New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-27

IN THE SHADOW OF JAMES G. BLAINE.
Didn't nominate Blaine, you say?' howled
the Mugwump. Didn't nominate James o..
Blainel' he roared, with fearful emphasis on
each word. Blaine not going to run at all, then
Declined, did hep Blaine wouldn't run, and wasn't
nominated! Great heavens and earth Can these
things be ?" and then he swooned. He didn't flop
his feet up in the air and strike the floor with
the back Of his neck, like some persons do when
they swoon-no, the Mugwump is so very digni-
fed and so extremely respectable, that he wouldn {
do anything of that kind Controlling his emo
tons with violent effort, he lay down on
couch. "GentlemenD he said, with wave OF
his hand swoon'
No wonder the Mugwump swooned. For four
long years he has imagined that James G.. Blaine
was his track. Tossing, hour after hour, in
feversh, restless sleep, he has dreamed that James
G. Blaine was sitting on him: that James G.
Blaine was calmly walking back and forth on his
PROSTATE form that James G.. Blaine was slowly
crushing him out Of the semblance Of humanity.
Starting up with wild cry from his bed of
torture, it has only been to meet the grim form
of James G. Blaine creeping over the footboard
and reaching out to grasp him by the throat
The Mugwump has enjoyed James u. Blaine
nightmare four years long.
The dark, omnous shadow of James G.. Blaine
has haunted his waking, as well as his sleep
ing hours. The rustlng Of the trees has whispered
to him that Blaine would get him yet He has
started in alarm at the sudden opening Of
door, and, with his heart in his mouth, has
whispered in husky accents: 4" Blaine has run me
down at lasti' As he has walked about the
streets he has all the time been ready to dodge
Blaine and run for cover. Returning home at
night, " like one that on lonesome road" he
hoe hur on aorin fo fr ic
he knew that James G.. Blaine was close behind.
James G. Blaine has crept into his pleasures.
At the theatre the dreaded form Of Blaine has
stalEed out to the footlights and rolled his eye
about the house, looking for Mugwumps. At
the concert the big bass horn has groaned:
Blaine! Blane!' At the seaside the sad waves
have sobbcd James Gillespie! James Gillespie"
Among the mountains the great pines when the
evening wind has wandered through their tops,
have sighed in sorrowful tones: Blaine, OF
Maine! Blaine, Of Maine!'
Even when the Mugwump has performed
painful duty when he has sought self-punishment
we refer to the occasions when he has sat down
and read " The Evening POST or The New-York
Times" even then the shadow of James G. Blaine
has rested on him. and he has seen here b.
there an IL another place an A. again an
~ and so on, till the fearful name has stood
before his gaze from every page
Pause one moment Consider the gloom That
naturally surrounds the Mugwump journal Then
pile on it the terror to the Mugwump Of feeling
that the name Of Blaine is concealed in every
column, a cryptogram inserted by the hand OF
fate What must life be in the depressing pres
encc of such a journal, with the added weight
of a name that calls up nightmares in your waking
hours?
Four long years the name Of James q. Blaine
has hung above the Mugwump by single hair
II has been skeleton which has come in and
sat down at his feast. and helped itself to soup
the second time, and asked for pie. Sleeping or
waking. in darkness or light, the name of James
Gillespie Blaine of the State of Maine has lowered
over the Mugwump, and thrown him into con-
vulsicns dozen times day.
So no wonder the Mugwump swooned when he
heard from Chicago. For four years he has feit
with terrible certainty that Blaine would be
nominated and then to be told that he was not,
and above all that he was not because ne would
not take it-this was too much. He lay down
and swooned Perhaps he was TO be, in measure
at least emancipated from James G. Blaine.
Still. he doesn't know yet. Harrison may be as
bad rs Blaine lie doesn't know yet what 70
think He is waiting to hear from George
William Curtis George William Curtis does his
thinking for him.