Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-01-14
BLAINE as A BOY.
Two Administrations Of the Harrison
Family, Fifty Years Apart.
Correspondent New York Press. !

Correspondent New York Press.
"Did / know Mr.. Blaine as boy
did. We went to school together,
and played all sorts OF pranks side by
side. When General Harrison was on
his way to Washington to be inaugu-
rated Blaine and l stood by the old
tavern in Brownsville, over the river,
and watched the stages drive up load
ed with the big men of the West who
were going on with him. Little did he
think then that fifty years later he
would be secretary OF STATEN the cab
met OF the grandson of the man we
looked upon with wonder as boys.
Still less did 1 think that / would be
the postmaster of our old town under
the same administration" said EsteI
Adams, as he leaned over the counter
OF the little country post office with
his elbows on a mail bag.
"The Blaines, you know, were Wings,
and took part in the lively campaign
of 'Tippecanoe and Tyler, too,' and
Mr.. Blaine's father was made protho-
notary of this county as the result" J"
Captain Cox, a veteran Ohio river
captain, said:
"When 1 first began to clerk in
Bowman's store Blaine used to come
down there barefooted, with pair of
nankeen pantaloons buttoned to a
shirt waist, and a chip hat. Let me
see;" continued Captain Cox, 81 had
not seen James G. Blaine for more
than thirty years, when, as speaker OF
the house, he became the talk of the
land. At Pittsburg he had taken pas
sage on the packet l was command
ing. did not know hewas on board.
Mr.. Blaine was on his way to make a
visit to the home OF his childhood, the
first one for many years. Some gen.
tlemen who were his companions said
to him, An old friend OF yours COM
mands this boat
"'Don't show him to me, said he.
| want to see if / will know him.
"rhey walked up to the deck upon
which l was standing, when, before he
had fairly reached me, he held out his
hand and said:
"Hello, Cox. How are you? You
haven't changed much since the days
when we knew one another in the
town along the Monongahela. We
had good times them
"'Yes; | often recall them as | 90
past your place while steaming up and
down the river. There is good deal
to think about in what has come out
of that village OF West Brownsville
"Iwas surprised, said Captain Cox,
"with his ability to remember me
after SO many years, but 1t only illus
trates an element OF his mind that
was wonder to us all when he was a
boy. He had quick intellect then
and never forgot anything. There is
hardly trip up or down the river
when one or more OF the old residents
do not talk to me about him. l am
glad to say that there is but one feel
ing an1s.ng them whether they be
Democrats or Republicans. We want
to see him President"
/ chatted with Captain Cox long
time until his boat landed at the
quiet hamlet of West Brownsville, and
| left him for two days visit among
the scenes of Mr.. Blaine's boyhood.
Here nearly every man and woman of
mature age who knew him as a lad
can tell interesting stories about him
long before he made his mark in the
world. The old tavern on the other
side OF the river, where the stages
stopped when Henry Clay, Sam Hous-
ton and other Western statesmen
were on their way to Washington, still
stands.
| wonder if Mr.. Blaine remembers
the winter day in 1871 when he stood
by the old tavern and watched six
coach loads OF people draw up at the
House OF Comfort, which was founded
by John and Nancy Hezlip, as the
stone in the corner records, in the
year 1900.
Henry Clay was powerful advocate
OF the improvements of Western high
ways and rivers. He made a speech
on the porch OF this hotel, and the
boy Blaine stood and listened to him.
s'As l said BEFORE" said Captain
Samuel Van Hook, who met me at
West Brownsville by accident, 'tMr.
Blaine as boy stood looking on like
the rest OF US at the arrival OF the
stage which bore General William
Henry Harrison toward his Inaugural
ton in 1S41. He chimed in like the
other boys with euiogy or criticism of
the incoming President.
"It was an unusual occurrence for
president OF the United States to
travel over the National Pike. All
the people gathered around the tav-
ern to see the dignitaries as the horses
pHlled up the hill. The first stage con-
tained the president-elect and a few
friends. 1t was not overcrowded like
the Others. 1t was simply comfort
ably filled.
81 was a young man when Mr.. Blaine
was boy. Do you wonder that
recall how he looked upon General
Harrison as he alighted from the stage
at Brownsville to take his dinner for
which he paid 25 cents?
81 remember that Blaine loitered
about the place with the rest OF his
playmates until the meal was over,
and the president and his party
moved up the hill. No thought then
came to Eph Blaine's son that fifty
| fifty years later he would be the secre
tary of state and the active power
in the cabinet OF the grandson OF that
president of the United States. HI
was cheerful lad and in love will
the rugged life which surround him.