About the Late Mr Gladstone.

Manawatu Herald, 9 June 1898, Page 3

About the Late Mr Gladstone.

. ♦ Th« Northop carrier on one occasion brought a barrel of beer trom Charters for a farmer living in Moor lane, j Hawarden, the entrance to which is close to one of Mr Gladstone's lodges. Having arrived 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 fetch it from there. At this moment up came Mr Gladstone, with his axe upon his shoulder. " Heyrold comrade," said the carrier, " come and give us a hand with this barrel." Without any hesitation the Premier assisted him to lower it to the ground. "Now, old fellew," said the carrier, "if thou 11 come up into the village I'll pay for a pint o* the best for thee." "No thank you; you are welcome to my assistance," said Mr Gladstone, and walked away toward the. Castle, smiling. A villager, who was standing a little way off, then came up and asked the carrier if he knew who had been helping him. " No," was the reply. " Why," said the villager, " that was Mr Gladstone !" " What a fool I be," said the carrier; 11 but he's a good old chap. He helped me, and thou knows he done it so willin' like." Mr Gladstone had been cutting down a tree in the presence of a large concourse of people, including many ♦• cheap-trippers." When the tree had fallen, and the eminent woodman and his family were retiring, there was a rush for the chips. One of the " trippers" secured a big piece, and exclaimed, " Hey, lads, when I die this shall go in my coffin !" Then up spoke his wife, a shrewd, motherly old woman, with a merry twinkle in her eye. Quoth she—" Sam, lad, if thou'd worship God as thou worships Gladstone, thou'd stand a better chance of going where thy chip wouldna burn." One ot Mr Gladstone's tenants sent him a long letter of eight pages on one occasion, giving him a full and clear account of his farming operations, and telling him that he could not, at the present rental, make the farm pay. In a tew days the agent was sent with instructions to reduce the rent £100 per annum. One of the boys from Mrs GladOrphan Home was apprenticed to a Hawarden tailor. The first pair of trousers that his master entrusted entirely to him to make was for Mr Gladstone. He did his work so well, and pleased the Premier so much, that when he was told who had made them, he presented the youth with a gold watch.