The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-28

I
as confirmed bachelor.
Next to his books, Mr.. Balfour finds his
chief pleasures in golfng and cycling
Mr.. Chamberlain has been heard to boast
that he never takes any other exercise than
that of walking up and down stairs. Not
80 his chief Mr.. Balfour Is one of the best
golfers in the House OF Commons.
He started the annual Parliamentary golf
tournament and always stands high up
in it. He used to be captain of the Oldest
and most famous golf club in the world
| the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of st.
Andrews-and he Is still the president
of the National Cyclists Union OF Great
Britain The head cadde on the st. An
drews link is fond of remarling regret
fully that splendid golf professional was
lost in Mr.. Balfour when he turned his at
| tention to craftsmanship.
/ When Mr. Gladstone was alive members
| of the House Of Commons used TO wonder
whether he or Mr. Balfour was fonder of
petting children. Although political OPP
ponents. they were intimate friends. Both
liked literature better than the rough-and-
tumble of politics, and they were bound
together also by their fondness for chill
dren, especially for Dorothy Drew, Mr.,
Glads,one's pet grandchild
| In earlier years they both petted Lady
| Sybil Primrose, Lord Roseb ervs daughter,
whom Mr. Gladstone nicknamed "the suf-
fraRe babe" because she was born at a
time when a Suffrage bill was agitating
Parliament
An English writer who has met Mr.. Bal
four on several occasions tells with pleasure
of In Grlf nt
Conservative demonstra ion in Kentish
park in 1887 Mr.. Balfour was the principal
speaker and the writer was then a little
boy selling programmes for the good of the
cause, as is the habit Of the sons of Prim-
rose League danes.
Greatly daring, the boy stopped MIR,
Balfour rs he was walking through the park
to the platform to make his speech. and
asked him 10 buy programme, Mr..
Balfour took one and paid ten times the
proper price.
I'm glad to see you helping our cause
so young, my little man." he said, patting
the boys head What are you going to
be when you grow up?"
I'D like to be great man in Parliament
like you. sir" the youngster replied.
Don't you'll exclaimed Mr. Balfour.
laughing. There's no fun in it. Id rather
be boy like you"
Some Of the organizers OF the meeting
came up and told Mr.. Balfour that the
people were waiting to hear him speak,
but he waved them aside.
Cant you see I'm trying TO strengthen
the faith OF a young disciple?" he said.
Then he asked the boy all about his home
life and his sohoolmates, and gave him
some sound advice on school practice.
"Don't get into more fights than you can
help, but II you have to fight let the other
boy knock you blind and silly before you
give in. That's the only way to get on
and have a good time"
Ten years afterward. when the boy was
working on London newspaper, he had
occasion to call on Mr.. Balfour at his office
in Downing street.
"Do you remember buying programme
Of me at Southwood in 1892" he asked
"Why, yes said Mr.. Balfour; and are
you the boy for whom kept the meeting
waiting? Don't you think now that was
wise in telling you there was no fun in
This is an example of Mr.. Balfour's WON
derful memory As with most absent
minded men. his memory for events is re-
markahly good when they are called to
his attention.
Mr. Balfours most striking characteristic
perhaps. is his even temper Nothing
seems to ruffie him. In the old coercion
days he would sit for hours on the Treasury
bench of the House OF Commons with a
pleasant smile on his face while the Irish
members were comparing him unfavorabiy
to Nero and Herod, and saying that IL they
saw him in the company Of Ananias and
Sapphire they would consider him to be in
the bosom OF his family.
Other Conservative members would lump
up angrily and interrupt, but the man
attacked never showed q trace OF annoy
ance. His friends say that only once has
Mr.. Balfour been known to show anger in
| public.
Some young Tories snowballed Mr..
Gladstone when he visited Dover during
| to address Tory meeting at Dover soon
! afterward, and he took occasion TO de-
| no,ince the outrage in unmeasured terms
1 His language, usually SO calm and philo-
| sophical. became torrent Of passionate
| invective, and before he had finished he
! had lost control Of himself
| II believe he would have wrung the necks
| Of those young fools il he could said the
chairman Of the meeting afterward.
Though Mr.. Balfour has never married
his whole life and character have been
Alice Balfour. She is an accomplished
high-minded woman. who Yields great
influence In English political circles
1t is said that Lord Salisbury used often
to ask her advice and lean upon her iudg
ment Probably she persuaded him to give
her brother the great chance of his life
as Chief Secretary for Ireland. 1t is gem
orally agreed that she has kept him In
political life, conquered his natural indo-
| lence and made practical, successful states
man out of the philosopher who wrote
Two big volumes to explain that nothing il
worth worrying about or striving for.
TIE BOOTBL.iCKS H4RVESTS.
Greatest on Fair Sundays Following Rain
Last Sundays the Greatest Ever.
| sour harvests," said bootback, 4de.
pend not on the seasons, but on the weather
"A fair day after rainy spell means
business for us, and when the first fair day
after long rain comes. as it did this time
on a Sunday. why, then we get big harvest
In this particular case it was the blgges,
ever.
up to last Sunday, you know, it haC
rained for ten days, and everybody hac
got his shoes good and muddy Sunday
morning 1t rained pitchforks, and chair,
we're covered over or taken in; but SUNDAY
afternoon it cleared of and we had clear
bright sunny weather for the first time ia