The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-21

| this morning. He was in his Seth year
and died from the effects of an attack of
grip. His sons, Gen. Horatio G. King
of New York, and Henry King of Bos-
ton, were at his bedside when he passed
away.
| Mr.. King was older than the State of
Maine, having been born in 1911, and
| facetiously said that he was born in Mas
fsachusetts. He comes from a long line of
Puritan ancestors, and in character and
physical build reminds one of those
sturdy people. His boyhood was spent
on a farm near Paris, the scene of his
first newspaper experience. He was tall
and of slender proportions with strong
and rugged profile and white hair. A
remarkable figure, straight and erect, for
his Sc years
Since the expiration of Buchanan s
term, or since he went out of office rath :.
er, for he served three days under Lin
coln Mr. King has been content to
straighten out historical matters when
he knows the rights of them to do liter
airy work and to enjoy the society of his
0 Id friends.
The literary evenings which Mr. and
Mrs. King held at their home for years,
and until within a few years were one of
the most agreeable features of social life
here. They were informal and simple
in character, but the literary programme
was always excellent. Prominent men
and women from home and abroad, con-
trlbuted papers or gave lectures. They
were original poems and stories, and the
conversation shared in by the most intel
lectual people at the Capital, was apt to
be witty and clever.
Mr.. King was broad in his sympathies,
and retained an active interest in the
affaifs of today. Matters connected with
the post office department where he had
so long and honorable a career were ma
turally of the first Importance to him
While he was in the post office department
in the beginning as clerk in charge of
the New England mails, then at head of
the foreign mails, and for many years as
first assistant postmaster gneral-Mr.
King instituted many reforms and intro
duced new systems He was actual post
master general for about 81 days, al
though he served for the last two months
of Buchanan's term and frequently in
the absence or because of the illness of
the postmaster general, acted for him.
His career has been full of usefulness and
dignity, and more than any one else now
living he knows the inside history of
those few pregnant months before the
breaking out of the war.
Mr.. Kings home is in the old part of
the town, on FL street, near Seventh,
When he bought the house some time in
the forties, it was so far out that his
friends questioned the wisdom of his in
We sting there. 1t is a roJmy old-fash-
Toned house, homely and comfortable,
with a southern exposure. On the first
fl DOR Mr.. King had his library, a sunny,
coisy place, lined with books and hung
w tn pictures of personal interest, por-
traits of his children and grandchildren,
clever water color sketches, the work of
Mrs. King, the photographs of celebrated
men whom he has known. Upstairs are
large drawing rooms and cosy living
rooms, soberly and quietly furnished, filled
with evidences in the shape of books,
bric-a- brac and pictures, of the esteem in
which he is held by his friends. A por-
trait of himself is on one of the walls,
and in a corner is most excellent bust
in plaster.
Although constantly busy at some kind
of literary work, Mr.. King was not a
recluse; on the contrary he had a sociable
nature, and in his own home was genial
and cordial, with sincere, old-fashioned
courtesy. At the receptions, teas and
other functions of social character he
was q conspicuous figure, and he invari
ably went to the White House once or
twice during the season. Since Van
Burns time he has known all the presi-
dents and women who have presided over
the Executive Mansion.
The Jeffersonian was, as its name indi-
Gates, Democratic organ, published in
the little town of Paris, Me-, some IS
years ago. Its promoters Hamlin and
King, who bore the historic names of
Hannibal and Horatio, gained national
reputation, but it is to be questioned if
in their subsequent career they at any
time derived as much satisfaction or as
much fun, from any venture as from
this, their first one
The, .Jetfersonian was gratifyingly sue
cessful, but its revenues, even for the
modest wants of the youthful managers,
were insufficient to support them both.
1t came to q question of buy or sell, and
Mr. King bought Mr. Hainlin out, be
coming by this change, proprietor, edi-
tor, foreman of the composing room and
printers devil.
The little town of Paris was too small
for them and he removed his plant to
Portland. Here sI1rcaec rovyarded him.