CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN TRAP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN TRAP.

Two men, who had ah intense desire to make Mr. Gladstone look foolish, were once caught in their own trap. They had determined, says" a writer in Cassell's Magazine, to try and put a "poser" to Mr. Gladstone by raising a discussion on a subject on which they, greatly daring, imagined he knew nothing. : ; ' ■'

Accordingly, they looked up an article in an encyclopaedia, on some such theme as "Chinese Funeral : Customs.'"

They arranged to discuss the matter at a; dinner-party where Mr. Gladstone was to be the chief guest. As usual, he sparkled with information, but when this ■ unusual theme was introduced by the two men Mr. Gladstone was silent. 'They thought that at last they had fathomed the depth of his extraordinary knowledge, .and one of them challenged him recklessly by saying, " I suppose, Mr. Gladstone, "you cannot throw any light on this matter V" " Mr. Gladstone replied in the mildest way possible, " No, I don't think anything new on the subject has : appeared since the article : , dealing with it was published . in j such-and-such an encyclopaedia," naming I the very volume from which the men had extracted \ their facts., - .| The laugh was turned against: them, and they ; never tried again i\ to make a clever, man look foolish, j