Show BEVERAGES It Is scarcely surprising In view of the great physical and mental effort required re required required to make a two or three hours speech that politicians should require I some sort of refreshment during a pro prolonged prolonged longed oration For many years the late Mr Gladstone indulged in nothing i stronger than water during his speeches no matter how h w long they last lasted lasted ed but as he grew older he found that I water was not strong enough to sus sustain sustain sustain tain his energies and consequently re resorted resorted resorted sorted to other liquid refreshment His favorite was egg and milk or sherry In which an egg had been beaten up a decidedly temperate beverage as compared with the eighteen or two dozen glasses of ot Moselle and water which Bismarck required during a long speech In the toward the end endot of ot his career The present German chancellor Prince Von Buelow is somewhat ab abstemious abstemious and prefers If possible to avoid avold stimulants during a speech At Atthe Atthe Atthe the same time he has been known to refresh himself with a glass of ot champagne cham champagne champagne during a speech a drink which a member of ot the English cabinet also usually has at hand when making an important speech Mr Balfour usually indulges in a whisky and soda a long oration while Sir Michael HicksBeach now Lord St SL Aldwyn used to Introduce his budgets on port Anent this habit of at atthe the Mr rr Grif wen In his interesting book entitled Fourteen Years in Parliament relates an amusing story stOl It was my duty as secretary says Mr Boscawen to see that Sir Michael had his port on budget days daS and as a arule arule arule rule he brought down some of his own In a flask On one occasion he forgot it and I 1 procured him some at the refresh refreshment refreshment refreshment ment bar bara a light wine from the wood of a tawny hue It happened that there had lad been bEien a considerable increase In the consumption of rum during the past pact pa t year and Sir Michael after atter giving the figures turned to the house and asked Who drinks rum and immediately took a sip of ot the tawny port The house was convulsed with laughter most members believing h he was drinking rum himself |