The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-12-05
| COLLAR And CURL.
Distinguishing characteristics Of
English Statesmen.
The One Was Thought to Be Foible
of Gladstone, the Other Of
BeaconsfieId.

"I suppose" says Mr.. John Theo-
dore Tussaud in the "Romance OF
Madame Tussaud's," "the British pub
lie never looked on two such political
:cladiators as BeacOnsfield and Glad
stone, and while those two statesmen
dominated peoples minds it was nat.
ural that they should both have a
pedestal at Madame TuSsaud's wax
works. I can neither say who was
first to appear in the exhibition nor
prophesy who will be the last to go.
They are both there now and still at
tract much notice. For more than
generation the Beaconsfield curl and
the Gladstone collar exercised a sub
tie influence in the political world
mainly through the cartoons and the
caricatureS of Tenniel and Furniss.'
You have to be meticulously careful
with regard TO important details such
as that collar and curl in later years
when Mr.. Gladstone's figure had to
he remodeled it was thought advis-
able to examine a collar that actually
belonged to the Grand Old Man.
The master Of the robes of the IA
nous waxworks was sent to Glad
stones home to ask permission to in
vestigate his collar boxes; permission
was readily granted, but the investi-
gator was much astonished to find
that none of the collars we're abnor-
mally high or pointed. They were
quite ordinary collars. The clever
caricaturist had merely stressed. not
imagined, characteristic effect In
dress; for to leave his throat unim-
peded for oratory Gladstone was care
full to wear his collars loose; and that
circumstance, especially when he was
seated at ease or with head reflective
" inclined. allowed his chin to sink
between the outstanding ends until
they attained undue and striking
prominence. Once when Gladstone
was invited to dinner at which he
knew Harry Furniss was to be pres
ent he surprised the portrayer Of the
famous exaggerated collar by wearing
for that occasion only the most incon-
spicuous, low and narrow collar he
could possibly obtain. No one said
ANYTHING about 1t, but mischief twin
kled for once in the somber eyes OF
the statesman, and amused under
standing twihkled in the eyes OF the
artist.
In the case of Lord Beaconsfeld
dangling ringlet falling upon the fore
head was the particular delight OF his
caricaturists. They often exaggerated
the length and the stringiness OF 1t;
but that he did really wear such
curl is fact; not only does his csunter-
felt presentment in wax at Madame
Tussaud's display the familiar lock.
but the actual and original curl Of the
great Tory is in the possession of the
museum. Two ir"l;S of his hair. cut
after his death, W., e given to nurse
who had tended him il is ]aSs SICK
ness; and one Of them w he cele-
brated curl. From the niece the
first owner they passed to Mau.'Ih
TuSsaud'S.
Few great men are genuinely indif-
ferent to their waxen models. though
on visiting the exhibition many OF
them try hard to appear unconcerned
and approach gradually and coyly the
figure they are so eager to see. When
a new figure is making, the original
often sends interesting suggestions
and criticisms. Often he is politely
requested to give sittings. Occasion
ally he volunteers an unexpected hint
when he is sitting.
Tennyson, whose instincts and hab-
its were. as was we'll known, those OF
q recluse, was studied and modelled
surreptitiously, but an observant
neighbor told him what was going on.
Soon afterward a quiet hint was con-
veyed to the museum that. despite his
eighty years, the aged poet had not
gray hair in his head and desired that
the modeler should make that pleas
ing fact plain in his model. He did so
and with respectful amusement EN-
toyed the wholly human little eXhibi-
tion Of vanity.