made several speeches
in Italian. went about a great deal, but he
took two large trunkfuls Of books with
him from England and ma aged to write
Is.
azine article before he returned Glad
stones idea of rest is simply to change the
sphere of his activity. He can never
Cease work.
Among the many wonders he performs,
says a writer in New York Times, is the
way he gets through his vast correspond
ence He acts in great part as his own
secretary No public man in England re-
ceiyes so many letters, and no public man
ever answered so many with his own hand.
Gladstone S mail bag contains letters from
all sorts and conditions of men and wo-
men. Political friends send him fulsome
praise, wOrkingmen admirers write to
thank him for his services, Tories send
him threatening letters and abusive postal
cards, many correspondents direct his at
tention to Tory libes, and others ask for
enlightenment on some point of history or
on some question of current politics. He
receives piles of books on all sorts of sub
jects, with request for his opinion. Many
authors send him proof-sheets and ask
him to write preface, and ever since he
wrote review Of Robert Elsmere. novel
lists ply him with three-volume novels
As Mr.. Gladstone family tries to shield
him from the little worries of life and to
help him economic time. his letters are
opened for him every morning by his son
Herbert and the frivolous and abusive let
ters weeded out When the Grand Old
Man returns from devotional services
at Hawarden Church. where he goes every
morning when at home, he settles down
in the library of Hawarden Castle to go
through and work off his morning mail,
as he never allows things to fall in arrears.
He writes swift and legibe hand and
writes most of his letters when out of
office. himself All letters touching on
public or quasi-public matters which he
sends in answer to correspondents and
which generally find their way into the
newspapers are in his own handwriting
He also addresses the letters himself. He
uses postal cards very largely He sends
them in acknowledgment of votes Of con-
fidence passed by liberal associations. and
with his compact caligraphy can manage
to squeeze a good deal on card To
strangers who write to him on political
questions he signs himself Your obedient
servant, w. +. Gladstone. To those
whom he knows by name or has been in
communication with before he remains
yours faithfully"
He does not use a copylng-press. ike
business men, but copies are kept'of every
letter or postal card he writes They are
carefully preserved. Mr.. Gladstone at
tends to this drudgery work himself. He
has most elaborate and methodical ar
rangement of pigeon-holes for keeping all
letters he receives and of copies of his re-
plies. The pigeon holes are divided into
six series-one for political correspond
ence, one for letters on historical subjects,
one for letters relating to church and re-
igious questions, and so on He lays
aside and catalogues all his correspond
ence with his own hand. He has a system
of wedding out the correspondence that
has become historical, and puts it away in
a series of historical pigeon holes. The
letters are all indexed, and so carefully
has the system been elaborated by Mr.
Gladstone that he knows exactly where to
lay his hand on anything he wants Those
who have seen the room at Hawarden
where his library of correspondence is
kept, are completely surprised to know
that Mr.. Gladstone attends to it himself
When the time comes for writing his BIZ
ography Mr. GladStOne's biographer will
find his correspondence all in perfect
order. As in private-so in public affairs
no one could be more neat and methodi-
cal As Chancellor Of the Exchequer. or
whatever department of state he has had
charge of, Mr. Gladstone has left behind
him a reputation for order, system and
regularity. When in office il is absolute
ly impossible for him 10 find time TO at
Tend to his correspondence himself,
although he still manages to write many
letters When Prime Minister he had
three private secretaries constantly going,
End the whole business Of the office went
with the precision and regularity Of al
machine Mr.. Gladstone does not spare
himself and be reduces 70 perfection the
science Of getting the maximum amount
of work out Of his secretaries. The two
chief features Of his system were that
everything passed through his official resi-
dence in Downing street, where all papers
were kept, and that his Chief Secretary
was informed Of everything that was
going on. If Mr. Gladstone wrote short
note from the House of Commons to his
H ~