Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
MEMORIES OF GLADSTONE,
Stories Told of the English States
man by His Private Secretary.

From the Living Age.
The chief Joy Of old age consists in retro
epection, and can see him now as on that
morning When l began my work. The little
details stand out in Photographic clearness
before me. see him seated at his table In
Carlton House terrace, the black frock coat,
with a flower in his buttonhole, brown trou
sers with a stripe down the side, as was
the fashion of that time; a somewhat dis
ordered neckcloth and the big collars,
which afforded such cause for merriment In
contemporaneous caricature. An upward
and almost annoyed look at the Interrupt
ton gave way to a kind smile. as Mrs.
Gladstone introduced me to him. lie
plunged into business at once, and gave me
huge box of correspondence connected
with the formation of his government and
l Immediately understood what Sir Robert
Peel, l think, once said, that the hardCs t
task that could fall on a minister was the
business Of forming a soyernmcnt. That
box contained the undue pretensions OF
many, the self-effacement of few. the Md
esty of some, and the ampiti3ns OF Gil.
Where are those ambitions now?
Mr.. Gladstone explained to HE his views
OF the relations that should exist between
q minister and his secretary-uubounce d
confidence, such as that which In Wolf
ordered household should exist between n
husband and wife. and then the work be-
gan-work that had beginning, but never
had an end.
Let me give you an instance OF his NOR
vicious memory. We were discussing in 'sS1
the conversion Of the malt tax into a beer
duty, which he called the greatest financial
operation in his life, not even excepting the
reimposition of the income tax. l had tod
him that the estimated profit of the master
was per cent on each quarter OF malt.
am now putting imaginary ngurss. The fol-
lowing day he said. Il understand that he
masters profit is per cent" mo, SIR /
said, 20 per cent" Il certainly though; 1t
was per cent and then, turning to Mr.
Young, a famous Inland revenue ofi.C-ai
he said, Can you recollect as FAR back as
1882? Was not the profit then supposed to
be per cent?" ut was then. hs replied
.Ah" Mr.. Gladstone said, II see how per
cent has got into my mind. I recoIect
studying the question when became menu
Der for Newark in 1882. and 1t was that
figure then'-a gap Of nearly Atty yeals.
It has been said that Mr.. Gladstone had
not a keen sense of humor and yet in Ear
liamentary bandinage he was never sur
passed. l have seen him as Delighted as
child over simple stories. end particularly
at American wit. Once some one was rssh
enough to repeat in his presence Il oIes-
tionable tale Of political opponent. do
YOU call that amusing?" he said; Il Call 1t
devilish."
In his later years two men Of singularly
unprepossessing presence sat opposite to
him. and he put to his colleagues on the
bench beside him as to which was the
uglier. They gave their opinion. No.
said he, .'you do not approach the question
from the proper point. II you were to mag
Nifty your man. he would. on colossal
scale become dignifed and even imposing;
but my man. the more you magnify him
the meaner he would become"
Nothing demonstrated Mr.. Gladstone's
modesty more than the invariable kindness
with which he would judge sermons. so
unlike the fiippant- and easy criticisms Of
us smaller folk. He always attended church
twice every Sunday. and would always
laugh good-humoredly at me for being
what he called "once-er."
Mr. Gladstone told me that once after
long nights In the house he used to be
tempted to stay too long in bed in the
mornings, so he made a rule which he never
broke, to get up the moment ne was called.
He was naturally good sleeper, always
reading a light book to distract his mind
from the contests In the House: but once
he said after long debate. he could not
help thinking Of It. IF did that Often" he
added, IT should go mad
Lord Roseberry, In his life of Pitt, tells
US of a discussion which took place as to
the quality most required In statesman.
One SAID eloquence; one, knowledge; one,
toll: but Pitt said. patience. Surely, Mr..
Gladstone possessed all fouri