Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-30
ME. BLAINE's UNUSED DESK.

ME-. BLAINE'S UNUSED DESK.
Gus force and a mild type of hypochondria
These Affections are not incurable or nee
essarily fatal; but whether or not Mr.
Blaine rally from their influence and re
sumo work at the state department in tie
fall depends very much on his recuperative
powers, his temperament and his sur
ToundingS
Mr. Blaine's most intimate friends de
clare to me now, as they declared two
months ago, that the distinguished invalid
has no organic disease, and that with his
well known strength of constitution and
simple manner of living he should have no
trouble in regaining his health. They say
there would be no question about it what
aver if Mr.. Blaine could go away into the
woods with one or two male friends-away
from doctors, nurses, medicines, newspa
pers and newspaper correspondents. Mrs
Blaine is born manager" loving wife
and a skillful nurse, and the other mem
bers of the household do all in their power
TO relieve the secretary from care and to
divert his thoughts from himself.
"They fail in this" said one of Mr..
Blaine's best and warmest friends, "be
cause they try too hard. They coddle him
too much. Mr.. Blaine is not fool, and it
Is very easy for him to see that his family
and friends are anxious about him. Their
constant efforts to induce him to think of
something besides his health only makes
him think the more about it. They coax
him TO leave all work and all study alone,
and to devote all his time and energy to
doing nothing but make an effort to re-
gain his strength. This, in my opinion, is
a mistake 1t is a wrong policy, because
it causes him to brood. Naturally bright
and cheerful man, full of jokes and fond
of society and of work, he is miserable
when idle. If you add to idleness i'll
health, he quickly becomes frightened
about himself and convinced that he is
much worse off than he really is.
'What he needs, in my opinion, and |
think | understand the case thoroughly, is
little work, more society, as much fun as
he is capableOf enjoying, less coddling and
fewer doctors. l am willing to wager a
thousand dollars to one that if three or four
of us old friends could get Blaine off in the
woods with us for two months, he'd come
out as strong and lusty a man as one
could wish to see. Even as it is, believe
he will reCurn to his desk here in Wash
ington next October and resume his work. 2"
The gentleman who takes this cheerful
view of Mr.. Blaine's case is a prominent
man, known for his hard, practical sense
and noted as one of Mr. Blaine's trusted
friends. Whether his view is more cheer
full than the facts warrant, time alone can
tell; but here at the national capital one is
constantly impressed with the popularity
of the distinguished invalid, with the great
hold he has upon the country, with the
singularly dramatic and influential career
which he has to look back upon while sit
ting on his piazza at Bar Harbor and
counting the chances of his recovery. Here
in Washington, as elsewhere, Democrats
and Republicans alike display the most
kindly interest in his health, and are equal
ly hopeful that he may be spared to re
enter the public service.
1t is one of the most pleasant phases of
American politics, this cessation of party