Part 18 (2/2)

She askedand I said politics I told her I had always prophesied I would h political circles This amused her and we had many discussions about politics and people She was interested inand made me tell her about it

As I have said before, ere not popular in Peeblesshi+re My papa and his vital family disturbed the country conventions; and all Liberals were looked upon as aliens by the Scottish aristocracy of those days At election times the mill-hands of both sexes were locked up for fear of rows, but in spite of this the locks were broken and the roere perpetual When oh jinks in Peebles I pinned the Liberal colours, with the deftness of a pick-pocket, to the coat-tails of several of the unsuspecting Tory landlords, who had cohted the electors, h Street, more familiar with drink than jokes

The first politicians of note that cairl were Chamberlain and Sir Charles Dilke Just as, later on, o farthest, George Curzon, George Wyndha the same question about Chamberlain and Dilke To my mind it wanted no witch to predict that Chamberlain would beat not only Dilke but otherhim a Secretary of State in his Government of 1885

Mr Chamberlain never deceived himself, which is more than could be said of some of the famous politicians of that day He also possessed a rare measure of intellectual control Self-mastery was his idiosyncrasy; it was particularly noticeable in his speaking; he encouraged in hiesture,him many times, I came to the definite conclusion that Chamberlain's opponents were snowed under by his accumulated moderation Whatever Dilke's native impulses were, no one could say that he controlled them Besides a defective sense of humour, he was fundamentally commonplace and had no key to hisan ardent Radical, with a passion for any one that Gladstone patronised, had made elaborate preparations for Dilke's reception; when he arrived at Glen he was given a elco hi his stuffy face and slow, protruding eyes, I said to Laura:

”He may be a very clever man, but he has not a ray of humour and hardly any sensibility If he were a horse, I would certainly not buy hireed

On the second night of his visit, our distinguished guest e on her way to bed; he said to her:

”If you will kiss raph of ood of you, Sir Charles, but I would rather not, for what on earth should I do with the photograph?”

Mr Gladstone was the do politician of the day, and excited more adoration and hatred than any one

Afterpoeht before I left:

MARGOT

When Parliament ceases and comes the recess, And we seek in the country rest after distress, As a rule upon visitors place an eot

For she brings such a treasure of movement and life, Fun, spirit and stir, to folk weary with strife

Though young and though fair, who can hold such a cargo Of all the good qualities going as Margot?

Up hill and down dale,'tis a capital name To blossom in friendshi+p, to sparkle in faot, Its likeness in rhyot

Never ot, the language, but Argo, the shi+p; And by sea or by land, I will swear you ot

W E G December 17th, 1889

I received this at Glen by the second post on the day of ine my host had written it, so I wrote to our dear old friend, Godfrey Webb--always under suspicion of playing jokes upon us--to say that he had overdone it this ti for hi, I wrote to my poet:

Dec 19th, 1889 VERY DEAR AND HONOURED MR GLADSTONE,

At first I thought your poem must have been a joke, written by sos for you and nature and the post-mark, I was convinced it could be but fro an I should never cease thanking you Getting four rhyenius, I think! And Argo the shi+p is quite a new idea and a charot is a capital name to blossom in friendshi+p and sparkle in fame You must allow me to say that you are ever such a dear It is ihty to-iveshow life should be lived without being spent

There is no blessing, beauty or achievement that I do not wish you

In truth and sincerity, Yours,

MARGOT TENNANT

A propos of this, twelve years later I received the following letter from Lord Morley:

THE RED HOUSE, HAWARDEN, CHESTER,