Part 25 (2/2)
”Oh, yes, mama, I know. They were struck dead for lying. I saw them carried into the corner drugstore.”
The relations.h.i.+p between Mr. Gladstone and his wife was one of the most beautiful the world has known, and of all the millions who looked up to him, she was his greatest admirer. On one occasion when Mrs.
Gladstone was entertaining visitors, conversation turned on the Bible, and there was a lively argument on the meaning of a certain pa.s.sage.
Presently one of the callers, hoping to end the discussion, remarked devoutly:
”There is One alone who knows all.”
The cloud vanished from Mrs. Gladstone's face and she smiled sunnily as she said:
”Yes, and William will be down in a few minutes.”
Mabel (testing the wisdom of the grown-ups).--”Well, how did Martin Luther die?”
Uncle Jim.--”Die? Oh, in the ordinary way, I suppose.”
Mabel.--”Oh, Uncle! you really don't know anything. He was excommunicated by a bull.”
Small Robbie was laboring over a drawing which was obviously of great importance.
His mother, who was sewing in the room, got up to see what he was doing.
”What is it you're drawing, dear?” she said, as she stood behind him.
Robbie was embarra.s.sed. Struggling to cover his nervousness, he answered with an air of great nonchalance:
”Oh, it's papa I'm drawing, but I don't care anything about it. Guess I'll put a tail to it, and have it for a dog.”
It is told of Charles Lamb, that one afternoon, returning from a dinner-party, having taken a seat in a crowded omnibus, a stout gentleman subsequently looked in, and politely asked, ”All full inside?” ”I don't know how it may be with the _other_ pa.s.sengers,”
answered Lamb, ”but that last piece of oyster-pie did the business for _me_.”
One of the ladies-in-waiting to the late Queen Victoria had a very bright little daughter about four years old of whom the Queen was very fond.
The Queen invited the child to have lunch with her.
Of course the mother was highly pleased, and charged the little girl to be very careful about her table manners, and to be very polite and careful before the Queen.
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