In such an atmosphere did the children of Lady Glynne grow up, systematically trained to assist their mother and uncle in everything they projected for the parish good. Catherine's brothers were then at Christ Church, Oxford; and, in the midst of it all, intimate with the leaders of the movement, amongst whom were young Gladstone and many other brilliant young men, destined to be friends through life of those two bright and beautiful young girls at Hawarden.

Thus a happy childhood matured into womanhood. The breezes of intellectual and spiritual awakening stirred the air. Theirs never was a life of mere social excitement which so often plunges the débutante into a whirl of pleasure without feeding the better life. They entered, it is true, into all the pleasures of London seasons, their beauty and bright minds fitting them to enjoy

about, for example. the great work of Florence Nightingale, who re-created the hospital-nursing service. Certain it is that Catherine Glynne came under the influence of the Oxford movement, and was predisposed by it to take a leading part in the philanthropic work of the day.

In 1839 she married William Ewart Gladstone, whose great genius already forshadowed his future eminence. The same day her younger sister married Lord Lyttleton. In her married life Mrs. Gladstone found occupation to the full. She was always the true and careful mother who would not give over her duties to another, even to the best of nurses. She was devoted to her husband in his incessant political toils. She soon became a centre for philantrophic work of all kinds. She and Mr. Gladstone started Newport Market Refuge, which is now carried on at Westminster, with an industrial school attached. Begun in Soho in 1863, it was Mr. Gladstone's idea, for he saw many friendless wanderers as he went at night between the House of Commons and his home. Mrs. Gladstone threw herself into his scheme, and the work was started with an efficient committee. From the beginning Mr. Gladstone has been president and his

wife a regular visitor. The object of the Refuge is to give shelter to persons out of work and in temporary distress, to enable them to tide over their difficulties, and to find fresh employment. It does not take in the practised casual, or loafer,

but weary, sore-footed travellers, who have walked far in search of work and found none. Such are always admitted as far as room permits, and have the assurance of a week's lodging free with the prospect of an extension of time if the committee see a reasonable chance of their getting work.

THE PARK GATE AND ORPHANAGE, HAWARDEN.

In the course of a single year about thirteen thousand nights' lodgings and thirty thousand rations have been granted, and three hundred and nine men and women have obtained employment, or else have been sent home to their friends.

It need scarcely be said that the most vital feature of General Booth's great work in London follows closely the model set by the Gladstone institution.

In 1866 a sharp epidemic of cholera reached England, and the East End of London was severely attacked. Mrs. Gladstone came in contact with it, in her regular visits to the London hospital. Parents dying left their children behind them, friendless and helpless. Mrs. Gladstone carried away many of the poor little wretches virtually in her arms. They were naked, for their only clothing had to be burned, but she found cloaks and blankets to wrap them in, and took them with her to her own house or lodgings which she had provided.

She induced her friends to furnish fresh garments without delay. And she rented an empty house at Clapton, wherein to lodge her orphans. She set about raising money to provide for their needs and those of other cholera patients. She wrote a letter to the Times, asking subscriptions for this object, and speedily five thousand pounds rolled in. With this she was able to keep her little cholera orphans in comfort. One who saw the sight, when she accompanied Mrs. Gladstone to Clapton, says she can never forget it. As soon as the door was opened she was surrounded by the little ones, who clung to her and almost overwhelmed her in their eagerness to obtain a caress from the one they loved so dearly.

Another prominent feature of her charities is the orphanage at Hawarden, which arose out of the American war of 1862, and the subsequent cotton famine in Lancashire. Mrs. Gladstone's brother, Sir Stephen Glynne, was alive, and Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone lived at Hawarden Castle with him. When the distress was most severe, Mr. Gladstone collected a number of men who were idle in Lancashire, and found them employment in cutting foot-paths through the park and woods of Hawarden. At the same time Mrs. Gladstone sent for some of their young daughters, and her brother, Sir Stephen, gave her the use of a nice old house which stood in the courtyard. This Mrs. Gladstone converted into a training home for the girls, under the charge of a very charming nurse of her own children, who had lately married. The experiment proved a great success. The girls had all worked in the mills, but they learned quickly something of domestic work. Then Mrs. Gladstone found them places amongst her own friends in the neighbourhood, whereupon

she was able to send, for more girls to be similarly assisted. Some of them were lovely young women, and most of them married extremely well while in service.

Such works of beneficence as have just been sketched are only

a few of those forming a crown of honour and glory for the head of the great Premier's wife. As for the deeds of private kindness, it can truly be said that Mrs. Gladstone has sown them on all sides, and it is characteristic of that noble woman's nature that she is loyal to the last to those who need her help, even if it be for a life-time.

ENTRANCE TO FARM AT HAWARDEN.

"A COLONY OF MERCY."*

BY KATE T. SIZER.

SINCE the days of the Reformation Germany has been the fatherland of many a noble religious impulse. Our own John Wesley, as we know, owed his first glimpses of spiritual light to Moravian teachers, and General Booth has lately been taking patterns from German models to help his "Darkest England" scheme. One of the latest and loveliest efforts of German piety has been well christened "A Colony of Mercy."

In the north of Westphalia stands a busy manufacturing town called Bielefeld. Around stretches "a glorious expanse of meadow and field and woodland," with an outlook towards the blue ranges of the Teutoberger forest and the Weser mountains. A height near the town is crowned by an old castle, formerly a stronghold of the Counts of Lippe Detmold. Nestling in the beech woods at the foot of this hill lies a thriving agricultural settlement. Pass along its roads, and you will soon find that this is no ordinary village. The toilers in field or workshop mostly bear an ineffaceable stamp of suffering; white-capped sisters or kindly-faced brothers are in charge of many groups. This village is Bethel— a house of God indeed, where loving hands for the Master's sake have made a home for epileptics.

This fearful disease-epilepsy-is far more widely spread than is often supposed. One to two in every thousand suffer from it; but how little provision is made for their relief! Epilepsy is seldom curable, but it often takes years to kill its victims. Between the seizures they possess strength, capacity, sometimes talent, but small is the outlet for their pent-in energies. Epileptic workmen are dismissed from their employment; even friends often shrink from the unhappy sufferer on whom has fallen this awful, mysterious malady. There are all ages, all ranks in the vast host of epileptics; yet little had been done to soften their hard lot till the fatherly heart of one German pastor took up their

cause.

In the year 1867 Pastor Balcke began the work. Four epileptics were taken to a farmhouse which was named Ebenezer, and the venerable pastor knelt down quietly in prayer with these four "first-fruits" in the farm parlour, asking God's blessing on the work. That was the opening of the home. Very scanty were

* A Colony of Mercy; or, Social Christianity at Work. By JULIE SUTTER. London: Hodder & Stoughton. Toronto: William Briggs.