The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-30
BLAINE A BOOTBLACK.
An Incident Illustrative of his Kindness,
Courtesy and Retentive Memory.

An Incident Illustrative of his Kindness,
Courtesy and Retentive Memory.
Lafayette Courier
Charles B. Stuart was going to Michigan City
several days since on special train over the
Wabash just as the train left Denver, we'll
dressed man was seen running towards it evil
IDENTITY quite anxious to get aboard. Supt. Ste
vens stopped the train and let him on. The
stranger was Mr.. McCune, of Madison, Ind.
He was acquainted with one of the party on
board, Colonel Hendricks of Indianapolis, and
was introduced to the rest of the party. The
conversation that followed naturally turned
upon politics. Mr.. McCune said: eff Blaine is
elected 1 can say the President of the United
States was once my bootblack."
His auditors were all thoroughly well posted
with Mr.. Blaine's history, and the only reply to
the remark was a look of incredulity. But Mr.
McCune continued: Twenty seven years ago.
while working in mill in Pennsylvania, 1 was
unfortunate enough to meet with an accident
which laid me up at Brownsville, Fayette
county 1 stopped at hotel kept by one of
Blaine's uncles Blaine was there on a visit
from Maine. l was confined to my room for
several days with my injuries, which were
mostly in my back The third or fourth day 1
ventured down stairs feeling pretty sore.
1 found the backing brush and backing
and attempted to black my own shoes,
but the effort gave me great pain. A
young gentleman was sitting in the office, in full
view of me- reading book Presently he laid
the book down and came over to me. "Take
this seat, sir" he said, "and 1 will black your
shoes for you" l took the seat and he gave me
an excellent shine. l thanked him and took a
mental note of the young mans name and when
he became prominent object above the political
horizon, l delighted to relate how James G..
Blaine was at one time my bootblack. In 1880,
L had occasion to go to Wabash, Ind Blaine
was stumping the State for Garfield He was
in the same car with me, on his way to Wabash
also, where he was to make speech that night.
L had not seen him since the occasion
on which he blackened my shoes, and did not
recognize him until a committee of gentlemen
from Wabash came into the car and introduced
themselves to him. l went over to where he was
and shook hands with him remarkng. M.
Blaine my friends in Madison have been laugh
ing at me for asserting that the man who was
once my bootblack would yet be President of the
United States. Blaine's eye twinkled merrily.
He gave my hand an extra shake as he said,
Your name is Mcclure, and met you in Penn
sylvania years ago. That night 1 heard
him speak. In his address he took
occasion to illustrate how man
in this country might commence in
whatever occupation he choose so it was an hon
tinued, ''have l in my lifetime climbed to the
top round of the ladder, and, like Moses of old.
caught glimpse of the promised land, but on
both occasions lost my grip and failed to get in;
but there is man in the audience who could tell
you, had | succeeded, that the President of the
United States had once been his bootblack."
This was Mr. McCune's story, as related by
Mr. Stuart who states that Col. Hendricks
vouches for tho reliability of the narrator, a
gentleman of character and standing, with whom
he is we'll acquainted