The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-20

pIlilCIpul uVOTNu U|fUluHbullQU u
It from those On the inside as they came
up the steps and passed through the
main hallway. and when they entered
the Assembly room every pcrssr present
arose md, enthusiastically waving hats
and handkerchiefs. Joined In a trcmeh-
dous acclaim os welcome, to the "g.and
old mani and his faithful consort. Not
content With this, u separate and hearty
her own right after the two had taken
liz almost as well known to the Dritish
ppbllc az that of her lllustrlous husband,
from the fact that she was OF late years
always at his side. wherever he, ap.
peared,
I noticed that In passing down the
aisle there vas a slight limp 10 MT.
G~ladstone's step, as II one leg was a
bare trlne shorter than the other, but
he nevertheless presented nm Imposing
appearance. He seemed to be
somewhat above the average height,
and TO weigh, say "a hun
dred and sixty pounds. His head was
large and somewhat bald, and his thin
hair somewhat long and %strnggling, the
WV bSAtih so blag nan - pay.
nouncel white, although he was then
elghty-two years old. Under his chin
extending around from ear to ear. he
wore u ruflie OF grayish white whiskers,
reminding one very much OF Horace
Greeley's famous setting. His face was
full and leorfne In It's aspects and pro-
portions, and only very slightly shrunk-
en- by his age. and his complexion. was
suggestive OF health and vigor. His fea,
lures were NIL strong and impressive,
full OF thoughtful gravity, and on them
was stamped the %irrefutable evidence OF
the high and disciplined life he had
led. His large and luminous eyes I
could only compare TO two electric orbs.
because every time they turned to, my
side OF the assembly room they seemed
to flash out the thoughts he was cx-
pressing. All readers of the Intelligenccr
who remember the eyes OF Madame
Modjeska, as they saW her on tho stage
In Wheeling, can form n fairly good
idea OF the remarkable eyes OF. Glad
stone. All in all, physically, intellectu-
ally and morally, he was the handsom-
est old man l have ever seen. His whole
appearance seemed to strikingly Illus
trate his long and eventful and exemp-
larry life.
The address at Holborn lasted for over
an hour. Once or twice only did he refer
to his notes, and, I think, without
glasses, And once or twice only did he
take a sup OF water. Ills voice was
strong throughout, and his enunciation
clear. deliberate and distinct. His only
gesture was to bring his right hand up
to the level of his face and let II gradu-
ally. descend. The thing that particu-
larry impressed me In his speech washls
ability to enthuse his audience without
being himself p%erceptibly, enthused, and
another thing that likewise impressed
meiwas the fact that he committed him
self to! absolutely nothing. For instance.
In winding up any given portrayal OF
any given legislative need Of the agrl-
cultural classes he would simply re-
mark. in effect. that this particular mat
ter was q feature Of the situation that
should receive the serious consideration
of the incoming administration.
He made no promises whatever, but
nevertheless every one of his hearers
felt that the old man accurately dag
nosed their grievances. and fully sym
pathizcdi with them. They each and all
went away with no doubts whatever
on the, point, and hence, In the now his
toric elections of the next year. they
overwhelmingly SUPPORTED his general
policy. and did their part at the polls
In making him premier OF the empire
for the fourth time as the appropriate
termination of his illustrious public ca
rcer.
The speech to which I listened was de-
| t,,arnI Won Vie. clio "a ,,yl "a t~lf .,.o - -
1t was not a remarkable speech In any
forensic sense. such as Mr.. Gladstone
was proverbially equal to on great occa-
sions. but 1t was quite noteworthy for
It's exegetical and historic character as
bearing on the important issue OF Brit
ish agricultural discomfort. Two years
later. when he was past eighty-four, he
delivered In parliament. in introducing his
Reform bill for Ireland, what Justice
Harlan, OF the United States supreme
court, who heard 1t from the galleries,
pronounced the greatest speech to which
he had ever listened. That was very
much indeed to say of anyman'sspeech,
even In the prime OF his llfe'and the zen
It'll OF his powers, but how vastly more
was It to say of q statesman almost half
way In his ninth decade-far past the
"lean and slippered" age OF life, yet still
standing amidst the ranks Of war-still
bearing that matchless armar> of his.
which none but him. of all the $40 mem
bers Of the house OF commons. could
wear-that armor which has been well
llkened to the shield Of Achilles, that
mot twelve strong men could raise.
Such men as live in these degenerate
days"
The true Measure Of Mr.. Ghdslone's
personal power in Great Britain Is what
happened when at elghty-slx years OF
age he wac obliged to lay aside his pre-.
miership and submit to q surgical opera