was the son of Ebenezer McNeice, a riveter in one of the great
shipbuilding yards in Belfast. This Ebenezer was an Orangeman and, on
the 12th of July, was accustomed to march long distances over dusty
roads beating a big drum with untiring vigour. His Protestantism was a
religion of the most definite kind. He rarely went to church, but he
hated Popery with a profound earnestness. Gideon was taught, as soon
as he could speak, to say, "No Pope, no Priest, no Surrender, Hurrah!"
That was the first stage in his education. The second was taken at a
National school where he learned the multiplication table and the
decimal system with unusual ease. The master of a second-rate
intermediate school heard of the boy's ability. Being anxious to earn
the fees which a generous government gives to the masters of clever
boys, this man offered to continue Gideon's education without asking
payment from Ebenezer. The speculation turned out well. Gideon did
more than was expected of him. He won all the exhibitions, medals and
prizes possible under the Irish Intermediate system. At last he won a
mathematical sizarship in Trinity College.

Belfast--perhaps because of the religious atmosphere of the city,
perhaps because of the interest taken by its inhabitants in
money-making--has not given to the world many eminent poets,
philosophers or scholars. Nor, curiously enough, has it ever produced
an eminent theologian, or even a heretic of any reputation. But it has
given birth to several mathematicians of quite respectable standing.
Gideon McNeice was one of them. After the sizarship he won a
scholarship, and then, at an unusually early age, a fellowship. It is
generally believed that the examination for fellowship in Trinity
College in Dublin is so severe that no one who is successful in it is
ever good for anything afterwards. Having once passed that examination
men are said to settle down into a condition of exhausted mediocrity.
Gideon McNeice proved to be an exception to the rule. Having won his
fellowship and thereby demonstrated to the world that he knew all that
there is to know about the science of mathematics, he at once turned
to theology. Theology, since he lived in Ireland, led him straight to
politics. He became one of the fighting men of the Irish Unionist
party. He also, chiefly because of his very bad manners, became very
unpopular among the fellows and professors of the College.

It must not be supposed that he had the smalle