Wichita eagle., 1890-02-20

side. Thus left alone 10 his thoughts and his
troubles, it was apparent that he had given
way to melancholy. His face was more
ghaStly pale than it usually Is. His head was
bent forward so that his chin rested upon his
breast, in the depth of detection. His eyes
were closed, and but for the occasional pass
ing of his white, colorless hand over his face,
one would have thought him asleep.
Passers by who knew the face-and who
does not -paused a moment 10 look at the
extraordinary picture of grief. There was
touch of human nature in this woe of great
and famous man which even the humblest
observer recognized and was softened by. In
the minds of many of the passers by, | have
no doubt, was the same thought which oc-
Cured to me, that Blaine is another victim
of the state department hoodoo. Since he be-
came secretary of state the second time he
has lost brother and son, and his wife has
buried a sister While Mr.. Blaine was sec
retary of state under Garfield his health was
well nigh ruined by the strain to which he
was subjected by the assassination and long
struggle for life of his friend the president.
The i'll luck which in late years has attend
ed this Office followed his successors. Secre-
tary Frelinghuysen lost his wife during his
term of service as secretary of state under
Arthur, and besides had private gr;efs of the
most poignant character which no doubt
fastened his own death shortly after laying
down the cares of Office. Secretary Bayard,
who succeeded him, also lost his wife and a
daughter as well. Now comes Blaine again,
and the angel of death once more hovers over
the family of the secretary of state.
Is there such thing as fate in the case of
Mr.. Blaine? Many people think 50. Apromi-
nent Republican senator was talking Of this
but a night or two ago. when Mr.. Blaine
retired from the speakership of the house of
representatives March 4, 1875" he said, lit
seemed that nothing could prevent his early
rise to the presidency He was then, as he
has since been, the most popular man of his
party. As he dropped the gavel on that day,
after six years of service in the chair, a scene
of tumultuous enthusiasm ensued. The crowd
ed assemblage floor and galleries, rose and
greeted him with repeated salvos of applause,
running in waves from side to side, with wild
cheering and clapping of hands and waving
of handkerchiefs. Fully five minutes he was
detained, bowling and acknowledging with
emotion this tribute to his ability ard popu-
larity.
''For fully half an hour afterward mem
bers and citizens rushed forward to shake his
hand and express in words the admiration
which they had already given hearty sign of.
None who were there can forget the impress
sion made by this scene, and as Blaine left
the hall | remarked, as scores of my fellow
members did also: There goes coming pres
ident of the United States Yet see how the
fates have pursued that man. AT CINCINNATI
the next summer a simple lie about the con-
vention hail not being provided with gas
caused an unexpected adjournment TO the
following day, and brought about the noni-
nation of Hayes instead of Blaine.
SAT Chicago in 1880 he was again defeated
by the most extraordinary combination OF
conditions ever seen in a national conven-
ton. In 1854 he was nominated only TO be
defeated, as his friends think, by few hun
dred votes, and those influenced by mere ac-
cident. If Mr. Blaine now had his health
and full strength tine political conditions are
such that his party would be sure to make
him its candidate in 1892, but expect moth
ing else than that the fates will again inter
vene, and by the hand of death remove him
Just as the prize seems once more WITHIN his
grasp"
One can find plenty Of superstitious people
who firmly believe that Walker Blaine would
be alive and well today if the Blaine family
had not tempted fate by moving into that
unlucky house, the Old mansion In Madison
place. As is well known il was in that house
that former secretary of state, Mr. Seward,
was stabbed nigh 10 death by the aecoInpilce
of Booth and it was at the door OF TINS house
that Gen. Sickles shot Philip Barton Key for
invasion OF his domestic circle. Old Jake,
colored messenger in the department OF JUS