New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-04
Anglo-American Memories
CXII.
LAURA REMNANT.
copyright. 1911. George ". smalleyJ

millions to spend as he liked-in aid or
Mr.. C;ladstones political ambitions. and
| Of his many contests in many consutu-
onciee. When the late Duke of West
| minister whom MI Gladstone had made
a duke. sold at profit Of 200 per cent
the nortrait Of Gladstone which Millais
had rainte6 to the dukes order il was
Sir Charles Tenant who bought it;
and. Scotchman as he was, he did not
haggle at the price. But this transaction
took place after Laura Lyttelton's death
7 mention II again partly because think
" cannot be mentioned too often; partly
because Il helps show how the Tenants
and Gladstone stood TO each other. and
how between a girl like Laura Tenant
and a giant like Mr.. Gladstone a friend
ship was certain TO spring. There can
have been no more beautiful friendship
than theirs.
Something Of this is true also Of Lord
Tennyson and Miss Tenant There are
stories and TO spare Of Tennyson's self
absorption. Some Of them may be found
in a letter Of mine TO The Tribune after
his death One Of them, l suppose. is
the story Of Tennyson reading Locks
ley Hall"--or whatever the poem was
on the Pembroke Castle in the harbor Of
Copenhagen TO the Empress Of Russia.
the Princess Of Wales, and other guests
of Sir Donald Currie. Laura Tenant
was one. II was Tennysons habit To
e, orI o-t In, bae
readings by holding the girls hand. The
poet sat between the Empress Of Russia
and Miss Tenant; grasped hand early
. in the fervor OF his recitation. and held
il 10 the end. II happened in this in
stance 10 he the Enpress's hand. Her
imperial majesty knew we'll enough what
had happened and was vastly diverted
by Ternysons little mistake; as were
the rest OF the company and Miss Ten
nant most Of all. When he asked her
afterward on deck how the reading had
gone off, she answered
"Excellently, but don't think the En-
press is in the habit of having her hand
squeezed in public"
The interest of the story for present
purposes is in the light it throws on the
intimacy between him and the girl, and
on the nature Of the girl These two
great men. Tennyson and Gladstone. who
adored themselves first OF all, adored
her next, or next after those they were
bound TO adore.
The Alfred Lyttelton whom Laura
Tenant married in 1885 is still living,
and there is another Mrs. Alfred Lyttel-
ten. He is not only a Lyttelton but
man of position in public life-M. /.
for st. Georges, Hanover Square
London, with a Unionist majority
OF 1000 or so at his back. He has
sat long in Parliament, and was Secre-
tary of State for the Colonies from 1903
to 1905 in Mr.. Balfour's government. dis
tinguishing himself in that high office by
good administrative work: and not least
by his choice OF Lord Grey 10 be Gov
ernor General of Canada. England be-
Ing what she is. | am not sure that Mr..
Lyttelton is not even more reVerehced
by the English public as cricketer and
champion tennis player than as states
man. He is. at any rate, as you see,
man, I'm Emerson's phrase, with both
feet planted solidly on the earth, which
sufficiently explains his attraction Tor
girl like Laura Tenant. who had close
connection with the celestial spheres
who really dwelt in handicapped towers
and palaces more gorgeous than those OF
earth. Such stuff as dreams are mace
on she was made of, but 1T is not TO be
said Of her that the pageant OF "hich
she was part left not rack DeDihu
when II faded. II left memory sun
in London. and even among the later
generation which knew her not, you may
hear of Laura Tenant. and never "l'h-
out A sigh Of regret from those VINO
know her. nor ever without tribute
from those to whom her loneliness ana
all her dazzling traits and gifts are oh'y
a tradition. w. w -