A Xing Among Men

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2350, 19 October 1889, Page 3

A Xing Among Men

A Homo paper gives the following account of the departure of Mr and Mis Gladstone for Paris :

Mr Gladstone and Mrs Gladstone, accompanied by the Rev. H. and Mrs Drew, left Charing cross on Tuesday by the 9.55 train 'on a short visit to the Paris Exhibition. Mr Gladstone, who looked extremely well, was dressed in a grey travelling suit and wore a white rose in his button-hole. He was in the highest spirits, and looked forward to his visit to the Eiffel Tower with the liveliest feelings of satifaction and interest. Many inquiries were made by the small crowd which gathered at the station as to when Mr Gladstone would appear, and his progress from the hotel to the reserved saloon which had been set apart for the party by Sir Edward Watkin, was attended by a continuous series of enthusiastic salutes. Mr Gladstone had a little difTl culty in escaping the attentions of his admirers, but a ready smile and lifelong experience have taught him how to glide with graceful ease through the congratulatory hand-shakers. One stalwart and bearded stranger was, however, not to be gainsaid. Planting himself in front of Mr Gladstone, ho exclaimed, “ Mr Gladstone, I believe, Mr Gladstone !”

Mr Gladstone, being brought to a halt, bowed.

“ I am an American, sir,” said the stranger. “ Let me have the honour of shaking your hand,” and thereupon ho grasped Mr Gladstone by the hand ; and Mr Gladstone did his duty in the shape of a vigorous handshake. “There are sixty millions of Americans in tins world,” said Mr Gladstone, “ and they all regard it as right to shake hands with every one !” “ Mr Gladstone,” cried aaother gentle man, whose face beamed with adoring admiration, “I am glad to see you. lam a canvasser from ”

A short sharp bow brought the autobiographical revelations of this canvasser to a close, and Mr Gladstone proceeded to take a seat in his carriage, where he at once became absorbed in an earnest discussion of the Irish University Bill. Sir Edward Watkin hovered outside, impatiently counting the seconds until the train departed. Mrs Gladstone and her party entered just as the signal was being given for the departure of the train. Recognising our representative, Mrs Gladstone asked anxiously, “ How are the poor people getting on ? The strikers, I

mean and was, of course, assured that they wore getting on capitally. As the train steamed off. amid the cheers of the crowd, Mrs Gladstone was understood to express an earnest hope that the women and children of the deckers would be saved from starvation in the struggle that is now in progress. There was u large assembly on the Folkestone pier to witness the departure of Mr and Mrs Gladstone for Boulogne.