The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-28

s. G.
Stories we're current in England when she was
last the vito Of IL Premier. about her unftness
for that position. and she certainly is by no
means a great woman Of the world. She Is
lacking in tact. in the faculty Of remembering
faces and engagements. IN the power OF adapt
ing herself to every company. OF winning emo
mics or even indifferent people. In fact. she
has never boon popular in London society.
She dresses badly. with incongrnous colors
and abundance Of laces and ribbons aud fur
bellows. but not always in tho latest fashion. as
even a masculine eye can discern: yet no one
familiar with the great world in any country
could ever mistake her for Il parvenu.
Early in the seventies. when Gladstone was
at the head Of the Government and her parties
were OF course important political gatherings
to which the first personages IN her husbands
following were invited as n matter OF course.
Mrs. Gladstone often gave great offence by
leaving out people OF consequence. The Lon
don wits used to say that she put her invita-.
tions under the sofa when she had written
them instead OF sending them TO tho servants
to deliver. When Gen. Schenck arrived in
London as American Minister. he was anxious
to meet the Duke o. Argyle. then a momber
OF Gladstone's Cabinet: SO the Glndstones
invited tho Schencks and the Argyles to
dinner. But tho only night on which the
Prime Minister was free was n Saturday: othc.
nights he must be In tho House OF Commons
and Gen. Schenck had cards out for evening
receptions for several Saturdays ahead. Still.
as it was SO desirable to bring about the meet
ing. the General agreed to so to tho dinner.
and leave his family to receive at home until
he could return. lie went to Mr.. Glndstono's
on Saturday. but Mrs. Gladstone had forgot.
ten to invite the Argyles.
In 1879 the Speaker Of the House OF Com
mons was Mr.. Brand. now Lord Hampden.
The Speaker is tho first in Eng
land: his family were on intimate terms. So
S Ella and nGlitic1lly' with the Gl ;dstoncs;
noticed and they told Tie renson. it Was ex,
be Intentional: they wore begged to come to
every assembly. whether they received cards
occurred: the Brands got no cards: Lut as
their absence might seem significant. they
went In acforda nee with tho verbal iusErs-
tered tho drawing room and made their COM
ailments to tho hostess was u paper stuck into
%%sra: Witch S"! !%sfs. =! Ms% %?% F. i MN t t.%ss
One might perhaps imasine that this i'll
dressed. forgetfu!., fnssy. almost nwk%ird
hEn 81! w9man h ala a no, &c Son'rih%ts to her hHs.
contrary. These ltttlc pcculinrities wcre,alfcd
Of and inuThod at, but lhry dstractsd not one
sterling, qualities haye always cxtorted from
sll who know her. Her devotion to i,cr, cr!H-
was not n great man at III. time OF their mar.
rinEe: the son of II manufacturer. although II
SEo o9ai; m r.. so Of eix aanoI III Pat, p prom. he WIS
ter. the cousin, Of dukes and he woman Of an
Gent origin Her ioTtHne sa4 her ta'hily. n:
iitas or seyi"s money; Ths l4's ban ban
the future Prime Minister always, stood low;
M, H.S G H,"is OF "s was as bad ' es i I1er s T's;,.or
They were forced at one timo to give M their
town house in Carlton Gardens and take u far
anst SsPs {" soii S %rs GIa adatf,ss, sfr roiIsct una q" at
porcelain. of which he was very proud. for ho
long before it became tho property Of Mrs,
Glads'ote. End all her connselion@ were At
their roiitifs wers different. Many. how"vcr.
followed his %politica! fortunes. lie had mo
s marr {, a M anke d i2r a's ss'r nIssS W snG l ,MI
ir"tner-in.law. Lord Iyttleton. "a brilliant
scholar as well as statemun. WAS tho intimate
The close attendance Of tho now white.
haired lady up%cn her octos"nari m husband
years. Ono nced not recount how She has fnl,
lowed him In all his political tours. how slr
m nas os snd p nt ths It hu siS speeches c mI il p9rj,I.
throat in the train Or the open carriage, and
sTsstsned Ar his drinksin pnblic a. well as IN
the PARTNER Of her old ago has aroused the IN
tersst and the afrectioIate admiration Of two
ming. It Is more necsssary Of late. hut it was
a. a S9n a dinnir II not at Is ro SSSnf fIEdi y IN Is r., at
present, and to which I had boon particuiarl,
i HIods IN order T to receive Z !ne;sns9 from Mr,
the treaty Of Washington. tlen negotistins, /
had the honor Of taxing Mrs.. Gladstons to
cordinG to etiquette tho. rrimo' Minister. when
al ?RR@Has t;h is e ai"sSr 'S %Ts. d tIaH Z %.', Could aHid
watched Ills talk and his looks: lis
s elass ahS AIS as ss'SSss;; i ior t iRs@s0 was va h mn
ether he fGr her: she told ms Of Ms
studies. and his trials: and ! conceived not
only a higher admiration for the statesman
an elderly woman, but a sincere and touching
respect TOR the lady who preserved In ler OK;
n nlt sdv llis fns Ee%s' i,s s'Tb aantiMi p fr e Tiis; AM ii
her youthful feeling, She talked with such
freedom that felt II was not indicate in y
foreigner TO express nv surprise that the head
Of her Ma,esty's Government should not le
remarked. with what seemed to ms u touch OF
nrorbity: oh! in InSland the Prime Minis
ter has no precedence"
IiememLcr another occasion whom her own
place seemed to mo extraordinary. Ii WAS ut
a breakfast, given to the Shah Of lersin At
Green wici Park, some seven or eight miles he
low London. several thousand VI the grand
est people in England had driven down and
were awaiting the arrival Of tho royal guest.
and Princess OF Wales. and followed BY tho
Court and the members Of the Government.