The Somerset reporter., 1897-05-06
BLAINEHS MEMORY.
NEVER FORGOT A FACE OR THE
NAME OF AN ACQUAINTANCE.
The Wedding Notice He Wrote When
an Editor - Some Striking Incidents
That Were Related by Ex-Governor
Cumback of Indiana.

Cumback of Indiana.
Upon taking editorial charge of the
Tennebee Journal Mr. Blaine soon
familiarized himself with Maine poll
tics ty studying the files Of The Jour
nal, and he studied them closely as far
back as 1925. By this means he soon |
| became the best posted man in the state
on Maine politics, and be was looked
upon as authority. His able editorials
during the campaign bringing up po-
litieal matters of the past showed care
full research, and they were copied wide
ly. Il was while editor eff The Journal
that he was enc day stopped on the
street by an old lady whom he had new
er seen before and asked to write up the
wedding Of her daughter, which occur
red the night before
Blaine had served his tire 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 wrinklod 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 Ia
dy, and her eyes filled with tears
This is her child"
The man with the big, kind heart
reached over and kissed tho little blue
eyed girl.
During the Greeley campaign iii 1872
Ex-Governor Gumback Of Indiana spoke
/ with Mr.. Blaine in Springfield, Q. This
was early in the campaign. just before
the election Mr.. Cumbaek was sent up !
i'll Blaihe's state to make a speech. lie
was told by the committee that he
would find Maine people very stiff ard
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.
ooh, E." said the statesman, "they had
a man of unusual stuff to get them
stirred up! such man on a 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 ovor at
Springfeld?' said Blaine in way a. IA
reminder. Then he went ahead and told
Mr.. Cumback all about his speech, ot
the crowd present and gave promptly |
all the main points of the speech and
even named the party with them. He
also remembered ut what hotel they put
up and what day of the week it was.
Another instance of Blaine's great
memory is cited i'll the following story, |
as told by Mr.. Cumhack
During the Garfield campaign Mr. |
Blaine spoke in Cumback's town. l1e
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, land he thinks there is
no one like Jim Blaine"
"Me for PRESIDENT" said Blaine.
eyes, you for president. Do you
want to stop and go i'll to see him a
minute? Nothing would please him bet |
ter "
They wAlt in and remained 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, WHIP" asked Blaine. |
And he asked all about the mon he had |
met in Cumback's town several months |
before and called nearly all of them by
their tirst names. "Oh, yes" he said, |
how is Dave Kerr? Did he ever get |
well? Poor fellow, be suffered terribly. |
And those little children, how about
them?'
This may be considered a wonderful
feat of memory. 1T was i'll 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 a million people since that
time and had shaken hands with and
met thousands.
Mr., Cunaback accompanied Mr. |
Blaine on his speaking tour through In
diana during his campaign III 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.
81 don't know, " said Blaine doubt
fully. I'm afraid it won't be. "
He had an unusual vacant, PARKWAY
look in his eyes, and be was very seri-
Gus. His words came slowly and hest
tatingly. Mr. Cumback assured him
that there was 10 doubt but Blaine
shook his head.
4 don't know said he. I've had
a sort Of feeling for the last week that
wouldn't be elected. | hopo | will,
but the outcome is doubtful, and / feel |
now us if itWcrc very doubtful. But if |
am defeated | viii 20 to work the next
day on my book .
And he did. He Logan the second vol .
ume Of his Twenty Years Of Cen
gress' the hext day after the election.
Chicago Timcs-Horald.
He Laid.