St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-02-22
THE GRAND OLD MAN.
As' Glsdseone ReaGs Any Thlae and
Every Thing That Comes tn Him,

1h' Gladstone Reat:s Any Thlae and
Every Thing That Comes tn Him.
MI Gladstone is. in every respect, .
great reader. He spends more time now
IN reading books than he did twenty
i've years ago. Any thing and every
thing that comes to him is grist To his
mill. lie doesn't mind wading through
chapter after chapter il he only finds =
kernel Of truth or nugget Of pure gold
st the end. He is particularly fond Of
books OF travel and politics; and there is
no country that interests him so much
Is America, its people and its politicians
A great deal Of his reading is done as y
matter Of duty, or work, if you please,
and after he has finished that and is SO
thoroughly tired out that most men
would take to the woods or to sick
room. the great statesman turns 10 his
Latin or Greek for rest and repoec. II
there is one subject dear to his heart,
after politics and .state-craft, 1t il
religion. He has no favorite authors:
he finds good in all schools, and he
says, indeed, it must be . very
poor writer who can't find some
thing to say that will interest even the
busiest of men and the mos: learned.
lie has the faculty of skimming through
book and getting the salient points in
few hours. When Henry George pub
lished his Progress and Poverty" Mr..
Gladstone felt SO deeply interested that
he not only read the book very careful
iy once. but half a dozen times, and at
least score Of hooks also bearing. in
the subject lie viewed it from ali
points, and felt no doubt that he was
adding to his store of knowledge by so
doing.
To Americans it will he Of interest to
know that Mr.. Gladstone receives
large number of American newspapers
and magazines. and that he is very we'll
Informed on all current American
topics. H6 keeps several secretaries
busy, and when he finds a striking
point in book or newspaper he turns
down the page or marks it to bc clipped
by his daughter, Miss Helen Gladstone.
or his wife, or one of his secretaries. and
strange to say he can turn to it years
Afterwards at moments notice. lie |
has wonderful memory, too, and
knows . great deal more Of American
men Of letters than most people would |
suppose. He is an intense admirer OF |
James Russell Lowell and Bret Harte, !
whom he met in London and learned |
10 love and respect for their talent as
we'll as personal qualities.
He has a p,agnificent library Of ex-
ceeding value and is constantly adding
TO it. He is Gao Of the few great men Of |
this world who is not ashamed to lie |
seen alone in the street, and he often
spends an hour or SO in some old hook
sellers shop on the Strand or in Corn
hill. lie is the owner Of many rare and
works, and whenever there is
IN important book sale, either his son
Herbert, or one of the secretaries, is
present to bid in any valuable or rare
Volume that may be offered. He spent
! fortune on his library, and when an
'oyed by the cares of political life,
always finds rest and contentment there.
ic is on familiar terms with many Of
ha lesser, as well as the greater liter
Iry lights of London. and he is an espe-
ial sdmirer Of the work Of Sir Edwin
Arnold, the descriptive work of William
Slack and the plots OF Wilkie Collins.-I,
J. w. Box. in Ladies' Home Journal.