THE LATE MR. FORSTER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 95, 10 August 1876, Page 2

THE LATE MR. FORSTER.

That Mr. Forster's "tremendous ner " was in no degree the consequent a harsh or hard nature was shown m devotion with which his personal att» ants served him. The zeal and vener* with which Ms servant Henry waited to Mm during many years were notice? all his friends, and wondered at by &*. for when Mr. Forster had an attacl gout (and he suffered cruelly in this if his irascibility was indeed difficult tob! But Henry never appeared to notice storms that raged over his head, j kept quietly to his task ; answered the word of wrath, j E showed by his manner that it ] been uttered, and never permitted j, abate in the least degree his venerj; for his master. One day, at dinner, fj was not soup enongh to go round table. The host, in his sternest nun and deepest voice, said, " Henry, yoj there is not enough multigated Henry said quietly in his master's j "Please, sir, there is no more sou Whereupon Forster turned with a tra» air upon his man, and growled his teeth, "No more mulligataj Henry! Let there be Henry paid no attention to the outbii but went quietly on with his service. 1 storm, he knew, had spent itself, blind devotion with which Henry Ms service was illustrated on one o sion when his master had a din party. During the dinner Henry wasn vous, and made two or three blundf His master chafed and fumed, and ( angry glances at his servant; but | poor man could not settle quietly to duty. At last, when the dessert andi had been placed upon the table, he at timidly behind Mr. Forster's chair i said, '' Please, sir, can you spare me m My house has been on fire the last k and a half." The group of literary a and artistes, of whom Mr. Forster v the friend and adviser, loved, in the st mer, to meet at Thames Ditton for afternoon in the fresh air, and a dinner the banks of the river, and a drive London in the evening. On t of these occasions when Count d'Of was present, and sat next Font the waiters Avere remiss, and i gaiety of the dinner-table, was sol ing in consequence. Count d'Orsayi cold butter with his flounders. In aqt tone he said to one of the attendar " Waiter, a slice of cold butter." But cold butter came. Patiently and amis! the count presently repeated his requf and again he-was doomed to disappoi ment. Forster had overhead the con and seen the neglect with which lies treated. It was too much for Mm. Wi ing his opportunity to seize upon fl neglectful attendant, he turned fierci upon him, and in a voice of thunder a " Gracious heavens ! waiter, a slice oft butter for the flounders of the coin The roll of the rounded sentence set table in a roar, and Forster was not least amused of the company, for he a laugh at his own outbursts heartily, at Dickens's table, one day, when soi body asked the host how many child: he had, "Four," said Dickens. "Wlf | upon Forster interrupted, with an air great authority—" Dickens, you havef children." "Upon my word, Forste Dickens expostulated, " allow me to h the number of my own family." "1 my dear Dickens," was the firm rejoinlf When it was proved that four was ti correct number, Forster gave in witl laugh.—Blanchard Jerrold.