The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

^Ex. 32] BUSINESS-LIKE QUALITIES J71
seeing a thing, very ready to show the way out of a difficulty, courteous, agreeable, making the most of what you did and the least of what he did himself. If he differed from you it was in the mildest way, and he always put his points as if it were for you and not for him to decide. " Don't you think it would be better ? " " Suppose we say so-and-so," that was his formula. But, pleasant and even charming as he could be, you always felt that there was a piece of ice between you and him. I used to go to his apartment as I went to Butt's, but we never had a glass of punch together or even a cup of tea. It was business all the time. Occasionally he would take a strong line, but very seldom However, when he said "That cannot be done," one knew there was an end of the discussion. I remember on one occasion reading a report for the executive when Parnell was in the chair. I stated in the report that the Catholic clergy in England gave the Confederation a good deal of trouble, because they tried to make the Irish vote Tory. The English priests did did not care about Home Rule, they only cared about education, and as the Tories were more with them on that subject than the Liberals, they went Tory, and wanted to bring our people with them. As soon as I had read the paragraph he said, " I'm not going to fight the Church." There was some dissent, but Parnell was very firm, though smiling and rather chaffing us all the time. But the paragraph went out. That was Parnell's policy. He would not fight with any Irish force. His aim was to bring all Irish forces into line. He would no more fight with the Church than he would with the Fenians. Parnell never talked freely with me or with anyone, so far as I could make out. The only time I ever heard him make any attempt at