St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-02


Mrs. Drew in Youths Companion.
Take it away. How can L do two
the very first well-authenticated words
ever used by MIR. Gladstone.
He was then small boy doing his les
sons, when he was interrupted by the
entrance of a nurse, bringing him
dose of physic.
The words will seem to some fore
shadowing of the astuteness of the "old
parliamentary hand" who can find an
escape out of any situation; but to
those who know Mr.. Gladstone more
than specifically, they contain one of
the secrets of the sureness and success
of his work.
Never overload your ship; never let
your business overlap" That has been
his first rule.
His second rule, but not second in i'm
portance, is, "Whatsover thy hand
findeth to do, do it with thy might" So
it has come to pass that each person who
meets him on his own subject or work
in life feels that that is the subject in
which Mr.. Gladstone's real heart lies.
There is nothing peculiar or elaborate
In Mr.. Gladstone's method of working.
Interruption is almost fatal to him, but
his power of concentration is so great
that conversation, so long as it is con-
Secutive, may buzz around him without
his being conscious of any disturbance.
He is unable to divide the machinery of
his mind, as so many can do. working
several smaller parts at once; he con-
centrates the whole upon the one thing.
When asked question he often pauses
so long before answering that he gives
the impression of not havin e heard;
but if his interlocutor is patient, he will
get his answer in course of time-the
train of thought must be finished. But
it is in truth difficult to say in Mr.. Glad
stones life what is work and what is
play. Everything he does is charac-
teriZed by energy and intense vitality.
When some one asked him lately what
gave him his first incentive to work he
replied, being sent up for good by
Hawtrey when was twelve years old"
''Sent up for good" is an Elton phrase,
signifying that boys Latin verses
have, on account of special merit, been
has often said that the chief gift he re-
ceived from the university training at
Oxford was the appreciation taught
him there of the value of intellectual
truth.
One reason why he gets through in
one day more than most people do in
week is his economy of time. This is a
habit which must have been acquired
long ago. as in the year 1899 of
the double marriage of Mr.. Gladstone
and Lord Lyttelton to the sisters
brothers-in-law surprised their wives,
and awed them not a little, filling up
all odd bits and scraps of time with
study or work. Out of their pockets
would come the inevitable little classic
at chance times of leisure.
No member of the Hawarden house,
hold can for moment compete with
Mr.. Gladstone in regularity and punctu-
alitY. Always in his library, his
''temple of peace" by 8 o'clock, he has.
if in his usual health, never been known
since the year 1912 to fail to appear at
church, three quarters of mile off, at
$50 for morning service. Nothing but
illness has ever hindered him from
| daily attending this service
His correspondence is sifted by the
son or daughter living most at home,an
soon after breakfast selection from
his letters Is brought to him. An aver
age of one-tenth only Of the postal ar
rivals is laid before him, and of these
he answers about one-half.
When he is in Office the system is
more elaborate. The whole morning,
whether at home or on a visit or holiday,
is given up to business: and after 2
o'clock luncheon he resumes work for
an hour or so, and till lately occupied
| the recreation time with tree-cutting,
which he chose as giving him the max
imum of healthy exercise in the mill
imum of time. But for the last two or
three years he has generally spent the
afternoon at his new library.
To this building, erected few years
| ago close to the church, he has trans
| ported $4,000 books, every single volume
| of which has been put into its new best
with his own hands. Fixed shelves,
bookcases projecting into the room, an
arrangement by subject, rather than by
! size or authorship, are his principles
| in arranging library.
Every day he looks over number of
booksellers catalogues, and there are
| certain subjects-anythin for instance.
| about witchcraft, strange religions,
| dueling, Gypsies, epitaphS, marriage.
| Homer, Shakespeare or Dante-which
are sure of getting an order. For first
editions he has no special appreciation,
| His copy of the Odyssey has been re-
bound several times, as he prefers
always to use the same copy.
He usually has three books on hand at
once, of various degrees of soliditY, the
| evening one probably being novel.
| Aristotle. st. Augustine, Dante and
| Bishop Butler are the authers who
have most deeply influenced him-so he
| has himself written.
After 5-o'clock tea, very favorite
| meal, he completes his correspondence.
| Dressing is accomplished in from three
to five minutes, and, dinner over, the
| evening is spent in the cosy corner of
| his temple of peace, reading, with Oc-
| casional pauses for meditation with
| closed eyes, which not infrequently be-
come nap.
Once in bed, he never allows his mind
| to be charged with business of any kind,
| in consequence of which he sleeps the
sound and healthy sleep of child, from
the moment his head is on the pillow
| until he is called next morning.
This absolute power over his thoughts.
won by long and strict habits of self
control, must be one of the principal
causes OF his freshness and youth. AS
an instance, he went home in the early
morning after the defeat Of his home
rule bill of 1856 and slept, as usual, his
eight hours.
There could not be better illustra-
ton of his mind than his temple of
peace-his study, with its extraordinary
| methodical arrangement. Away from
home he will write an exact description
of the key or paper he requires, as:
open the left-hand drawer of the
writing table nearest the fireplace, and
at the back of the drawer, in the right
hand corner. you will find some keys.
You will see three on one ring. Send
me the one with such and such teeth"
His mind is arranged In the same way;
he has only to open a particular COM
| partment. labeled so and so, to find the
| information he requires. His memory,
| in consequence. is almost unfailing. 1t
is commonly found that in old age the
memory may be perfect as regards
Inv I'm 70 nd