Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-10-16
GREAT FOLKS AT PLAY
cELEBRiTiES WHO LAY THEIR
DIGNITY ASIDE.
Gisdstons's Tree Feiilns Diversion. Hal
four's Coll. aud Bismark's Pen
chant for Dueis-Fads of
Other Big People.

finite amusement to the populace. II
that was true in Mscaulay's days, says
the Strand Magazine. it is even less
disputed in these. when IA special
Journalism exists mainly to chronicle
the small doinss OF the great. and
every newspaper has its personal COL
umn. The. fierce light OF publicity
w.ich at one time beat solely on the
throne and its encourage now shines
as brilliantly in Stuccoville as on the
mansion or the palace. The goings
and comings of the Brown-Jo neses and
the Fitz-Smythes are made as promi-
nent at u guinea or half the para
graph--as those of dukes and cabinet
ministers.
The amusements of our celebrities
are tame and commonplace in COMPARE
son with some of these. But even
nowadays the idiosyncrasies of public
men are sometimes curious. For in
stance, there lives in the neighbor-
hood OF Nottingham, the Rev. DIR.
Cox, the late editor Of the Expositor,
the most famous Hebrew scholar in
the country. He and his wife are to
be constantly seen playing ball in the
front garden OF his residence. If it
was done in the sanctity of the back
garden there would be no ground for
comment, for the fact OF learned d.
vine playing at ball is not more re-
markable than that recorded by Dis
raeli the elder Of Knox visiting Calvin
one Sunday and finding him engaged
in game of bowls. No one has pre-
stunned to whisper that our greatest
Hebrew scholar was ever guilty of
amusing himself in his own peculiar
way on Sunday, and certainly no
one has ever complained of annoyance.
Gladstone's tree-felling, too, has as
sumed an exaggerated Importance In
the eyes OF the masses from a similar
cause. As matter Of fact, and es-
pecially of late years, his wood chop
ping fcats have been few and far be-
tween. He himself only recently
claimed, as his chief recreation during
the last forty years. the study Of Ho.
mer, for which he is, perhaps, moro
famed than any OF his other achieve
ments. With him recreation has been
change of employment just as Louis
XIV. turned from cares of state to
making locks, the Bonaparts to liter
airy pursuits and Prince Rupert the
discOverer Of mezzo tint, to practical
engraving.
Mr.. Blackmore the novelist, and
author OF Lorna Doone," who is not
only novelist but barrister, has
adopted market-gardening and fruit
growing as the occupation OF his leis-
uae hours. He is TO he met with sew
eral times a week with his wagon-load
Of market produce en- route for Covent
garden, where, as an enthusiastic anna
teur, he is scarcely distinguishable
from the crowd of country profession
ais. His gardens and farm are at
1eddington, and he is a well-known
character there. Something akin to
this picture of Il favorite author anus
ing himself with growing cabbages
and apples is that of our poet laureate
in the milk trade. In his 'Nothern
Farmer and other OF his poems he
displays very acute knowledge of
agricultural matters. but not many
would have suspected him of being a
dairy farmer in real earnest. This,
however, is fact. and on the west
side of the Isle OF Wight, where he
passes most of his time. milk-carts are
to be constantly met bearing the
name and title, "Alfred, Lord Tenny-
son." John Bright, the poet Dryden,
and the philosopher George Herbert
were all enthusiastic fisherman In
our own day Lord Harrington is a
devoted knight of the rod; while Mr..
Black. the novelist, it was recently
reported, has been salmon fishing
with great success in Southlandshire.
Of the celebrities who have outlived
their 'play" days a unique example is
to be found in the case of Prince Bis
marck. In his early days Prince Bis
maa'ck had passion for dueling. 1t
does not appear whether it carried
him to such an extent that-like
Crockey Doyle. who insulted people
right and left in order to have the
pleasure of apologizing--he made
enemies for the pleasure of fighting
Them but at least twenty-seven duels
are. recorded in which he took part.
Things then got too warm for him, or
opponents grew shy, and. duels rum
ming short, he took to shooting, drink
ing, and playing jokes to such an ex-
tent that he became known as Mad
Bismarck. What he docs now, be-
yond smoking cigars on the '.chain"
system, and drinking immense quanti-
ties of beer is not known. though
there is some reason to think that
like his illustrious coadjutor. Won
Moltke, he spends his leisure in devils
ing schemes to harass his opponents.
This method of spending their play
hours is a common one among men OF
political eminence