New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29
MR.. BLAINES BOYHOOD.
"REMINISCENCES OF HIS EARLY FRIENDS
TRAITS OF TIE BRIGHT sCHOoLBOY IL PENN
SYLvANIA-TIIE GOOD STOCK FROM WHICH
THE STATESMAN SPRANG.
i
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

Washington. Jan os-Mr. Blaine born In
Brownsville it'll. town on the Mononcahea, In Wash
ington County. Penn. on January 81, 1880. II Is
quiet, ont Of the way corner. south OF PtSlurg. and Is
yet full Of old buildings ana other reminders OF the
pioneer DAYS Of We.tcrn Pennsylvania. Mr.. Blaines
father Ephraim l.. Blaine went to Washington County
in ISIS and bought what was for that time great
estate 1t was sold by him to the Economics. whose
possessions are now believed to be worth several mill
ions. BESIDES there were timber and coal tracts on
the farm which 10 day are worth princely fortune,
and near which Mr. blaine himself in later years.
bought property from which he Melted large part
Of his wealth. Just south, in West Nlreinla. Mr..
Blaine has proftabl, coal lands.
Mr.. Baine's paternal great grandfather was
colonel in the Perm ylvania line In the Rcvou'n who
contributed from his large means much q, The money
which l0,pt General WashiuStons army alive during
the hard winter at Valley Forge. General Washing
ton himself attributed the preservation OF his troops
from absolute starvation 10 the efforts OF Colonel
Blaine with whom he was on Intimate terms The
honse In which the future statesman born Is sun
standing although IN state Of decay. There were
eight children in the family. five sons ana thIce
daughters. When James VA, six wears old his educa
ton was begun in little red schoolhonse some dis
lance from the family home. An acquaintance OF his
boyhood DDS rites him at that time a p:cerna'uralv
bright little chap vi o was n"raly bar'iooted IN
summer and dressed in nankecn trousers buttoned on
a shirt waist, topped OF with chip hat. His vaca
tions spent the 800 acre fnrm but not IN
farmlng-he bad taste for that. Boating and horse
marship were more in his line. and the Inhabitants re-
member to this day his fondnc,s for bestrding Vicious
colts that ~ one else dared TO ride.
Mr. Blaine from remarkable stock Il re-
member said an old resident Of wost Brownsville. r.
Gently speaking Of Mr.. Baine's father when squire
Elaine, used TO call him, dominated 'his paw
Of the country. lie would never work. lie wore
shirt runled both sides OF the vest. ana WIS III
ways clad in a suit Of blue broadcoth decorated WIN
brass buttons. He drove tandem team and had al
the best there going. lie was handsome smart anu
gleeful. Yet lie was a man who bore the respect OF
the community. and everybody said he was the best
man in town. lie spent two fortunes In enjoy
Ing himself and left his sons TO make their PAGES IN
life without collar.
"The Gil,.sp,cs the family into which Mr.. Blaines
father married, errac and brilliant Mr
FLAMES mother was n wonderful wOman stern,
sincere woman. who beloved By everybody. Her
father was one AZ the BOYS, was her husband. Tie
older Gillespie. Mr.. Blanes grandfather on the
maternal side was an Inshman. Provident. Just
cyac,Ing and frolcsomc he made money while lie
playcd Fine horses In his stable and 10 change
the monotony Of a weary life among the hills, he would
orcn.onally hitch up n fOur-in-hand 10 sleigh In
summer time and drive through the town at break
neck speed lie would draw up at the old tavern on
The national pike. where General Harrison stopped
while a half dozen people would jump out to hold his
| IL II
when asacd about his within would say Any fool can
have Il sleigh ride In the winter. but only an Irish
man can enjoy in the summer"
This Is the testimony OF an old schoomate: Jim
as we called him them was the 'ba'herlngest boy
I'm The school, and he was not favorite among the
scholars He knew too much When The teacher
would give MS some hard questions In mental ariih-
me,c all the children would fall TO answer; but
when II came to Jim Blaine, he would tell 1t right
an Then he would turn to us and say: why don't
vou learn somcil.ingr That Is The way he used 10
tantallzc us. DO you wonder that we were jealous
OF him7 lie learned too quickly. yet he was pop
MAR with all the girls because lie always STOOD by
| them"
| "Would he fglt7" was asked
| "No, much lie would look and hugh While
the other boys battered each other. lie seenicu "
be born 10 manage other people lie wou'u o''c'
raise a row among the other boys, ana 'ei ""'.
Them Eut one day was ming along '"e Io"u
and saw Tom Mcbride and Jim In heh,' ION
had him down and was sitting across his pic"s'
,oundInc AWAY at JIM when l asked Tom. what are
| yon doing p The reilly was; 4 am gOihe ~ III"
jim Blaine until he cries enough so,, ".Do not
be lyinc there taking beating for nothing. =,
! 10y lingo, said Blhne, i won't say IL Nv
"V.. pnlIed Mcbride off him and ended the fight ,
Another schooima,e 'r, Ihc Wishes Of his
parents" he said remember when n hdys OF had u
boys down 10 the river me h's rn swimming SHy
Tnh Jlnine who was regarded by his father as we
s,pnrc. Of all his children. wanted 10 20 III VIZ.
| na hnt he could not unless jim would so IN OF "o'
| tell =, ,, 81 won't co I'm because
mother siu ,~ar home tho two brothers got into n
| ouar:cl about IT, when Eph called u "c '"" w
Come pa'n want Tim licked lick him YOURSELF said !.
| :. II Won don't come and Hex linn Will he"
YOU siu a pr"und we tackled each other ana go'
| , or,t tbrashng OF my life on jim bihihe AZ
| count" ,. ,,,rch ,t brownsville near which
a. n,snc,s Protestant father ana Ca,hoS Oca over
buried. is yet s,anuinet an away and a granite monn
i the EIaNto pair. Az I026 NAk9OAe