The Irish standard., 1898-05-21
CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES OF
THE GREAT GLADSTONE.
THE IDOL OF The LONDON populAcE
MIR. JOHN bright FIRST CALLED
HIM "rHE GRAND OLD MAN."
THE CHAMPION OF IRISH HONE RULE
A NOTABLE AND HISTORIC INSTANCE
OF HIS GOODNESS.

have applied the epithet, Grand Old
| Man to Gladstone in speech at
Northampton in 1882, says the New
York Herald. Since that time 1t has
become exceedingly popular as term
of respectful familiarity from his
friends and of derision to his opponents
! The latter were fond of translating its
abbreviated form of &c. O. NJ" into
Gods Only Mistake" The epithet was
original with John Bright, if at all, only
in Its special application. The adjcc-
tlVes. IN fact, seem to suggest themselves
Milton speaks of 1.-The grand old ballad
OF Sir Patrick Spens" Charlotte
Bronte, in a letter written in 1850 and
quoted in Mrs. Gaskel's Life" de-
scribes the duke of Wellington rs "a
real Grand Old Man" l,ongfellow, in
his translation of the Inferno" (canto
xiv, p. 4G, line 103), writes:
"A grand old man stands In the mount
| erect.
Who holds his shoulders turned
| tow'rds Damietta,
| And locks Mt Rome as IL II were his
| mirror.
| In Mr.. Gladstone's nature gravity
and earnestness are allied with a
strong temper, kept, however, in stern
control He has a great capacity for
generous Indignation, and, when he is
af1ame with it, the hawklike features
become more strongly accented, the
onyx eyes fash and glow, the voice
grows resonant, the utterance em-
phatic. No one. it seems has ever
tried but once 20 tell him an anecdote
depending for Its point upon some trait
OF cynicism, baseness or sharp practice.
The tale was received in grim and dis
Gusted silence. do you call that anus
ing? l call it devilish' was the com,
ment which a characteristic story about
Lord Beaconsfleld was received by his
rival.
In personal dealings although quickly
aroused, Mr. Gladstone was placnblc,
reasonable and always willing to hear
excuses or dcfenses. When the course
OF life was flowing smoothly he was de-
1ghtful company. most engaging
quality was his invariable and universal
! courtesy. He had the ceremonious
manners of the old school and treated
young and old men and women as if
they were on his own intellectual level.
indeed, his manner toward his intellec-
tual Interiors was almost ludicrously
humble. Still, being human he liked ac-
| quiescenco better than contradiction,
and he was inclined to ovcrlatc the
characters and Mtainments of the peo-
pie who agreed with him. His geese
were swans. He showed. according to
Bishop Wilbcrforce, Il want of clear,
sharp sightcdncss as to others, and he
consequently exposed himself to the arts
of scheming mediocritics. He was seen
to the most advantage in his own home
His extraordinary vgor and agility of
mind and body, and unbroken health
and buoyant spirits formed an atmos-
phcre of infectious vitality. He delight
| ed in hospitality and received his friends
| with joy that warmed more than wine.
| The dignity, older and simplicity and
manly pcty of his daily life made up Il
| spectacle more impressive than his most
| magnificent performances in parliament
or on the platform.
Although Mr.. Gladstone was precmi-
nently talkcr In society, yet he did not
disdain the other arts by which people
who dine out contrve to spend the time.
In his younger days he used to be quito
noted for singing either solos or part
songs, and even down to recent
times the musical bass Of his voice was
often heard to great advantage in family
worship at Hawarden on Sunday nights.
There are legends of the wonderful cf-
feet with which he was wont to render
favorite Scotch song, and irrevcrent
gossipa have even declared that on one
occasion Mr.. Gladstone brought down
the drawing room by the vivacity and
rollicking spirit in which he rendered
the we'll known "Camptown Races"
with its familiar refrain:
Gwine to ride all night,
Gwine to ride all day;
bet my money on the bobtailed nag,
Somebody bet on the bay.
His high spirits broke out at every
moment and he used to rejoice to play
comedy part on his own or his sons
lawn. 1t would be incorrect to say
that on the occasion of popular celc-
brations or local fancy fairs and cot
tage gardening shows Mr.. Gladstone
played down to the level OF his audi
ences On the contrary, he exhibited
just sufficient sympathy to raise them
to enthusiasm and no more.
Mr.. Gladstone's post bag in the days
of his greatest popularity used to con-
tain the most incongruous medley Of
frnrrxtor$ o~A %,l~o5<.,o snkSo~A >,,ns,