Part 20 (1/2)

At the death of Williaantic efforts to distribute the papers early, and he got them into the country many hours before the ordinary mails would have taken them He even hired a special shi+p to carry over the papers to Ireland, so that they reached Belfast on the sarew rapidly, and the business vastly increased When Mr WH Se of twenty-one, it was valued at over 80,000

But wear and tear and the anxieties of business life had made old Mr

Smith often quick-te of Mr ”WH” into the business was hailed with pleasure by the workmen: he was so full of tact and sympathy; and so by so peace and calenial manner

Yet he was every inch athan the senior partner, his father

It was he who commenced the railway bookstall business

Every one knows the faetic clerks, and their ar newsboys, and perchance think they were born with the railways and have grown up with them

But such is not the case It was not till about 1850 that Mr

WH Shts on the London and North-Western Railway, ainst his father's advice The vast improvement in the selection of books and the service of papers, however, induced other coelish railways cairdled by Smith's bookstalls

Froers and clerks had to be engaged, the latter in large nue of character was abundantly shown He calance, and seldoment

In 1868 he was returned to Parliament, and in 1874 Mr Disraeli selected him for a place in his Ministry A year later he was made First Lord of the Admiralty How serviceable he had been in the fored by the remark made by Sir Stafford Northcote when he lost Sher position: ”I aht hand I don't think heto his hen he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr Smith says: ”My patent has come to-day, and I have taken my seat at the Board, who address e, and makes me shy at first; and I have to do what I hardly like--to send for theo to them; but I am told they expect me, as their chief, to require respect”

He often wrote to his hilst the debates were going on in the House of Co to Arthur Balfour, who is answering Mr J Morley,” he writes; ”and I have ears for hihts for my dear ones at home”

”Remember me in your prayers” is a request he often makes to his wife and children In 1886 the Rt Hon W H Smith became leader of the House of Cohest positions any Englishman can occupy ”Old Morality” was the nicknareat honour No her respect from all parties, and no e Thus though Mr Smith never entered the Church, and perchance ood citizen of the world and a huies to the service of his Queen and country

”GREATER THAN AN ARCHBISHOP”

ANECDOTES ABOUT THE REV CHARLES SIMEON

”As to Simeon,” wrote Macaulay, ”if you knehat his authority and influence were, and how they extended froland, you would allow that his real sway over the Church was far greater than that of any primate”

There is little recorded of Simeon's early life to indicate the character of the future leader of men; for, to ”jump over half a dozen chairs in succession, and snuff a candle with his feet,” is an ordinary schoolboy accomplishment Yet there is one incident which shows he could be in earnest in religious matters, even at that date

Whilst he was at Eton, in 1776, a national fast-day was appointed on account of the ith A that, if any one had displeased God more than others, it was certainly he, spent the day in prayer and fasting So great was the ridicule, however, which followed, that he gave up his serious thoughts for the tih it is related that he kept an alms-box, into which he put

It was rather a favourite habit of his to punish himself by fines for bad behaviour Later on in life, when he found it difficult to rise early in the ive the servant half a crown every ti he found hi a warm, comfortable bed, that, after all, half-croere very acceptable to the poor woman who received them But he estions froot up late again, he would throw a guinea into the Cam He did it too The next time he rose late he walked down to the river, and threw a hard-earned guinea into the water It orth while, nevertheless; for he never had to punish hi point in his life cae

The provost sent hie to say that he would be required to partake of the Holy Communion at ht of so solehed heavily on hisdevotional manuals, and sorrowed earnestly for his past sins So heavy, indeed, lay the burden of sin upon hi that he could change places with the continued But in Passion Week the thought ca for hih priest laid the sins of the people on the head of the scapegoat He saw dimly at first that his sins could be, and were intended to be, transferred to Christ; and he determined to lay them upon the Saviour, and be rid of them

On Wednesday hope dawned in his heart; on Thursday it increased; on Friday and Saturday it grew and developed; and on Easter Day, 1778, he aith the words on his lips:--

”Jesus Christ is risen to-day, Hallelujah!” and, better still, written once and for ever in his heart