Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
EVENING OF A LIFE
Lord Salisbury in Retirement
on His Favorite Estate.
CHARITY, GOOD WORKS
NO MAN CRUEL TO BEASTS Is EN-
PLoYED BY HIM.
Neither Can One Be Who is Not Hus-
banda Craftsman Of
Many Arts.
CHARITY, GOOD WORKS

A few months ago Lord Salisbury swayed
the destinies Of the British empire. Today
he Is practically forgotten even by the
people of his own country. The long &C
counts Of his career which were published
when he resigned the premiership read for
all the world like obituary notices, and are
remembered as such.
Lord Salisbury has always Stunned no
toriety, and now that he has retired from
politics he is more than ever reticent about
his private life. Few people know how he
is spending the evening Of life devoted
to the service of his monarch and his coun-
try.
In politics the late premier was regarded
as a bitter-tongued cynic-'the master OF
the art of jeers and f1outs and sneers,
Disraelf called him. In society he was
the aristocrat par excellence. haughti-
ly scorning the new rich" and the
Smart set" Many OF his Supporters IN the
house of lords and house OF commons
were bitterly incensed because ne ralieo 10
recognize them in the street or the club, al
though they had been introduced to him
and had spoken to him frequently NOT
only Is Lord Salisbury near-sighted and ap-
nt-minded, but he has a bad memory for
faces-a rare defect In a public man. 1t Is
said that he once asked Mr.. Balfour when
visiting the house Of commons, WHO is
that man who spoke so inteligentiy just
now?" That man was Mr.. Walter Long,
the minister for agriculture, member or
Lord Salisbury's own cabinet.
The Real Lord Salisbury.
This absence of mind Is partly assumed in
order to ward off intrusive indmacies Sim
Harry, Lord Salisbury's apparent cynicism
and hauteur are only a mask covering his
real nature. Go to Hatfield in Hertford-
shire. where his favorite ancestral home Is
situated, and ask the people there about
him They will tell you OF new Lord
Salisbury-or the real Lord Salisbury OF
whom the world never dreams.
The great statesman might forget one or
his own ministers, but he never fails to
recognize the country people who live round
his stately home at Hatfield He knows
them all, from the Oldest grandfather to
the Youngest child and he takes the keenest
interest in their humble lives He may be
cold and distant to foreign prince OF
doubtful character or new peer OF the
realm, who has made his money out of beer
and bought a coronet with his spare cash.
but he never holds aloof from the poorest
of his neighbors at Hatfield.
When the writer was staying at that place
as a boy in July, 1891, he saw Lord Sails
bury-then prime minister of England-sit-
ting down on box in a blacksmithS shop
in the village, and helping the blacksmith's
little girl to mend a broken toy. Next week
he entertained the German emperor at Hat
field House.
A Villagers Appreciation.
Ten years afterward. on revisiting Hat
field, the writer asked an old villager what
he thought Of Lord Salisbury.
think of him. sir?' was the reply. why.
he's the finest gentleman God ever made.
don't know what we should do without him.
I do believe he knows every soul In the
place by name. and he has never been too
busy to help any of US when we have need
ed help
'.And Lady Salisbury was a rare good
woman. Her death was terrible blow to
the poor old man. Rare lovers they were all
their lives. I grumbled to his lordship once
about times being hard In my business. He
laughed in his CHEEKY way and said
Hard times don't matter much, Johnson.
when a man has good wife like yours and
mine. You may hardly credit 1t. but was
hard up myself when 1 was a young man,
just after my marriage. 1 only had small
allowance as a younger son, and had to exc
1t out by writing articles for the newspapers
and reviews But we were never worried
by our shortness of money. 1t depends on
a mans wife whether poverty Is irksome or
not
ST remember once the old villager
went on, "a young girl here was Tilted
by her lover otter they had gone together
for years. Lady Salisbury, who liked the
girl. was much upset, and told her hus-
band about it. His lordship went straight
to the young man and told him he had
The young fellow said he'd like to, but he
was only earning twelve shillings week
and couldn't support family. His lord
ship got him a good job that very day,
and they were married before the week
was out. They are as happy now as any
husband and wife could be, and you may
be sure that woman doesn't forget Lord
Salisbury when she says her prayers.
solicitude for Old People.
That's only an example, sir. of what
his lordship has done for the people here
abouts. If girl gets married she is al
ways sure Of wedding present from his
lordship and the old people. know that he
won't let them end their days in the work
house II he can help it. He's rich man.
but the amount of money he gives away
In charity here must make big hole even
In an income like his.
But that's not the only way he helps
the people. II he sees a man doing job
clumsily, he will stop and show him how
to do 1t properly: He's rare handy man