The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-01

Mr.. Blaine, while apparently very ex-
the most secretive men in American pol
| itics. This is his theory about keeping
secret: He said one day: eff you tell
a secret to one person." here he drew
the fore-fnger of his right hand across
the palm of his left, as he added, that
is one" Then making second stroke
with his finger across his palm, he said:
''tell the secret to two and that makes
eleven"
There is apparently no malice in Mr..
Blaine's disposition. He has a high
temper and is good vigorous enemy
when his blood is warmed, but he never
yet has pursued a policy of revenge. He
of mans mental and spiritual force to
devote any time or thought in following
out policy of retaliation. Life is
altogether too short, said he once, for
any kind of revenge. So, this being his
spirit, he was always ready to make up
the Conkling quarrel which occurred
when Mr.. Conkling and he were young
members of the House of Representa-
tives He would have accepted at any
time the extended hand of Mr. Conkling
and would have gone any time during
tho great New Workers. life half the way
to the point of reconciliation. But Mr..
Conkling never would make one step
and always frowned coldly upon any at
tempt of mutual friends to bring the two
together. Mr.. Blaine has been often
brought in the personal neighborhood of
Mr.. Conkling and always regarded If as
more of bore than otherwise, the fact
that they were not on speaking terms.
The attitude of Mr.. Conkling occasion
ally appealed to the sense of humor in
Mr.. Blaine. One of the most delightful
stories that Mr.. Blaine tells is where he
gives an account of dinner given by
a well-meaning idiot in Washington who
thought he could carve out q national
reputation for himself by being the
means of bringing these two statesmen
together. His manner OF doing so was
very original. He devised a dinner
party as the meeting place for the pro-
posed reconciliation. He notified neither
gentlemen of his noble intentions. He
first invited Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine to come
to dinner without indicating in his inyi-
tation who they would be expected to
meet. After he had their acceptance.
he sent out an invitation to Mr.. and
Mrs. Conkling. He made the mum Der
of the invited very small so that OF
necessity they would be forced into close
neig hborhood, and what the genial host
hoped would prove to be 6 mellowing
atmosphere. He carried his ingenuity
and originality 10 the farther extent of
sending Mrs Blaine out to;dinnsr on the
arm of Mr.. Conkling and Mrs. ConkIing
on the arm of Mr.. Blaine. The two
gentlemen were placed opposite each
other. During this lovely and charming
dinner Mr.. Blaine maintained an ami
mated conversation with Mrs. Coukling
and Mr.. Conkling talked freely and
frankly with Mrs. Blaine. The majestic
New Yorker, however, was coerced in no
way by the nesrness Of his enemy aai
never remotely acknowledged the fact Of
Mr. Blaine's presence. And so the
dinner dragged its weary length along
in as delightful and sGrees Die 3 fashion
as anyone might imagine who knew AR.
Conkllng and his peculiar ways
Blaine has always had great liking for
the newspaper profession. When be
was in the Cabinet with President Gar
held he WAS very communicative 20 tn.
newspapers. Inere was no one in pup
lie life who understood better the value
OF newspaper publication, or who knew
better the proper time TO make such
publication. When he has hsd anything
OF Importance 10 give out be has always
selected the press agencies Those who
notice the dates OF these will observe that
they are nearly always sent out Sunday
nights so as 70 appear in the morning
papers when there is generally less
printed 10 distract the attention of the
public Whenever IN those days ne used
to give anything TO the special CORES
Dondeuts. be would write on. himself