The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-20

Personal Traits - Noted by House
or Commons Reporter.


The veriest stranger In English poll
tics. finding himself In the House of
Commons during the home e-rule session,
and running his eye over the crowded
benches on some important night would
infallibly have been attracted 10 and
fasciraed by the figure of the cd man
sitting opposite the red box on the
table to the right OF the speakers chair.
An old. aged-lined face. pallid as parch-
ment, fringsd with white hair. with
dark eyebrows and keen dark eyes, a
firm but mobile mouth, and profile
like all old eagle; a sparse but we'll
built upright figure, all nerve ana mus
Gle: a somewhat old-fashioned style OF
dress, and that was Mr. Gladstone his
face had no superfiuous flesh, put was
Just "a mind mask. showing clearly ev-
cry emotion passing within. Sometimes
he would lie back with his head sunk
into his big, old-fashioned collar-a
collar which has been so exaggerated
by caricature that the reality looked IN
adequate--his arms folded ana MS eyes
| closed An admission, weak argu-
ment. an opening In his antagonists
| armor. or a keen thrust at himself, ana
| he would swiftly rouse and bend Tor
ward with hand followed Denlnu one
| ear so as not to lose word. Then ne
would turn with eager haste ana nasn
| ing eye TO say word or two 10 one OF
| his trusty lieutenants, Sir William
| Harcourt and John Morley, VINO SAT on
| either side of their chief.
| He rarely showed signs of being Dored
| hut once or twice j have seen MN
| yawn when rousing himself after
| brief forty winks,' and then ms iaoe
would assume that strangely ieonine
| look which was so characterlstc oi '"e
/ many phases of his facial expression.
| Sometimes his face would break INTO
| n smile. IN which all the sternness and
| severity of the lines would disappear :
like a burst OF sunshine suddenly hgnt-
ing UP the rugged face OF granite
| cliff.
But MIR. Gladstone was at his best
| when his time came TO speak. Ihere
was no trace OF age in his manner as
he rose swiftly and stood at the table
| Once glance at the speaker. and then ne
would launch into the debate like an
old Greek warrior springing from ms
chariot TO attack the Trojan host. MS
voice toward the end had lost some o,
it's rich fullness. but every now aho
then the slight hoarseness, which was
TOO often apparent, would disappear
| and the notes would ring out with TN
| old mellow clearness. His gestures. 100
were thoroughly characteristic or IN
| mau-vigOrOus hut disnlneu. w nel h'
was pouring a fire of polished railiers
at some opponent, he would swing on
his arm with a. sweeping bend towar'
| his adversary. When he was propound
! ing arguments to the front bench across
| the table. ne would lean over, graspint
| the red box with the left hand. wni'
| with the right he would emphasize M
| point with resounding blows. When n
| wished to appeal 10 the bencnes De
| hind him. he would turn hait rounu
| drawn up to his full heignt' WIN OF
arm held stiffiy by his side, ana TN
other outstretched with open hanu 10
ward his supporters. And sometinle
have seen him in the midst OF an III,
passioned sentence throw up both nand
above his head, and then bring then
| down with a powerful but graceIu
sweep. which showed a strength an
freedom of movement due, perhaps I
| his fayorite physical pastime or tree
| telling.
Rut there was one particular tric
which was constantly noticeable. TIL
was to pass the thumb of his left han
| quickly along the top OF his head,
movement which would brig INT
| prominence the little black patch Gov
ering the joint of the missing forennGe
Mr. Gladstone was keenly sensitive
| interruptions while he was speaking
and often, when the interruption wa
| an unmannerly or discourteous one,
| would have been better to have ignore
IL. but he seemed unable TO let an
taunt pass him by. and as his quic
eve generally detected the offender, =
would turn and rend him in passing
O. a. I'm Westminster Gazette.