MRS DISRAELI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 174, 23 July 1881, Page 1

MRS DISRAELI.

Her pride and affection for her Benjamin had its ludicrous side. Shortly after Disraeli began to bs recognisedas the coming leader of the Conservatives, he and Mrs Disraeli were invited to Strathfieldsaye by the Duke of Wellington, who at; that lime was regarded as perhaps the most inflaentiai man in England, who was the trusted friend and adviser of the Queen, and who held the proxies of half the Conservative peers. On the second night of their visit Mrs Disraeli retired to rent earlyi leaving her liege lord to Bmoke a cigar and discuss the Asian mystery with some of the other gentlemen. When Disraeli entered the bedroom occupied by himself and Mrs Disraeli he was surprised to see her and her maid busily engaged in shifting the position of the furniture* He said nothings but watched for events to develep themselves. By-and-bye the maid retired* and the husband and wife were alone together. " Benjamin you look surprised at the alterations Carter and I were making in the positioh of the bedj" "I certainly wap, my love/ "Well, then, I'll tell yctt the reason. Carter has found out ex* actly how the dear old duke sleeps, and his room is on the same floor. I have moved our bed accordingly, and to-night I shall sleep between the two greateat men in England." Even in her old age, after She became Viscountess Beaconefield, she would incur any amount of fatigue merely to listen to the praises of her husband, and the gentleman who told us these anecdotes of Mrs Disraeli told us also that a few weeks before her death he saw her to her carriage one cold nighfc with an easterly wind blowing \ and she kept him in the open air for several minutes between the doorsteps and her brougham) while — quite oblivious of the passers-by or the simpering footman, she regaled him with stories about the goodness and greatness of her husband. The high place which Lord Beaconefield has ascribed Jo women in his political novels, and the great importance he always attributes to the influence of the salon in statecraft is no doubt due to the recollection of the assistance which he himself had derived from hig wife from the days when first they met up to her lamented death.