The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-07

Upon what slender threads the fates
Of peoples hang may be seen in JOIN
Howard PARNELL's intimate" memoir
OF his famous brother Charles Steicurt
PdrucH DHolJ. The great statesman's
adventures began. as life's adventures
begin for the great and the ungreat.
at an early and tender age. His
mother was nursing" him when a
caller was announced In her haste
she laid the infant snugly In an open
standing bureau drawer. Absent
minded. going out. she closed the
drawer. Returning half an hour later.
dumfounded at the inexpicabie non
appearance OF her Offspring. she
raised the hue and cry. Servants
came and amid the confusion some
one caught "Charley's" muffied pro-
testant walls and brought him back 20
his proper place in the sun and air.
Later. on visiting America, Charley"
became 30 interested in mining that
had he followed immediate inclina-
ton ne might have remained here and
changed the course OF history on two
sides OF the Atlantic.
"Chariey's" mother-he Is Charley
throughout these free and easy pages
Mrs. Parnell il credited BY her
younger son with chief formative in
nuence on the character OF "the Tn
crowned King Of Ireland" She was Q
daughter OF the American Nelson"
Commodore Charles Stewart, COM
mander OF the Essex in Tunisisn
waters and OF the redoubtable Con-
stellation in the unp,easantnes. Of
1912. zone OF his numerous captures
was the brig Lord Nelson. OF Ber-
muda. December "a. lsl4) She was
q woman OF charm. brilliance and in
.ellect: Il is the intellectual Il dies
who mislay their infants IN bureau
drawers. She was, moreover. "a keen
and clever politician" "dsvotedly at
tached TO the cause OF freedom" and
a good deal OF a Fenian Charley was
once very much put about by having
his militia uniform connscated a.
Fenlan trapping. Mrs. Parnell hated
England. yet always !nstilled into
her children the principle Of personal
loyalty 70 their Sovereign" This
principle she held 10 he not incou-
sistent with Individual liberty.
In 1871 Charley was nearly mar
r!ed." lie was engaged 20 an Amer
can girl who, however. transferred
her affections 10 an American bank
account, which she married, and lived.
presumably. more or less unhappily
ever after. In 1850 John Howard
Parn-ll and his sister Theodosis. Mrs.
Paget. at Newport for a summer holi-
day. went TO call on "Charley's old
sweetheart" The lady talked fast
and seemed nervous. do tell me"
she said suddenly. "how is your great
brother Charles?" She sighed. seemed
on the verge OF tears and exclaimed
with deep feeling: "Oh. why did !
not marry him? How happy We
should have been toge ;her," This
disappointment was another guiding
influence IN Charley's life. Had he
married the lady he would have set
tied down to . contented and COM
Portable lie al Avondale. Ills tilt-
ing undoubtedly helned to drive his
energies into politics. for he was
deeply hurt ct the idea OF belng con-
sidered simply a country gentleman
without any special abilities"
Conventional biography has annoy
ing deficiencies that cannot be con-
nected with this book. Mr.. Parnelrs
personal traits are recalled by his
loyal brother with g fulness OF detail
and a frankness o. preSentat ton that
reilly add something to what 1. use
fully known OF him. Taste in food
and clothes. little everyday likes and
dislikes, tricks OF thought and man
ner. Incidents OF domestic life that
show temperament and character, these
add 10 tho picture OF the statesman
the touch OF live personality that
makes the whole world kin, Char
ley was nervous but had splendid
sef-control. He was superstitious.
He hated green and noise. lie liked
speed in whatever he did. Reserved
In manner. he enjoyed his quiet little
Joke. His GOODNESS" was a self-de-
fensive mask. He made a good. II
not heavy. breakfast, and then went
right on until dinner without an
other sit down meal" He was fond
OF mutton and of trout. Salmon he
did not care for. He liked tomatoes
ate no sweets but rhubarb
avoided pastry like poison" His
cheese was Gruyere He never ate
nuts nor touched any dessert but
grapes. He had no taste for apples.
and 10 his brothers great grief had
al the apple trees in the orchard
cut down. He drank tea az break
fast, Claret at dinner and cocoa in the
evening; no coffee. He ate rather
fast and did not like TO talk at table.
He worked out his problems in bed
He smoked cigars buy would none of
the pipe or cigarette. His letters were
brief and huslnesslilte. And his brother
always called him Charley. He would
he to the Irish leader what Bour-
rienne was TO Napoleon. rather than
what Carlyle was 70 Frederick the
Great"