Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-04-13
took the highest honors both in classics
and mathematics.


took the highest honors both in classics
and mathematics. >t
Rt. Hon William Ewart Gladstone,
M. P, P. c., to give him his full name
and titles, is the fourth son of the late
Sir John Gladstone. In 1884, when only
twenty-five years old, Mr.. Gladstone
entered parliament, ever since which he
has been member of the house of
commons. He was made prime minis
ter in 1868, and remained in power six
years. Last summer he took the office
for the fourth time, and now the sturdy
old man of eighty-three is at the head
of England's cabinet.
Mr. Gladstone lives in Hawarden
castle, which means 'the hill fort on
the projecting ridge" That at least was
the meaning of the original British
name, Y Garthddin, which in Saxon
became Haordine, and in Welsh, Penar-
lag. But there are two castles of that
name, and Mr.. Gladstone occupies the
modern one, which is only a hundred
and forty years old at the most. The
old and new, however, face each other
-one, massive ruin occupied by bats
and owls and memories of the past, and
the other the residence of Englan6's
he came to England, found the old
castle occupied by Edwin of Mercia,
and its history goes back to the first or
second Edward. Mr.. Gladstone, how
ever, does not keep this historical ruin
to himself, but admits ANYBODY to the
park. He only requests visitors, says a
writer, to keep to the gravel walks, and
refrain from writing their names on the
walls of the old castle.
When relieved from the affairs OF
state, Mr.. Gladstone finds no pleasure
so great as his home life at IIawarden.
There his family are gathered together,
and the great man romps and plays
with his grandchildren as though he
never knew what it was to be blamed
for everything that went wrong in all
Great Britain and her colonies. Mr..
Gladstone is wonderful scholar, a
busy writer and speaker, but the little
Gladstone children know him best as a
good, kind-hearted grandfather who is
fond of fun. He, too, would prefer to
enjoy their company rather than to be
surrounded by England's great men at
an all-night session of parliament. His
other recreations are walking, and
this is really very funny-chopping
down trees. Our great George Wash
ington, according to tradition, had a like
fondness in his youth. but by the time
he became president he had probably
outgrown such fancies. Mr.. Gladstone,
however, is an expert woodman, and
though he doesn't destroy valuable
cherry trees, he goes out with his ak
and takes the keenest pleasure in fell
ing trees in Hawarden park. A visitor
to his castle one day noticed an ak be-
hind the door in the great hail, where
it had been left by the statesman after
one of his chopping expeditions. A Gu.
rious ornament for such a place it
seems. 1t may be out of compliment tc
the boy George Washington and his
Ratchet that the "Grand Old Man" pre-
fers to use an American ak.
There are few men that have such a
| memory as that which Mr.. Gladstone is
said to possess. 1t has been stated that
he can go at once to his library, and
amid the 10000 books there find in a
moment the volume he desires As for
quotations from the classics, he knows
| just where they are to be found, and
| any number of other wonderful things
| are related of him.
1t is truly great thing to be a
| scholar of this advanced age, it is fame
| to be premier of England, and pleas
| ant to be the Grand Old Man of his
country. But far more impressive do
him as loving man and fa.her, and
see him with his little grandchildren on
his l1nee.-Harpers' Young People