GORDON'S DISPOSITION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 9, 9 June 1885, Page 2

GORDON'S DISPOSITION.

The letters of Mr Frank Power, the English consul and The Times correspondent at Khartoum, have been published. They were sent by Mr Power to friends before and during the siege. The Times concludes its notice with two brief extracts relating to Gordon. They add little that is new to what we already know of the man, but they are the independent testimony of one to whom he was a perfect stranger until his arrival at Khartoum : — " Gordon is a most lovable eh. tractor — quiet, mild, gentle, and stroriu ; he is so humble, too. The way he pats you upon the shoulder when he says, ' Look here, dear fellow, now what do you advise ?' would make you love him. When he goes out of doors there are always crowds of Arab men and women at the gate to kiss his feet, and twice to-day the furious women, wishing to lift his feet to 'kiss them, threw him over. He appears to like me and already calls me Frank. He likes rny going so much among the natives, for not to do so is a mortal sin in his eyes. I often speak of you to General Gordon ; he says he must make your acquaintance before we go to the Congo ; he would like a day in Dublin. He is a dictator here. It is wonderful that one man could have such an influence on 200,000 people. Numbers of women flock here every day to ask him to touch their children to cure them ; they call him the ' Father and Saviour of the Soudan.' He has found in? badly up in Thomas a Kempis, whicu ut» reads every day, and has given me an Imitation of Christ. He is indeed, I i^lieve, the greatest and best man of thU century." The second extract is less cheerful in tone, and seems to show a presage ot the end : — " I like Gordon more and more every day ; he has a most lovable manner and disposition, and is so kind to me. He is glad if you show the smallest desire to help him in his great trouble. How one man could have dared to attempt iiis task I wonder. One day of his work antr bother would kill another man, yet he is so cheerful at breakfast, lunch and dinner; but I know he suffers fearfully from low spirits. I hear him walking up and down his room all night (it is next to mine). It is only his great piety carries him through."