The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-31
CECIL THE FIRST.
Rhodes, "Ths Man Who Eats Coun-
try for His Breakfast.o

A very readable character sketch of
Cecil Rhodes appears In Ainslee's, writ
ten by Allen Sangree, a correspondent
recently returned from South Africa.
He says in part:
I'm the land that bears his name.
Cecil Rhodes receives the homage Of
monarch. He stands for the country's
rise or fall. He Is the source of good
and evil; praised for completing a rail-
road and blamed for continued
drought. Among white men he is a
subject of hero worship. To black men
he represents ,the whole of the Anglo
Saxon race. They call him Separator
of Bulls. Son of the Great White
Queen and the man who eats a coun-
try for his breakfast To them he is
Destiny itself
The first thing you notice about Mr..
Rhodes Is an absence of affautation
He receives alike the day laborer and
the foreign minister. In voice, manner
and conduct he Is ever the same. Moth
ing is studied. Unlike most human be-
ings. he is not an actor. There Is moth
ing mysterious about him. lie makes
use of no subterfuge. but comes
straight to the point. In conversation
he meets your eve squarely and inn
presses you with his sincerity. 4 could
not stand out against him. walled
Barney Barnato when beratpd by Il
friend for merging his diamond inter-
csts with the De Beers Syndicate. 'IIc
just roped me in-roped me in because
l knew he spoke the truth
This righteousness disarms you one
moment. but engages your admiration
the next. 1t is instantly forced upon
you that here is a man who holds life
too serious and brief for masquerade.
whose thoughts are detached from
petty and ongrossed in vast ideas. Mr..
Rhodes gives evidence of this by
breaking off conversation when it be-
comes small, and concentrating his
mind on some entirely foreign subject.
RHODES THINKS IN TONS.
"You need not talk with Mr.. Rhodes
five minutes to learn that he is think
er DR.. Jameson and other lieutenants
who have achieved more or less dis
tinction seem but as moths flying about
an arc light. They think in penny
weights; Rhodes in tons. He never
bothers in details; they take care Of
themselves. Half the time he does not
even have pocket money. Travelling
on a street car in Cape Town one day,
he found himself without the neces-
sary tocky' Uhreepence), and accepted
a loan.
Rhodes exclaimed the American
conductor in writhing sarcasm. Dusty
Roads. I guess Indeed. the Colossus
looked rather dusty. having been on
tramp along the docks. The detail Of
dress, however, is one to which he is
especially indifferent. His favOrite
garb is a white flannel shirt with q
polkadot tie. sofet felt hat and modest
gray or black clothes. He wears no dia-
monds. In this costume l saw him call
upon Sir Alfred Milner. at the EXecu
tive Mansion. The flunKv at the door.
nevertheless. cracked his spine in maxi
ing an obeisance.
But Mr.. Rhodes clothes attract
your attention last SO domineering, al
most oppressive is his presence. Not
that he is unlike other men-an i'm
mune to human passion. frailtes and
luxuries. Far from it. l noticed that
he greatly enjoys a good cigar, drinks
Scotch whiskey and champagne.
HIS INDIFFERENCE TO WOMEN.
Cecil Rhodes Is keen observer. q
philosopher. shrewd of wit, not given
to long speeches, brave. and lavish
with money when he thinks it profit
able to be SO. His countenance Is not
an encouraging study lor the senti-
mental. In the knowledge of South
Africans he has never shown attention
to any woman. Disappoint d-in-love
stories about him go the rounds al in
tcrvals, but are never verified. There
seems to be little room in his makeup
for that sort of thing He treat: the
gentlcr sex with indifference and even
rudeness. For his two sisters alone
does he exhibit fondness, and they, in
turn, have the reputation of being
an-haters.'
Nothing aSgravateS Mr. Rhodes
more than for one of the Chartered
comrany's employees to get married. |
came down from Beira on a German
steamer with a newly welded couple
who We're returning to England most
detected. The bridegroom had been n
trusted lieutenant in Rhodesia, and
went home on leave of absence at his
generals suggestion. When he re-
turned with a rosy-cheeked bride, how.
ever, Rhodes received him coldly. and
TtIIldIhtl SllOTlls tHdl tIlt Climate III
South Africa was ruinOus to "A woman's
beauty.
While this might be construed as a
'lttleness,' it is IA popularity of the
man that falls in line with his life's
aim and work. He holds that the un-
married man will take greater risks
and accomplish more for him on the
fringe of civilization. He looks at it in
purely business way, and Is willing
to pay tha highest prices for the most
efficient work.
Rhodes face and form command
your respect. His forehead is massive.
The grayish light hair lays rather close
to his head, and Is inclined to curl. The
ears and nose are big; the chin firm,
prominent and double. The brows are
heavy and overshadow bright, keen
and thoughtful gray eyes. His mouth
indicates severity. sarcasm and deter
NINA ton. His neck is thick. his shoul-
ders strong, his hands muscular. with
fingers broad at the ends. He is Of
medium height, his body heavy. In his
forehead you see where gigantic ideas
are generated; in his chin how they
are carried out. The lines OF his mouth
tell YOU plainly that slight infringe
ments Of the ethical code are not to
interfere In his project: that the end
ha