Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-02-06
GLADSTON.E.
DAILY LIFE OF THE .GIsANlri
OLD MAN OF ENGLAND.
His Correspondence Disposed of After
Breakfast-yyhen I'm London Tie
Generally Dimes Outfits APP
pearance In ParliameAw.

William Ewart Gladstone will be
eighty-one years old on the 29th of next
December. A stranger observing him
striding along Pail 5iall on his way to tha
House OF Commons, head erect and chest
expanded, or hear him thunder forth de-
nunciations of Tory misgovernment from
his seat in Parliament would probably
set him downia as remarkably yigorous
;scxugennrian. Mr.. Gladstone is in truth
the youngest old man in the world. His
eyes are full and singularly bright, his
face clean shayen aud wonderfully in-i
tellectual, and his lips tender and trcrn-
ulous like those of q high spirited woman
He is tall, five feet ten inches, and lean.I
He has no lair on his face and little on
his head, but his badness is not very ap,I
parent when he wears hat because there
is fair growth of silvery grey locks
around the base of the skull. L
Mr.. Gladstone owes his unique yirility
in. great measure to the regularity, SIM
plicity and purity of his private life.
His time is about equally divided be-
tween London aud Hawarden, his beau
tiful estate In Flintshire. When in town
he usually rises at $3.50 o'clock. De-;
testing laziness and abhorring sloven-
illness, he eschews dressing gowns OFT
lounge coats and always dresses for the
day az soon rs he leaves his bed.
The morning meal is invariably shared
by Mrs. Gladstone and visitors. il there
be any, which is rarely the case in Lon.
don. 1t is always of a plain character,
usually consisting of fish, bread and but
ter aud tea. Mr.. Gladstone is very fond
of fish of all kinds, and drinks enough
tea in the course of twenty-four hours
to satisfy half n dozen old maids. He
frequently absorbs the contents OF three
or four journals in the course of the half
hour customarily devoted to breakfast. Il
After breakfast mr.. Gladstone invar-
iably proceeds to the library, where he
disposcs of his immense mass of CORE
spondence which, he once informed a
friend, aggregates 90, letters per
year. Having gone through this ardu1
GUS daily routine the Grand Old Man de-
votes the remainder of the morning to-
the study of Dante aud Homer or some
others of his Latin and Greek authors.
making marginal notes as he proceeds. f
PR. Gladstone takes luncheon almost
invariably alone, eating only small slice
OF beef or mutton and drinking one
glass of light claret.
The afternoon is devoted 10 social or
political duties, but Mr.. Gladstone al
ways finds time to take long walk by
i&mself or drive with his wife.
Occusi6Dally he visits the theatre or
opera, and invariably at iRidlGG mt; but.
never before, he takes his candle from
the hall table and lights himself to bed.
He has himself stated that he ALWAYS
leaves business outside his bedroom door
with the result that he invariably sleeps
WELL ~
Mr.. Gladstone does not smoke and dis
likes tobacco in every form. He has no
need for stimulants, and scarcely ever
drinks anything stronger than light
claret, of which he does not profess to be
connoisseur. He has profound con,
tempt for smart attire and profound
dislike for new clothes. In town. in.
winter, he wears u tall black hat and
black clothes, which include n oueer
looking short overcoat with long cane
fastened. The cape, which is absurdIy
disproportionate in length to the coat.
generally opens out rs the wearer walks
along the street and assumes the appear-
ance of great substantial wings. In sum.
NEE Mr.. Gladstone dons a tall white bot
and wears light clothing, usually of gray
cashmere.
When residing at Hawarden Castle q
week never passes in which he does not
spend at least few hours in III, omen
air trying the edge of lis famous axe
upon the big trees. But the great SOL
ace of his old age is reading, and tbe
hobby to which he is most passionatelv
devoted is the collection of old and rare
books.
Having moved among the great ones,
OF the earth for upwards of half a century
MIR. Gladstone is necessarily we'll versed
In the courtier's arts, but he thoroughly
dislikes them, and when in office pracI
tees them Ga little as his position as.
Prime Minister will permit.
MIR. Gladstone cannot or will not talk
down to tho level of the average prince.
and in the presence of the Queen he bears
himself with the air of proud humility,
and manly Difference which is sometimes,
embarrassing and not infrequently annoy.
ing to his royal mistress 1t 10 not to be s
wondered at, therefore, that the great
liberal statesman is not favorite at court
and that he is rarely invited there.
During the session Mr. Gladstone Isl
very regular in his attendance at the
House. When not actually engaged inl 4
debate but sitting as an interested liza
tener, MIR. Gladstone has hard woriszto. !.
suppress bis natural inclination to inmps~
up and join in the fray, and he has 81
curious habit of betraying his eagcrnessII
and impotence by grabbing his knees
and clutching impressively at the air
with his long muscular fingers Everyjg
member knows when Mr.. Gladstone Isl
about to make an important speech. the
event being heralded by Mr.. Gladstonc,si
appearance in tho lady's gallery, while; 3
the great man himself wears flower in
bis coat and puts on the table before;
him little bottle full of a thickish vel