MR. GLADSTONE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 260, 2 November 1877, Page 4

MR. GLADSTONE.

; The London, correspondent of the Timaru Herald, under date the 23rd August, writqa;— On the 4th of August the teats of British snobbery reached their climax in an eyent which took place at Ha warden, the country seat of Mr Gladstone. A thousand holiday makers w*ent to jSawarden uninvited, and petitioned for leave ip roam about the beautiful p#rk iq wJiich the castle is situated. Mr Gladstone, who was at home at the time, very generously gave permission; but peremptorily declined th,eir proposal that he should come out §tjUjs [raftjke a speech. But the spokesmen of; the mob more anxious to staod, w,e]l with their feliowa than to consult the feelings, of. Mr Gladstone were not to be easily put off; they therefore importuned him to show himself at least, even if he wouid not make a speech; and at last he consented to do just so much. He said that in the course of the afternoon it was his intention to go with hia son to a certain part of the park and fell a tree, and if the people liked to look out for him then, they would be able to see him. The delight of the ten hundred overflowed. For hours they hung about to catch the first glimpse of their lion, and in due time their reward was made full. Mr Gladstone and his son appeared with rough suits and slouched hats, shouldering their axes, and proceeding to a distant part of tbe park, where they brought up at a tree of huge dimensions. The ten hundred followed them. Arrived at the tree, father and son threw off their rough workmen's jackets, rolled up the sleeves of their coarse flannel shirts, and addressed themselves to their work, The multitude were charmed ; only one thing was wanted, —that Mr Gladstone should presently pause and make them a speech. But the workmen were intent upon their chopping. They would not speak, they would only axe. At length a pause came, both meu were out of. breath, A slight awkwardness here ensued, while a thousand people stood in awed silence to watch the ex-Premier mop up with his handkerchief the baaded/iropa which were coursing down his nose in piteous cbaae. Fortunately, the mob was not unfurnished with men of that kind whom no sense of the ridiculous can check from,speaking. A man of words' atappe j forward and proposed a vote ol thanks to Mr Gladstone. The proposal was : received with roars of applause. Effrontery had won the day, and now there was nothing for it but that Mr Gladstone should reply. And so he did. He thanked the people tor their thanks, and having so begun, was led by the irresistible tascinatiou of his old art to make an address of some length on the beauties of the country and the benefits of a rural holiday. Again the people roared applause; and now, encouraged by their past successes, they pressed around the speaker and offered him their hands, OJ ye spirits oi unborn historians remember not this scene of ghastly snobbery! Mr Gladstone had- the good seose and courage to refuse the proffered hands of the men, but was generous enough to shake those of the women; and so, amid renewed cheers, the comedy was brought tQ,au eudj and the ten hundred, hastily gathering up the nearer splinters of chopped wood as mementos of the occasion^ made off. Some little difficulty has been experienced in distinguishing whioh of tha treasured chips came from the axe of the ex-Premier, and which from that of his son. A good deal of, regret has also been occasioned to the ladies of the party by their having to wash from their rigbt hands the stain of the distinguished band which they had been permitted to grasp. In all other respects, the expedition is held to have been an unolouded success.