The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-02-16
"Reminiscences OF BLAINE.
A Correspondent Tells of Incidents
of His Life.

gone to his final account, 1t is ut
occasion for remarks upon his life,
character, talents and nature. His
public life and acts are almost OBJ
ject lessons to the American readers.
Still there are many incidents, or
things, especially of his early or
youthful life, if told as they really
were will furnish interesting read
ing matter, not merely to his host
of admirers but to general readers
who wish to store their minds with
matter fresh. useful and interesting.
1t so happened that the now dead
statesman and | were fellow stu
dents at the same institution. He
home student and a foreigner
from the beautiful mountain ranges
in Allegany county, Md. He, in
his central teens and ! several years
beyond. His senior per force Of
age, but so in no other respect.
lie was precocious and studious,
but little inclined to indulge in
college sports, hence his advanced
positions in all his studies and
classes. He graduated at the head
of his class in lS47, when the VEN
cradle and learned DR.. David Nc
Conahue was president of the in
stitution and Richard Lee, a near
kinsman of the Confederate gen.
eral, one of the professors. He
fairly won the first honors of his
class by his talents and merits.
saw no more of his downy face
with its strongly marked features
from 1916 to the winter of 1873.
1t was known however that he had
drifted by somewhat unnatural
courses from Pennsylvania by way
of Kentucky to the state of Maine
and was then speaker of the House
of Representatives. In the winter
named | had occasion to be in
Washington for some time. One
day in strolling along one of the
corridors in the Capitol, | found
myself at the door of the Speakers
room. The fact that the Speaker
was a schoolfellow many years be-
fore was recalled. The door was
ajar and hesitatingly entered, not
expecting to be even remembered
much less recognized. He was on
his feet in the act of going to the
House to call it to order. he in
stantly recognized the caller, his
face, name and all. The greeting
was more than friendly and cor
dial. He did not loose my hand
till he had drawn me to the side of
the Speakers chair with hundreds
of statesmen staring at the obscure
occupant of the neighboring chair
of the Speakers. The Speaker re-
leased the embarrassed one upon
the condition he would spend the
evening with him at his residence
on 18th st. The call was promptly
made and most delightful evening
spent. His recollections of college
scenes and incidents were poured
out in torrents nothing forgotten
every thing of mental record striv-
ing for utterance during those ever
to-be-rememb ered hours.
Mrs. Blaine made her appearance,
to whom | was presented. She was
tall, comm nding and dignified,
showing high degree of cultiva-
ton. | remarked to her in the
ceremony of introduction, had the
honor of knowing her distinguished
husband the longest. The ready
reply was, $50 l understand, but
not so intimately, and well as l
know him." TO this response
there could be no reply or demurrer.
Toward the close of this inter
view l remarked to him his name
was being used in connection with
the next Presidency. Never can |
forget the manner in which he met
the suggestion. That it was a joke,
a huge joke, the size of an elephant,
accompanied with an old fashioned
hearty laugh. l believed then and
now, he felt about as he spoke and
acted. He was told however, that
the future might make it a reality.
Before leaving told him l had an
i'll habit mot much known) of scrib-
bling for the newspapers, and if he
did not say no | would write a let
ter and. have it published referring
to our little reunion, with a little
presidential condiment in it. After
returning home the letter was writ
ten and published very considerably
copied-no one knowing the auth
orship except the origonal publisher
and the Baltimore american, which
would not copy it because the editor
believed Blaine to be Catholic.
met Mr.. Blaine several times
after this, and had some correspond
ence with him. HIS last lettsris a
very graceful one, dated, Mch. %,
1889, in answer to one of mine con-