STORIES OF BALFOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1930, Page 2

STORIES OF BALFOUR

r The following are among the stones told of the late Earl Balfour. He has being shown the Woolworth Building in New York, and told its size value, accommodation, etc., the narrator winding up with the information that “it is really fireproof.’! “Really ?” said Lord Balfour. “What a pity!” At a dinner Frank Harris was holding forth about the condition of the world, and ended by saying truculently, “All the evils of our time are due to Christianity and journalism.” Arthur Balfour responded in a quiet tone: “Christianity, of course but why journalism ?” “He has no mind,” somebody lind said of a certain peer. “Oh, I should not say that,” pleaded Lord Balfour peacefully. “Why not?” “Well, he’s a half-wit.” On one occasion, at Ranelagli, he was preparing to negotiate a critical putt on a green overhung by a tree.

Presently a bird began to sing. He looked uj) and remarked: “How sweetly that throstle sings!” « At tlip Paris Conference M. Clemenceau, alter listening to Lord Balfour discussing pros and. eons for twenty minutes, looked up and said, _ “C’est fini ? Alajs—are you for or against?!’

His passion for nlteriJitivefc amounted almost to a vice. Tile story is told how lie forbore to liny a house with a double staircase since he knew that In would never bo able, to deoide which of the two descents to choose.

Mr Balfour once showed signs ri p im patience dining the Manchester elect ion of 1906,fund . pome-one r ’shouted • ‘‘Don’t lose your temper.” With -the most ehanniifg smile there. came the quick--’.renlv: “T won’t. T have lost many Things in niv life, but never my temper.”

! Once in n fnmilv gathering-at Whit-Uno-ebame the talk turned to remorse and a sense of sin. After a pause Arthur Balfour was heard to snv meditatively across the table to his brother Gerald, “I never remember sufforin" from a.sense of sin—do you, old man?” '. T? hom to follow a well-known Front. |Ppn«h lipre. he mildlv complained that he had listened nntientlv for mere than an hour' “T onlv snoke for fifty minutes by tbe clock.’’ infernosed the Min ister. “T beg the right lion, gentleman’s pardon,” said’Balfour, ~9but it peemed longer,” -