Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-28

The watchful care2Rhich the late
Mrs. William Ewart Gladstone con-
tinually exercised over the health and
comfort of her distinguished husband
was the subject of frequent comment
among her intimates. Possessed Of
forceful intellect and strong womanly
sympathies, she used these character
istics in such a way as 10 make the
eX-premier think her the cleverest wo-
man in the world Out of all the mem
Ders of her household she alone knew
just how to manage her venerable hus-
band, who i'll recent years had occa-
sIOnally manifested a disposition to in
dulge in what would be regarded as
tantrumS in less distinguished men. On
one occasion a leading London journal
tst, while dining with the Gladstones.
got into a heated argument with the
sage of Hawarden over some questiy'
of public policy. While the discussion
was at its storniest a servant quietly
slipped a card into the hand of the dar-
ing newspaper man. On il were the
words w:Itten in Mrs. Gladstone's
large, angular hand. I'VE never con-
tradict MIR. Gladstone" The visitor
then for the first time noticed that the
Grand Old Man wore Il flushed and ex-
cited look. He at once took the hint,
and, after feebly conteSting the point
for a few moments longer, confessed
himself worsted, ard peace was re.
stored.
Gladstone at one time had occasion
to address an open air meeting whose
tone was decidedly unfriendIy to him.
self. Even the presence of Mrs. Glad
stone at the Grand Old Mans side
could not silence the Kisses and cat
calls until as the sun began to beat
down fiercely on the speakers bald
head his wife's solicitude for his health
led her to raise a sun umbrella and
stand holding ii over him. The sight
of the aged couples devotion to each
other turned the tide of popular favor.
and the air was rent by wild cheers for
1.-The Grand Old Woman"
Mrs. Gladstone was affectionateIy re
ferred to by her husband as the best
nurse in all England" She had almost
a mania for prescribing more or less
nauseous medicines for such Of her
friends as were ailing. James Russell
Lowell. when minister to England.
was slightly indisposed while visiting
the Gladstones. Mrs. Gladstone forced
on him a particularly abominable black
draft. He said afterward. "She gave
it in such Il sweet. motherly way that
the stuff tasted better than the best
cocktail"
Mrs. Gladstone was one day travel
ing on the underground railway in
London. Her companion for the trip
was n woman who said i'll the course
of the conversation that she and her
husband were i'll n tight fix. He had
held high position in the civil service,
but had been compelled to resign.
Nothing which he could do presented
itself, and he resolved TO go out TO
Australia, but his wife and children
would have to be left behind. The
woman told the story without guessing
who her listener was.
When Mrs. Gladstone came to get
off she found she had not n penny TO
take her home. II should like to help
YOU sac said, but 1 must first con-
suit my husband. If you will call on
me at IL tomorrow morning at 10 st.
James square, 1 will see what can be
done for you. In the meantime l have
come out without my purse. 1 have |
not n penny to pay my return fare, so
please lend me siXpence" Though this |
sounded somewhat like the hold up of |
a confidence woman, the almost deSti- |
tute wife gave up the little money she |
had with her. Next day she called at |
the Gladstone house. Mrs Gladstone |
gave her $3.50 from Mr.. Gladstone and |
added $50 more on her own behalf.
An English writer, speaking of the |
beautiful relations existing between |
Mr.. and Mrs. Gladstone, says: Mrs. |
Gladstone cultivated the art of listen |
ing TO her husband to a perfection that |
1 never saw equaled. When he spoke. |
her absolute attention was always at !
his command In fact do not believe /
anybody ever was so absorbed as Mrs. |
Gladstone looked. 1 suspect that she |
had learned how to wear that absolute
~ listening air while her mind follow
ed its own track. But it was 4 decided |
help to him, for it secured. at table and
elsewhere, general silence when he
wished to deliver his opinions without
any appearance that he personally was
demanding it Mrs Gladstone's own
little speeches TO the women Liberals,
too, were always on one tOpic-what |
her husband thought or how he was
feeling. In short. for the old ideal of
wifehOOd Mrs. Gladstone was a perfect
model"
Mrs Gladstone. unlike Mr.. Gladstone,
had a strong sense Of humor. She also
was a keen judge OF what would irri-
tate the statesman. She used TO tell |
the story herself Of how on one occa-
sion she sat for five hours on copy OF
The Times to keep IL from falling into
Mr.. Gladstone's hands. and all be-
cause it contained a peculiarly bitter
attack upon him. which she could
laugh at herself. but which she knew
would cause him intense irritation and
chagrin-