Griggs courier., 1897-07-09
BLAINE'S MEMORY.
NEVER FORGOT A FACE OR THE
NAME OF AN ACQUAINTANCE.


The Wedding Noeice He Wrote when
an Editor some Striking Incidents
That Were Related By Ex-0overnor
Cumback Of Indiana.
Upon taking editorial charge Of the
Kennebec Journal Mr.. Blaine soon
eamiliarized himself with Maine poll
tics by studying the files Of The Jour
nal, and he studied them closely as far
back as 1895. By this means he soon
became the best posted man in the state
on Maine politics, and he was looked
upon as authority. Ellis able editorials
during the campaign bringing up po-
litical matters Of the past showed care
full research, and they were copied wide
". It was while editor Of The journal
that he was one day stopped on the
street by an old lady wirom he had new
er seen before and asked to write p'the
wedding Of her daughter. which occur
red the night before.
Blaine had served his time in con-
gress and went to Maine to speak dur
ing his campaign, when at the close Of
his speech he began shaking hands with
the masses crowded around him. An
old lady with wrinkled brow and whit
ened hair, bearing a babe in her arms,
approached and offered her hand.
''Why, how do you do?' said Mr..
Blaine. "Where's that daughter Of
yours wrote up that wedding notice
about?''
''Poor Lucy is dead, /" said the old la
dy, and her eyes filled with tears.
"This is her child"
The man with the big, kind heart
reached over and kissed the little blue
eyed girl.
During the Greeley campaign in 1879
ex- Governor Cumback Of Indiana spoke
with Mr.. Blaine in Springfield, O. This
was early in the campaign. just before
the election Mr.. Cumback was sent up
in Blaine's state to make speech. He
was told by the committee that he
would find Maine people very stiff and
inhospitable and quite different from
the western people. Mr.. Cumback was
surprised, however, at his enthusiastic
reception, there being large crowds
everywhere, and he never had more
enthusiastic meeting than at Augusta.
He told Blaine Of the incident and his
agreeable disappointment.
''Oh," said the statesman, "they had
man Of unusual stuff to get them
stirred upi Such man on speech as
you are would have a good reputation
anywhere" !"
"But what do you know about my
speech?" asked the governor.
"Didn't you speak with me over at
Springfield" said Blaine in way as q
reminder. Then he went ahead and told
Mr.. Cumback all about his speech, of
the crowd present and gave promptly
all the main points Of the speech and
even named the party with them. He
also remembered at what hotel they put
up and what day of the week it was.
Another instance Of Blaine's great
memory is cited in the following story,
as told by Mr.. Cumback:
During the Garfield campaign Mr..
Blaine spoke in Cumback's town. He
was entertained by Mr.. Cumback and
driven over town.
"There's sick man in that house
there that has been talking you up for
president for four or five years, said
the governor, ''and he thinks there is
no one like Jim Blaine"
'sMe for president?'' said Blaine.
'.Yes, you for president. Do you
want to stop and go in to see him q
minute? Nothing would please him bet
ter"
They went in and remained a few
minutes Blaine trotted the children on
his lap and talked freely with the sick
man, whose name was David Kerr.
Blaine and the governor. met at Gar
fields inauguration.
"How are you, Will?'' asked Blaine.
And he asked all about the men he had
met in Cumback's town several months
before and called nearly all of them by
their first names. ''Oh, yes" he said,
chow is Dave Kerr? Did he ever get
we'll? Poor fellow, he suffered terribly.
And those little children, how about
them?''
This may be considered wonderful
feat Of memory. twas in October when
he met these people, and it was ON the
4th of March, nearly five months after
ward, that he recalled his visit, re-
membering the name Of every person
he was introduced to on that day.. He
had seen million people since that
time and had shaken hands with and
met thousands.
Mr.. Cumback accompanied Mr..
Blaine on his speaking tour through In
diana during his campaign in 1884. 1t
was just ten days before election. Cum
back left him at Lafayette, saying that
he wouldn't see him again until the
Inauguration.
II don't know said Blaine doubt
fully. "I'm afraid it won't be-"
He had an unusual, vacant, faraway
look in his eyes, and he was very seri-
ous. His words came slowly and hesi-
tatingly. Mr.. Cumback assured him
that there was no doubt, but Blaine
shook his head.
II don't know, . said he. ..I've had
sort Of feeling for the last week that
I wouldn't be elected. hope will,
but the outcome is doubtful, and feel
now as il it were very doubtful. But II /