Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-05-27
THE GRAND OLD MAN.
Brief Biography Of England's Dead States
man.-Ihe Funeral Will Be a State At
fair and the RamainS Will Be In
tered in Westminster
Abbey.


famous Hawardcn castle. She inherited
it through long line of descent from
one Sergeant Glynne and his son, the
Baronet William Glynne. They OBJ.
tanned it at the close of the great civil
war, and the former owner, james,
earl of Derby, had lost his head. OF
course it has a history, like all the Old
places in Great Britain. The old castle.
whose ruins still interest the visitor,
was one of the posts by which the
English first held the conquered Welsh
in subsection and its Welsh name (of
which Hawarden is modified form)
means fort on the bridge" Prince
Llewelyn at one time lived there.
1t was dismantled in 1915 and the
present mansion was built early in the
18th century. The old castle ruin and
adjacent park are open to the public
and in any part OF the wood where
ancient or decaylng trees needed clear
ing away the visitor might not very
long ago have seen evidence of the
work Of Gladstone, the woodchopper.
The last day he spent at his favorite
exercise was just after a great storm,
which had played havoc with the trees
The air was damp and chilly; the
sight of so much debris stimulated him
To unusual exertiCn, sovele cold and
illness resulted, and his old time
exercise was abandoned.
Eight children were born to Mr.. and
Mrs Gladstone. One daughter died in
infancy, two daughters are married,
and Helen, still single, holds the
honorable place of vice principal of
Newman college at Cambridge. She
ranks high among the educated women
of the world, and the institution over
which she presides is noted tor Its
position on the advanced education of
women. OF the four sons, one is rector
of Hawarden, another is in parliament
the third is active in politics. and the
fourth is in business at Calcutta.
There has always been native
simplicity in Mrs. Gladstone, especially
when speaking about her husband,
often amusing and sometimes affecting.
She was never backward in helping his
canvass and evidently considered him
the greatest statesman England ever
produced. In an address at a home
rule meeting of the campaign of 1892
she assumed as an admitted fact that
no one was at heart really opposed to
her husband, and of Earl Compton, the
Liberal candidate, she said to the
voters, You are supporting good
and an honest man; but more than that,
you are supporting my husband in + is
fight tor justice to Ireland"
A Sunday at Hawarden was not long
ago described as follows;
"A curious group about the door of
Hawarden church waited to see the
Gladstones arrive. The great states
man used to sit in seat just IN front
of the pulpit and usually read the
Scripture service for the day. When
the anthem was ended, Mr.. Gladstone
walked swiftly but noiselessly up to the
lecturn-a splendid eagle with out
stretched wings, done in carved oak
and read the story of Naaman and the
little Syrian maid His style was the
perfection OF simplicity, so simple that
one was almost tempted to believe it
the perfection Of art.
Between the first and second lessons
he seated himself on a small square
stool directly in front of the reading
desk, and here again he took up his
position during the sermon. After the
service Mr.. Gladstone returned to his
seat. He waited for the communion
and as passed cut he aud Mrs. Glad
stone were both bowed in the oblivion
of devout prayer"
Columns on columns have been
written of Mr. Gladstone's wonderful
strength as an old man. 1t is doubtful
if the world has seen such another.
WheA in 1892 he was made prime
for the fourth time, be was 81
years old and though he had Just passed
through most exciting campaign he
upon his duties as head Of the
with seemingly unimpaired
vigor. 1t was doubtless TO his extreme
and purity of life that he
owed his phenomenal virility.
His time was usually about equally
Ii,,tJnJ hot ,yoop I nd, ,,,J III -. 4 49,