The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-21
BY w. T. STEAD.

copyright, 1895, by S. S. Mcclure COD
AS the westering sun sinks TO IT'S
setting. a white haired old man comes
out from his library and sits himself
on the stone steps that lead from the
castle front TO the lawn. He carries IN
his hand a book in which as soon as he
has seated himself, he is completely
absorbed The old man in Mr.. Glad
stone. the book he is studying ls~one
Of the innumerable volumes when ne
is 6evouring, in the prosecution OF the
study to which ne has devoted his
closing wears. and he seats hlmsei1 on
che steps in order that his impaired
oversight may catch and utilize the last
rays of the setting sun. The old states
man. scholar and student to the last,
&c ,,ozy g6 years of age, but his intel
lectual vigor is not abated, nor mas
he lost the sinewy grip with which ne
fastens upon The subjects to which he
devotes his attention.
NJ, one who reads the strenuous ar
gument with which Mr.. Gladstone
summarizes the reasoning OF Blshop
Butler ON the future life, is conscious
of any weakening in the vigorous dla-
1eet which has so often been employed
with brilliant success in the house c1
commons. :,
In that polemic Mr.. Gladstone is all
there. but as a recent visitor 10 IA
warden. remarked: "Although MI
Gladstone is Mr.. Gladstone still, when
tho ave flashes as of old in keen de-
haze or when YOU listen TO the mex
ba,1s+i1le straem of his Fivacious con-
versation. YOU are regretfully COM
,,elled 10 admit that it is but tempo
-arv triunnvh of mind over matter
when zen minutes later you see MIN
ao-sin in the corner of the pew IN Ha-
warden church. dimly visible in the
subdued light of the chancel, you are
hound to change, however, reluctantly,
voul. recer,. c.1inion. 1t is indeed a
very old man who sits there, with peill
hack and pale wrinkled face, holdlilg
l,ie hook close TO his eyes, apparently
unable to find or eo follow the text A
straw sunbeam. white as sunbeams US
uallv are. falls upon him from behlnd,
the ivory white of the bald majestic
head. CLEANS in TIE light, ara the lew
silx-ery hairs round the base of the
head form a striking contrast to the
srlifi-ering edges of the book he hofds.
The dav is far spent, and you turn
sadly from the contemplation OF the
sad. Quiet figure Frail though he Is.
as indeed he may. well be, weighed
down as he is with the burden of four
score years and six. still Mr.. Gladstone
IS far and away the most potent per
sonality in Greae Britain. He has re
tired from politics but until dea0n
has closed that eager eye and suited
that eloquent tongue, nothing can u
rninish or impair his authority; ne
17171st ever remain the first among us
al.
WHAT Is Mr.. GLADSToNE'S Sc
CRET?
What is Mr. Gladstone's secret? How
Is 1T that he has preserved unlmpalr-
ed for eighty-six years, both his ply
steal and mental powers? That he
has done so is admitted. although the
body is at last exhibiting somewhat OF
the intfrmities Of old age. Mr.. Glad
stone is still vigorous. alert. resource
full. capable Of reading and writing fol-
hours together. and also able on occa'
sion to take long walks. We hear
great deal of the eight-hour day. and
the eight-hour movement, but Mr.
Gladstone, well on TO his ninetietr
year. does ten hours work and no mis-
take. How has he contrived to do IT
What is his secret? For if so be tina
we can discover it, 1t may mean years
of life to many men who. although
they have no desire to be great Gates
men. do not wish to trouble the IN
dertaker before their time.
Mr.. Gladstone started well. He wa!
born of healthy stock in comfortable
circumstances, with a constitution o
iron. He had enormous driving powe
and physical energy; the evidence O.
which NAV still be seen pa1pa,ble to al