Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-03-07
WtEEI NC W. VA MONDAY MORNING. MARCH Z, 1881.


having 500 students, fine chances for
character.study were presented to the
popular young teacher.
Blaine, after an experience oil year
| or two, discovered that he was not born
to be schoolteacher; and he returned
to Pennsylvania and studied law, but
never practiced it. In 1853 he removed
to Maine. and there began career that
has made him to-day the most talked OF
and the most popular man in the coun-
try.
Blaine a. an Editor.
1t was in Portland that Mr.. Blaine
first became an editor. j. have often
thought that a great editor-as great
perhaps as Mr.. Greeley-was lost when
Mr.. Blaine went into politics. He pos
sesses all the qualities OF a great jour
nalist, and has said dozen times that
he never will be entirely happy until
he is at the head OF a great newspaper.
He has a phenomenal memory; and
there isn quality more valuable in Jour-
nalism than this. He remember circum.
stances, dates, names, and places more
readily than any man ever met; and it
is this wonderfully available memory
that makes him such a ready speaker
and such charming companion. He
has also great quickness and accuracy
OF judgment,-anotber excellent and in
dispensable quality in journalism. He
writes as readily and as strongly as he
speaks, and very rapidly. In many re.
spects he resembles Mr.. Greeley as a
writer; he goes straight to the point,
and wastes no time in painting with
pretty words background for his
thoughts. His other qualities for
fair minded; he grasps and weighs the
events OF the day; and finally, like all
good journalists, he is good husband
and father, and good fellow.
Mr.. Blaine held his first public office
in 1858, when he was elected to the
Maine Legislature He had already
achieved distinction as a public speaker
in the Fremont campaign OF 1856. He
was five times elected to the Legislature;
and in 1861, and again in 1862, he was
chosen Speaker OF the House, in which
position he exhibited the same peculiar
fitness for presiding officer that he
House OF Representatives, though it
must be confessed that in the latter Of
flee he was little too oppressive and
autocratlc.
The First Term in Cosgress
In 1868 Mr.. Blaine was first elected TO
Congress-. During his first term he gave
himself up mostly to study and Obser.
walton; but in the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress he began to be felt, and from that
time to the present he has been fore.
most in all legislation.
The later life of Mr.. Blaine is familiar
to all. His transfer to the Senate, his
prominence as Presidential candidate
in 1876, the sunstroke on that unlucky
July day, his defeat at Cincinnati, his
prominence in the public eye in the
Senate, and his present distinction in
the hearts OF the American people
your readers know all these things as
well as |.
Mr.. Blaine, with those who know
him, is the most popular OF men. The
charm OF his manner is beyond expires.
sion, and nobody comes within the cir
Gle OF his presence that he is not over
come with his destinations. With his
great brilliancy, he has that exquisite
show of Difference to his companions-a
sort OF appeal to them to verify or deny
mis- words-that is very taking. He is
also good listener, and he has iamil-
lar way OF speaking ones name and
OF placing ones hand on once knee that
is an agreeable salve to ones vininity.
There is no acting in the heartiness OF his
manner. He is all impulsive man, with a
very warm heart, kindly instincts, gen.
erOus nature. He is open, frank, and
manly.
have scarcely room enough left to
say that physically Mr.. Blaine is the
perfect man. You may see him almost
any day stridng along tho avenue. go
ing to or coming from the Capitol, with
the strength Of giant. He is a strong
man and a good walker who can keep
up with him. He bounds up the steps,
two at time, talking and laughing
with his companion. He is wonderfully
preserved, and is just in the hight OF
full physical strength. He does not
know what fatigue is; and q session Of
fifty hours without break turns him
out as fresh as lark, while nearly all
his colleagues are badly used up. He is
in appearance very striking man
large, full, straight, and erect; an i'm.
mense head gray beard, cut close; hair
last whitening, and indeed nearly white
and somewhat thin on the. top OF his
head, and fresh, eager, Jealous face.
This is as near as can come in describ.
ing a man who is the first to attract at
tention wherever he goes. j. +. B.