The Washington herald., 1912-02-10
STORIES OF LABoUCHERE.


Henry Labouchere. who died recently
at the age Of eighty-one. retired from the
stage long before he had wearied his
audience, and spent the evening Of MS
life in lovely villa overlooking Florence,
the city OF dome and spire, by the Alp
draining. rushing Arno, dreaming OF
Dante and OF its own gloyious past
Labouchere never was at his best on the
floor OF the House OF Commons, where
he always seemed IN at ease and shufhed
with his feet when be delivered speech.
II was In the smoking room where he
reigned supreme: where he gathered
around him men Of every party and po-
litical faith. As a taIker he was
marvel. but not in the legislative han,
because he could not smoike there. That
uneasy shufid OF the feet when address
ing the House meant that he wanted to
get away and talk through the fumeSof
his cigarette.
T. p, o'Connor. who knew LEbouchere
well attributes the long life Of the pub
lisher OF Truth TO temperance in eating
and drinking. He rarely touched vine
and then only took claret and water. But
he was intemperate in one direction-he
was an inveterate cigarette smoker. He
would gulp down an egg and cup OF
tea and stick cigarette In his mouth,
smoking necessarily all day long,
Mr.. Labouchere,s long life enabled him
to tell stories OF Birmarck In the latter's 5
unknown days, OF the original Of Thack-
eray's Marquis OF Steyne, and OF Dis
raelis Lord Monmouth, One Of the genial
| cynicisms of his. which ought not TO be
allowed TO die, was that uttered at a ban
mat 0fVan hu Efr Henry Irving '"Fn
think said the great actor to the jour
| nalist, that was once getting five
/ pounds a week from you!'' Three
pounds" corrected Labouchere.
In half forgotten court trial more
than thirty years ago Labouchere fig
ured as the challenger TO a duel, Con-
Quoting his own case. he called Mr..
Gladstone. then prime minister. as u
witness. He was n scornful critic OF tie
foreign policy Of the Daily Telegraph
at time when feeling in England ran
high over the near Eastern question.
Mr.. Edward Lawson. the publisher (since
created Lord Burnhsm). quite. naturally
resented these attacks on his paper. The
result was something like a personal en-
counter between the two at the Beef
steak Club, and finally, an action for
libel.
The case was tried in the old courts
at Westminster Hall. Labouchere, stand
ing In front OF the bench assigned to
counsel with his close-fittIng frock coat
buttoned across his chest and his right
hand in his trousers pocket, cross-ex-
| amined the witnesses with his easy nom
chalance that nothing could disturb. The
| antagonism had gone so far that Mr..
Labouchere had challenged Mr.. Lawson
to a duel. which was declined, on the
advice OF Sir Edwin Arnold. Asked why
he had given such advice, Sir Edwin.
pointing his finger dramatically first at
Lawson and then at Labouchere, ex-
| claimed: II advised him not to pit
such a life as his against such life as
yoursG' "oh, indeed!" was all that La
bouchere said in reply.
II Is devoutly to be hoped that such a
man has left book of "reminiscences.
No man could have more TO tell He was
behind the scenes in all political crises
of the past generation. As a writer he
was without a peer in the use OF master
/ full. sinewy. nervous English. This style
Of his is best seen in The Diary OF a
Besieged Resident, in which he re-
counts the tragic and grOtesque scenes
Of which he was a witness at Paris. when
| the Germans in $50 surrounded that gay
| city with a circle Of steel
| No better radical. no truer friend OF
| peace and freedom ever sat in the British
| House OF Commons. No more fearless
| Journalist ever welded a powerful pen
1 Beneath his ever mocking mask lay q
keen intellect, a tender heart. brave
unconquerable soul This Jester. from
whose raillery nothing was safe, moi
| even his own personality or his owr
political idolatry, in truth was daunt'
] less champion OF human liberty and a
| hater of cruelty and injustice.
| As editor of Truth he was forever
| like a sleuth hound on the track oI
| quacks, impOstors. and evii-doers In
general. AS a member OF Parliament