Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-03
WILL BLAIR LEARN FAN TAN?
New Hampshire Neighbors of the Senator
Are Anxious for His Future.
From the New York Times

New Hampshire N0ighbOrs of the Senator
Are Anxious for His Future.
From the New York Times.
PLYMOUTH, N. H., Feb. 2S.-This little town,
way up in the New Hampshire hills, was greatly
excited today when the news was brought into
it by the Boston papers that Blair had been APP
pointed minister to China. The first man to
discover the news was an old gentleman who
sat on cracker barrel in one of the grocery
stores reading his morning Journal
by Hockey" he exclaimed, dropping his pa
per into his lap, tibet jest nat rally beats the
Injuns."
What's the matter, Uncle John? What's
broke We up sop demanded one of the dozen
bystanders.
''Yew couldn't guess in a hund'd year." re-
piled the old man, $50 might just as well tell
We. Har'son's 'pinted Hen Blair minister to
Chiny."
Then the news began to spread and by the
time that the villagers got ready to eat their
pork spare rib and homemade sausage dinners
everybody within mile of the post Office had
heard it. OF course it was mighty interesting
news to Plymouth people. for Blair was a Ply
mouth man when he was first called by the peo-
pie of the second New Hampshire district to
represent them in Congress and continued to
be Plymouth man until he moved into Man.
chester, about four years ago, thinking by the
move to strengthen his hold upon The senator
ship by making alliance with the largest
city in the state. He was born over in Camp
ton, a village two miles from here and the lit
tie, cranky, Blairish-looking house where he
lived while he was practicing law in Plymouth
is still standing. 1t will be an article of great
interest to summer boarders in the Pemigewas-
set valley after that. The Camptonites will
greatly enjoy pointing out to the wagon loads
of pilgrims the former residence of their hon
ored son. There's where the minister to
Chiny used to live they will say.
The Plymouth gossips have found out in
some way that Blair will git bigger pay over
to China than he has ever had before. and
they seem glad of it, Notwithstanding that,
frugal and thrifty people that they are, they
cannot quite understand why the ''pay'' that
he has been receiving for the last twelve years
has not been sufficient to keep him decently
and '.leetle more"
''Thets bigger pay then eny man ever gut
afore that growed up in this part nv the coun-
try" said one Of the grocery-store sages. Il
swan, wouldn't mind gittin tibet pay myself"
"A pooty kind Of o minister to Chiny, you'd
make. remarked another of the sages. by
ginger, I'd like to see yew aekitin' round with
them diplomy fellers over tew Picking. Ireckin
yew'd hev tew grease them butes Nv yourn con-
slider BILE afore they d let yew in ter play polka
with the high mucky-mucks."
'.Poker"' gasped o solemn-visaged man who
had just been helping himself some hat surrep-
titiously to slice of sage cheese. ''Poker!'' he
repeated. You don't suppose that Brother
Blair will turn poker player. do you?''
This question precipitated a long, earnest and
somewhat acrimonious debate. 1t was still in
is a democrat, came into the store to transact
bit Of business with the proprietor. He was
at once appealed to for information. The SUBJ
stance Of tine question that put to him was
whether the American minister to China must
necessarily, play poker. HE answered no."
mo man is compelled to play poker" he
added, land besides that don't understand
that the greatest temptation to which Mr..
Blair will be exposed will be the tempta-
ton to play poker. What fear is that he may
take to opium smoking and fan tan. am told
that there is something in the Chinese climate
which destroys the very foundations Of moral
character SO that none but the strongest are
able to keep themselves from yielding to its in
sidious influences. l am confidentially in
formed that nothing short Of rigorously-ad-
hered-to system of fines and other penalties
has enabled the Foreign Missionary Society to
keep its missionaries in order over in China.
Il should have more confidence in Blair
ability to maintain his virtue II did not know
that up to the present he has lived a correct
life. He has never had vice that have heard
OF, and it is about time for him to catch one.
am q great believer in the saying that every
man must sooner or later have vice. and logi-
cally. you see, / am forced to believe that be-
fore he dies Mr.. Blair will fall from grace, and
l also fear that, tempted AS he will surely and
sorely be while sojourning in China, he viii con-
tract that awful habit OF smoking opium and
lose half his salary at fan tam
The young democrat talked on in this strain
for about ten minutes until he had thoroughly
convinced his listeners that Blair was going to
place which might. without exaggeration, be
denominated 'Satan's headquarters" and now
the whole population Of the village Is in a state
of tremendous anxiety. 1t is not improbable
that o petition will be sent to Blair asking HIM
to stay at home and maintain his virtue.
A number Of letters were sent him this even
ing. in each Of which he was urged to reflect
well before exposing himself 10 the temptations
Of diplomatic life at the Chinese capital.