Mr Gladstone and the Editor.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 17 August 1893, Page 50

Mr Gladstone and the Editor.

" Some years ago," said a man, who might have been untruthful and might not, " I was in a small town in the south of Scotland where Mr Gladstone was to make a speech that night, and it happened I stopped at the same hotel as he did. Just after supper the antiGladstonian editor of the local paper dropped in to pay his,respects to Mr Gladstone, and the distinguished gentleman proceeded to have some tun with the country journalist. He had, too, and every now and then he rounded up a sentence against the editor by saying, ' Oh, you can't believe everything there is in the newspapers,' the editor having used newspaper matter very largely in his argument. < "After the speech-making was over the editor met Mr Gladstone in the hall of the hotel agaiD, when there were a ilujmber of distinguished supporters of Mr Gladstone present. " ' Well, my friend,' inquired the old Parliamentary hand, 'what did you think of my speech?' " The editor hesitated a moment.

11 'Are you,' he asked solemnly, • the genuine William Ewart Gladstone ?' "'Certainly. Why not?' inquired Mr Gladstone. i "'Are you the one that all the newspapers have been describing as tho finest speaker, the greatest talker, and the best debater before the public?' pursued the editor. " ' I may not be all that, but my name is certainly W. B. Gladstone,' replied that gentleman, colouring slightly. ' Why P ' "' Oh, because you can't believe everything there is in the newspapers,' and Mr Gladstone shook hands with the editor, and acknowledged that he had been beaten."