The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-10

The Retired Statesman Likes Literary Wors
Better than Politics.

Better than Politics.
Augusta Mel Letter in Philadelphia Press.
Mr.. Blaine seems to be giving all his ener-
gies to his book, Twenty Years of Congress"
After his breakfast at 8 in the morning, he
goes to his workroom, and from 8 until
cannot be disturbed. In these four hours he
writes what will make three and half
printed pages Of his work, and revises it as it
is to go on record. This is his self-imposed
task each day between these hours. His pub
fishers say he furnishes good, fair manuscript,
and does not rewrite upon the proof sheets.
He does not use a private secretary for his
daily task, but writes with his own hand.
At o'clock he goes for an hours walk over
the fields and along the Kennebec.
To-day Joined him for stroll, and it is
curious to see with what zest he speaks of
his new life and new work. If one may
judge from his talk, and that is the only
way you can gather an opinion OF its scope,
he is to have no friends or enemies APP
plauded or pinioned in the pages of the
work now commanding all his time and
superior talents. His life, his words and his
acts show that he has entirely put aside the
mantle and temper Of a partisan and found,
instead, the calm, judcia quality of a com
mentator upon men and. events III the midst
oi which he was leader
While going down over the fields, there
was a lull in his absorbing conversation,
and struck with the dearth of politics in his
words, 1 said
Don't you ever long for the hurly-burly
of political life again?"
Never l have dropped out of it so easily
and completely that | can now look back
over the politics of the last twenty years as
a sort of Vanity Fair, of which was part.
There was quiet emphasis in these words
that impressed me. and did not again in
trude political subjects. He soon took the
| conversation up again and went on speaking
of men and affairs evidently having refer
| ence to his literary work, into which he seems
| to have carried all the enthusiasm OF his in
tense nature. The walk was long and pleas
| ant, and his words intensely interesting. III
| there is a tinse of the partisan in Mr. Blaine
| now, | have not been able to lind even
symptom of it. There is now no singing
| critic ism of the men who played upon the
same stage with himself, that was always
heretofore such a feature of his brilliant
words. The past seems entirely lost In the
present, and the politician in the judge.
This radical change is the best evidence OF
his great powers. What other public man in
all or history has ever dropped out of the
glare of high official position to be plain
citizen without showing his temper l dc
not recall one who willingly gave up, even
when his waning powers and feeble GRIP
| upon the seat of power made people wonder
when a mans ambition died, or was even
satisfied. But here is one, who after sitting
in the highest places for aquarter of a CEN
fury, and having his fingers ends upon the
presidential chair twice, gives it all up at the
age of fifty-one, when his powers are at theil
best and his resources strongest, drops out OIL
the dazzling flame of public life without re-
greet and wonders why other men stay unit
they get burned. He is the first presidential
candidate with a following who has giver
over his ambition without getting for it s
crabapple disposition.
"Superduous lags the veteran on the
stage" can never be truthfully applied t
this man, who has so suddenly and so will
ingly given up politics for literature, and is
happy.
After the walk comes dinner, and then thu
balance of the day and evening is given t.
reading of current events and the society o
friends. No more work after the four morn
ing hours and the l 500 words have been pre-
pared for the publishers. This is the daily
life of this brilliant man as have seen ant
heard it while visiting here for a day,
wish 1 could write of the scope of his worl
or give some extracts from what he Ina
written. But the privilege of seeing or hear
ing any part of it is accorded to no one
Soon after the new year the first volum
will be given to the public, and the secont
will follow as soon as it can be prepared
Before year rolls around the great com
mentary upon men and events from Lin
coin to Garfield will, from the pen of Mr.
Blaine, be given to the world.