National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-07
DIANE AS a BOY.
Modest and Clean MOuthed-AN Natural
APTITUDE for Politics,

Aptitude for Politics.
George Alfred Townsend, in a letter
written from Washington, Pa, to the
Boston Globe, gives this sketch of talk
with one Of Mr.. Blaine's relatives;
/ called on Mr.. John Ewing at his COM
Portable home between tho main street
and the college. In the evening Mr..
Murdoch. long tho United States marshal
here, asse inblcd mt his Office number OF
the citizens, and from these l endeavored
to ascertain the character and surround
ings of Mr.. Blaine in his college days.
Among others Con. James Ripple was
present, who had filled numerous posi-
lions in tho county. He said:
"Blaine had nothing eventful In his
life here, he was not boisterous boy, and
not much engaged in athletic "a mes;
never at variance with tho authorities o I
the college, and he has kept the good will
of his schoolmates and although many of
them are democrats, II will DO with some
regret that any of them cast a vote
against him.
"Ono thing was noticeable about him
through his youth. If anybody would
tell an mmodest story before him, a
blended blush and frown of indignation
would come to his face. IIo has been a
clean mouthed boy and man too.
HE was moderately neat; that is to
say, his clothes were not expensive, and
often of rather cheap material but no
kept them neat. He was not rover, and
there Is no recollection here of his going
cunning or fishing.
"He was always o politician. When no
was very young fellow it was common
thing to hear him discussing with tho
other boys issues and election probable.
ties. There seems to have been planted
in him from some source a genius for
politics-and his father was pretty poor
politician"
Mr.. Murdoch said: II recollect once
when Blaine was good deal nonplussed
In his political predictions. The whig
headquarters when no was u schoolboy
were at the Fulton house. We had an
election, and the men and boys stayed up
at night until toward morning to get the
returns. Blaine had piece of paper and
took down all the districts In the county.
He computed tho other districts as they
had been at u previous election, and came
to me and to others and, said he, we have
carried tho county by SO many hundred
majority Ho showed his figures, and
they looked oil right. But there was a
gone away from tho wings. Mex even,
once q prominent federal otiiceholdor,
brought tho returns up from there, and
man who had seen them said to Blaine,
Let me see that oiphering OF yours?'
Oh said Blaine, we have carried the
county by AGO. How many WING votes
have you got down for such townshipP
Blaine showed the figures. All, said tho
man, that rcd.headed rascal would give
you different figures from that Blaine
found his candidate was gouo, and we had
Il great deal of fun laughing at him"
Mr.. Murdoch said, further: "Blaine was
n good student, not q brilliant student.
He was strong in mathematics Tho
dawning instinct for business appeared
in his fondnesy for figures. He had "A
brother Noal, who has given him good
deal of trouble. Neal married In tho
west, aud had all the carelessness about
him which might have boon expected
from his fathers habits and his grand
fathers. Blaine, by method and ambi-
tion, triumphed over this disposition.
He has several times gone to the relief OF
Neal, ~ we have understood ;"
Said to Mr.. Murdoch: "Did you peo-
pie here keep Blaine In very vivid re-
mem brance and expectation 2"
"No We considered Jim Blaine good,
sound boy, earnest to mako his way in
the world; but we had crop OF boys, SO
to speak, going out of this college at loast
once year, Wo did hear that Blaine
had gone to Maine and become an editor
and politician, In the year 1856, when
tho first republican convention met at
Fremont this county WAS all ready for
tho revolution, and sent its delegates
there. They found Blaine intimate with
Lot Morrill, and the most renowned state
leaders strong In their oounsels, and thoy
came back and ssil, 'Woll, Jim Blaine has
got to DO something of man.' From