The Irish standard., 1898-02-05
WENT TO HAWARDEN CASTLE
And Was Pleasantly Received By
the Great Englishman.
AN ENTERPRlsING TRAVELLER
The Chicago Lad Surprised the
London Reporters.

A young Chicago lad named Harry
Steele Morrison recently travelled in Eu-
rope and paid the expenses of his trip
by his enterprise as reporter. lie i'll
terviewed the lord mayor of London, the
president of the French republic. and the
grand old man." William Ewart Glad
stone. He tells his adventures in the
Chicago Tribune, from which .Ae fol-
lowing in reference to Mr.. Gladstone is
taken:
When 1 reached London I thought that
something had dropped me back into
some city of the middle ages, for at first,
l only saw the old part of the metroo-
oils. Later on I realized that London
is quite as far advanced in some things
as New York or Chicago.
The first thing did upon arrival was
to look for some place where I could
work for my room and board. Picking
up copy Of the Westminster Gazette
at the station I glanced over it's want"
columns and came at once upon the very
"ad' l was looking or. A small inn, in
the heart of the old city, wanted boy
to work for his room and board, and at
once. Of course hastened to the ad-
dress as fast as l could go, and it is
needless to say that I got the place.
American boys can beat the English.
even in the Englishmen's own country.
;,,
London.
One of the first things did upon my
arrival in the English metropolis was to
write letter to Mr.. Gladstone. One of
the main objects of my trip was to get
an Interview with the great man, and
wrote this letter to ask if it would be
possible for me to gain the cherished all
dlence When l called upon the editor
OF the Tribune in Chicago before start
ing on my trip he told me that he would
rather 1 would get an interview with
Mr.. Gladstone than with any one else
In Europe, and 1 was determined to get
1t for him if possible, I knew it would
be hard thing to do, but was going
to do my best.
In the letter sent to Hawarden Castle
= from London I explained to the Grand
Old Man. the object of my trip TO ELL
rope, why I had come and how, and told
him how very much 1 would appreciate
an Interview with him an. what help It
would be to me in paying my way I
thought he would certainly send back
a favorable reply, because I thought
there was no one who would not be glad
to help boy to the extent Of granting
an interview. But I soon found that I
was dealing with an English statesman
and not with one of our free and easy
diplomats at Washington. The answer
came in about q week and said that ow-
ing to the state of Mr.. Gladstone's health
it would be quite impossible for him to
grant any interviews whatever. 1t was
signed by "Mr. Gladstone's Secretary
was disappointed that the answer
should be so short. had at least hopad
that he would express some interest in
my trip, but these few words merely
said that he wouldn't grant the interview
and were decidedly unsatisfactory.
So 1 decided to write again and see
If 1 couldn't get more announcement,
In this second letter l went more into
detail about my trip, and told them
that the Interview was really necessary
for the success of my venture But it.
was no USE The letter brought me no
reply whatever, and 1 was worse off than
before. But 1 was not going to submit
quietly to defeat. 1 decided to go to
the village of Hawarden. didn't have
much money, and Hawarden was a good
ways from London, but was going 70
risk everything and CO. felt sure that l
would succeed, though how hadn't Lhe
least idea.
So one day boarded a train for Wales.
and in about six or seven hours. after
changing cars some five times, 1 finally
arrived in the village where Mr.. Glad
stone makes his home. It was about
the poorest excuse for village I ever
saw, but as the people are terribly proud,
and Mr.. Gladstone sees fit to reside thera.
alun dare express my contempt. The
hamlet consisted of but one short street,
and the only places of interest were tho
Gladstone castle and the village church.
Of which Mr.. Gladstone's son is rector
On the night of my arrival l had some
dl1ilculty in getting place to stay Tor
the next day was Sunday, and the plrca
was filled with people who had come to
see the venerable statesmen go 20 church.
They We're very numerous these visitors,
bat were nothing compared to those that
came the next day from every direction.
1t may sound strange, but 1t is a fact.
that excursions are run to Hawarden