CECIL RHODES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1891, 28 October 1913, Page 9

CECIL RHODES.

:— THE MAN AS HE WAS TO HIS ' SECRETARIES. Somo good stories of Cecil Rhodes aro told by one of his private secretaries, 1 Air. Gordon le Sueur, F.R.G.S., in a volumo by him entitled "Cecil llhodcs; ; Tho Man and Hia Work," just published. "Ho tried to 'give tho impression of being without feeling," wo are told, "biit nothing is'more absurd. He was crammed with sentiment to his finger-tips, but adopted a brutal manner and rough exterior to cover up the weakness of sentiment, and thus many a broken-hearted man and woman left him with the impression—entirely erroneous—that ho was a callous brute lacking in human sympathy." Rhodes was very careless about his clothes, and when travelling would mako a favourite of one particular coat, and wear it every day. One such favourite he at last ordered to be sent to the tailor to be cleaned and mended. Mr. lo Sueur received it back next day with tho following note;—" Dear Sir,—Herewith the Right Honourable C. J. Rhodes's coat unclcaned and unmended. Wo regret that all wo can do with thq garment is to mako a new coat to match the buttons." _ Mr. le Sueur deals with the allegation that i Rhodes was a woman-hater by quoting Rhodes's own words: "Womon! Of courso I don't hato women. I like them, but I don't want them always fussing about." Another timo he taid, "You may ask me why : I never married, and do you know? I answer you very fairly that I have nevpr yet seen the woman I could get 011 in tho same liouso with." j Whoover was with Rhodes as his , secretary' was in his fullest confidence, ; and, as was to be expected in such a \ relationship, there were somelimes ar- • guments and oven, says Mr. lo Sueur, "stand-up rows." "On one occasion , at tho Cape ho had severely blown : Grimmer and me up, and we pretended ■ to sulk (sulkiness he could not stand), , and before dinner lie came in to whero : wo sat dejectedly in tho smoking-room. , 'I'm going out to dinner,' ho said., ; 'What aro you going to do?' " 'Oh, nothing,' said wo. , " 'Why don't you go to tho theatre?' bo wont on. " 'Wo don't want to go; besides, we i can't afford theatres,' said Grimmer ( with a sigh. Rhodes went straight off . to his office, and, returning with a j chcque for £50, said, 'Horo, you'd better tako somo friends to dinner and the . theatre.'" J Mr. le Sueur has not attempted a Lifo or Biography of Cecil Rhodes, hut he givos ai vivid picture of tho man as he lived and worked, and his gossipy book has a deep interest for students of the lives of great men and of human' nature.