The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-05-22
TYPICAL OF BLAINE.
A Blasted Hickory the Only Mark to His
Burial Place.

patCn.
OF all the many places of mounrful in
terest in and about W ashington, the spot
to which the most visitors resort from
all parts of the country is the grave of
James G. Blaine, of Maine, in Oak Hill
oemetary, on Georgetown Heights. 1t
not adorned with any sculptured monu-
ment or ambitious marble shaft.
In fact, it is marked by no head stone
at all, however modest, but merely by an
insignificant tablet at the foot, and a
blasted hickory tree, riven by lightning,
at the head-in token of the strange ia
tally that blighted his high career.
At the time the To- was purchased,
when Walter Blaine died, Mr.. Blaine was
impressed by the sight of the blasted
hickory tree, and personally requested
Superintendent j. T. Motter, in charge of
the cemetery, to let fireman, Saying that
upon his own death he desires to be
buried beneath it.
"Mr. Blaine pointed out the wrecked
tree" said Mr.. Motter yesterday, relat-
ing the incident, "and asked me. to see to
it that it was not destroyed or removed,
as be wanted it to stand for his only mon
ument." This expressed wish was con-
scientlously respected by the family and
carried out by the cemetery managers,
and now the tree, whether itlives or dies,
is destined to remain, to denote the last
resting place of James G. Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine's idea was that nothing
could so fifty mark his own grave as this
tree The fancy was altogether his, and
to his mind the blasted shaft, with it's
withered top, typified perfectly his own
life.
In this the philosopher and student of
political history may find pathetic and
melancholy material for speculation and
reflection. Was it his personal ambition
only that was blasted and blighted, like
the tree? Or in addition, did the states
man see in it a symbol of his physical
experience as well, and also an emblem
of his hearts affections? Possibly all
three. a--7->-! ~ F'''ssSs755s + sie4
1t is we'll known that he actually did
receive a sunstroke orjsparalytic shock
IN Washington on the threshold of the
Congregational church, just on the eye
of the republican national convention Of
1876, which felled him prone as suddenly
and completely, for the time being, as a
bolt of lightning would have done. And
from that fAkBR day, too, his brilliant
fortunes began to decline, and with them
his darling hope of becoming president.
Three zines was he doomed TO defeat
for the presidential nomInation--the
first time. a few days thereafter. in 1876,
and again in 1880 and 1692-and once, in
1884, to defeat in the election, under
exasperating circumstances, after Win
ming the nomination. Then came his
failing health, and close upon that hur-
ried a host OF family sorrows and losses
that broke his heart.
The death of his favontesson, Walker,
was a stunning blow, likewise the death
of his daughter, Mrs. Coppinger His
sudden resignation from the Harrison
cabinet and the presentation of his maine
to the Minneapolis convention have since
come to be regarded generally as the I'M
considered apses of very sick man
loose from his moorings. Then the quick
illness and death of his son Emmons
Blaine. from the effects of over eXertiOn
in his interest at that convention, capped
the climax of his hearts woes.
After that, except for his public APP
pearance in support of the Harrison tick
ct in a speech at Ophir Farm, in Octo
Der following his retirement as a broken
invalid was complete. A cruel, thwart-
ing fate Sc med to pucsu} him with
remOrsless ennity.
He was indeed one OF those "whom
unmerciful disaster followed fast and
followed faster" until i'll his hopeless
misery all unspoken his existence ap-
peared to himself exactly like that of
the tree on Oak Hill-blasted and
blighted by a flash from sky.