ANECDOTES OF THE PREMIER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1122, 25 February 1885, Page 3

ANECDOTES OF THE PREMIER.

An interesting, little book, containing a large collection of anecdotes relating to Mr Gladstone, has just been published by Mr James Rees, of Mold. The compilers are " An Oxford man aud a Hiwardenite," and whilst they have not neglected the sources of published information, they have found their chief material in the stories told by the villagers in the neighborhood of Hawarden. We select a few specimens : — About forty years ago several haulers were employed in carrying pig-iron from Brymbo to Qneensferry. Among the number was one William Griffiths, who is still alive. This man, wh-<n going down Tinkersdale one day, with his load of iron, was accosted by a stranger, who chatted very freely with him. Among other questions, the stranger asked how much he got per ton for carrying the iron, " Six and sixpence," said the carter. " What weight have you on the cart ?" " A bout a ton and a half." '" And what do you pay for gates?" "Eighteen pence." "flow much does it cost to keep the mare ? " " Thirteen shillings a week." Presently theyreached the foot of the Mill Hill. " How are you goioat to get up this hill?" asked the stronger. "Oh, I mun g-t me shuder, and push up here." "I'll help you a bit," said he, and at once put his shoulder to the cart, and pushed up the hill well. When they reached the top the hauler said, "Y<>u an' me's been as good as a chain 1i0r3«." " Well, well," said the stranger, " 1 don't know how the horse's legs are, but mine ache very much indeed. I suppose you can manage now V " Yes, thank yon," said the hauler, and, wishing him good-day, they separated. As soon as the stranger was gone, a tradesman asked Griffiths if he knew who had been helping him. "No," said he, "he's a perfect stranger to me." " That : was Mr Gladstone," said the tradesman. "Mr Gladstone," responded the hauler. " I dunno' what he'll think o' me then, for I~ never si'd him nor nothln. I thought he was some farmer." Northop, like most other important villages, has its 'carrier. This man visits Chester once or twice a week, and carries all "manner of goods for the inhabitants of, thei districts through which he passes. Oh one occasion he brought a barrel of beer from Chester for a farmer living in Moore Lane, the entrance to which is near to one of Mr Gladstone's lodges. Arriving at this spot he stopped his horse, and was wondering how he could manage to get the barrel lowered, for he was to leave it by the lodge, as the farmer had agreed to feJch it from there himself. At this moment up came Mr Gladstone with his axe upon his shoulder. " Hey, old com-" rade," said he, "come and give us a hand with this barrel." Without any hesitation, the Premier assisted him to lower it to the ground. " Now, old fellow," said the carrier, "if thou'll come up to the village I'll pay for a pint of the best for thee." "No ; thank you. You are welcome to my assistance," said Mr Gladstone, and walked away towards the Castle, smiltngr A villager, whu was standing a little way off, then came up to the carrier, and asked him if he knew who had be<*n helping him. "No," was the reply. " Why," said the villager, " that waa Mr Gladstone ?" " What a fool T be," said the carrier, "but he's a good old chap. He helped me, and th'm knows he did it so willing like." Mr Gladstone, on one occasion, visited one of his tenants with a bundle of comic papers under his arm, in which he and Mr Disraeli were severely caricatured. Handing t]hem to the tenant, he roguishly said, " Here am I ; what do yon think of me and my friend ?" At the Hawarden Flower Show of 1884, the Premier was sppn arming about the Castle grounds, where the show is annually held, a fat old carrier woman, whom he humorously introduced to the visitors as "Lady Margaret." This notable personage, Margaret Hughes, the carrier woman was at one of the feasts given in honor of Mr W. H. Gladstone'smarriage, and, as is usual at such gatherings, toasls were introduced. It fell to Margaret's lot to propose the Premi r's health. Springing to .her feet, she, in very homely yet.aonropria'e terms, made, her proposition. Mr Gladstone, responding, thanked them all for their goo'l wishes, more especially "Lady Margaret," as he called her ; the mention of which caused roars of laughter. The title has clung to her from that day to this,- an<i letters are often addressed to her bearingi.hat title. On one occasion she said to tjhe Premier, "Eh, sir, why do you not come and live with- us. always, where everybody thinks so much of you, instead, of going to London and bothering yourself~with those"fellows,whr> will never let you alone? Why not settle down here in your beau:i?ul house, and enjoy yourself ?" " Well," said Mr Gladstone, Viet me put you a question. Why should you not sell your horse and give up troubling yourself about this going to and from Chester?" "Eh, but," she answered, "that is my work, and I think if I gave it up I should die." {'And the pi her," said Mr Gladstone, ?is my work,, and I must do it the best | way I can." Mrs Gladstone was going out for a walk. She had got a short distance f/om (he castle when a party of visitors met her. " I say, is the old gentleman at home?" said one of them. ' ~" Yes," said Mrs ' Gladstone. "We want to see him," said he. " Follow me." ' was her Jo .him." She led the way to the front, and called out. V William, yon're wanted." By golly,'* whispered one of them "she must' be has wiTe !"

' A bi-centenary of a .cu'r/ous kind hasrecently "bsen celebrated at .Amsterdam, beiog no lessHihan the celebration of the inveniion of the thimblel Ibis jnst two ceotdries since last Octbber that the first European thimble was made by Nicolas van-Beneehoten, a young-goldsmith, who devised the article for the protection of the finger of his lady love," Mdme van Beusselaer, for thimbles, like many greater things, owe their origin to Dan Cupid tThe English were the first to ; maW thimbles on a large scale, but long before either Dutch Or English - thought of thimbles Chinese ladies were thimbled. jphen they worked at their grand 5 embroidery. The Chinese ihimWes bore, and bear to this day, the -form of a lovely lotos flower. There is no such poetry of in the Wwtietn fingeMiat. , J. v