The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-04
PRINT LETTERS OF
LATE MRS. BLAINE
Dufheld & Co. Issue a Book
Of Writings of Maine States
mans Wife.

AS excerpts from familiar letters
that passed between the wife of one
of the great historical characters of
America. and her children and rela-
tiNcS and friends they have a pecll-
liar and intimate charm. For Mrs.
Blaine. as this book proves. was an
excellent letter writer. NiNacious, keen
Wittcd and humorous. She draws eX-
rellent little Nignettes of Mr.. Blaine's
famous contemporaries, his friends and
his enemies.
She makes passing illusions to the
great events of the day which are full
of insight and aculnen Unfortunate
lN she and all her family We're in Au-
sllsta. Me-. during Mr.. Blaine's success
ful candidacy for the republican nom
ination in 1884 and the unsuccessful
campaign for the presidency that fol-
lowed. Consequently this exciting pc
Rod goes u~nchroniclcd. There is very
little about Benjamin H~arrison-that
little only Indicating that she did not
like him.
The letters begin in 1871, when
Blaine was at the height of his popu-
and n in 1889. when he was still a
more or less disgruntled secretary of
state under Harrison. The first allu-
sion to political matters is under date
of October. 1871. 1t is written to
Walker. the eldest son. from Angus
ia. Me.
Her View of Grant.
Father" writes Mrs. Blaine. lis in
Bangor. accompanying the president. [
drove as near the depot as | dared
Tuesday afternoon. There was a great
crowd. and Grant was AS miserable as
is his Won't on such occasions. J. did
not see him, as l sat high up the hill
in the carriage: neither did / see the
other dignitaries who were present.
Blu | saw, best of all, your father.
who. as soon as he had introduced the
president To Mayor IIvclyth, hunted us
up and spent a delightful quarter OF AN
hour at the carriage. Joe says there
were many comparisons drawn between
the bearing OF the president and the
speaker. Probably the latter never
stood higher i'm the affections OF his
fellow citizens than he does at this
moment
Five years later the Mulligan letters
and other scandals had assailed he
good name of Blaine and as a conse-
quence he lost his chance to be the
republican standard bearer in 1876.
Bowed but not broken, Mrs. Blaine
wrote from Washington to her son En-
mons at Harvard. hoping he was EN-
during. like a good son. the fiery ordeal
through which your father is passing.
The defeat in the convention is as the
small dust of the balance to him,
though no one better knows than him
'NhA WV W III biS was Will
tending. But the thought which takes
the manhood out of him is that you
and Walleer. who are just entering life,
may, perhaps, be forced to see. not
only all Sour proud and happy antici-
pations disappointed. but yourselves
put on the defensive.
II find it difficult to command my
thoughts" Mrs. Blaine continues. but
there is one thing | must say. though,
! presume and hope o will laugh at
,,,,, r~-~ L-,,~ l>~,. r.-:1 ~
might go into Boston and do something
to Mulligan: but you have sense enough
to know that nothing could be worse
for your father h notoricty of that
kind. Keep yourself as patient and
hopeful as YOU can. All of us are we'll.
and Your father has a great reserve OF
pluck and resource"
Not for Il moment, indeed. does the
wife's belief in her husband waver.
She answers a letter of friendly sym
pathy from Mrs. Joseph Fl. Manlcy i'll
these words:
MY Dear Friend: The only tears
I rave shed in all this bitter time have
been over your letter. l could not read
unmoved what you say of him. for
YOU confirm what j w always said.
that those who know him most love
him best. | dare to say that he is
the best MAJ ! have ever known. Do
not misunderstood me. do not say
that he is the best man hat ever
lived, but tina of all the men whom
] have thoroughly known he is the
best.
You must not think. Dear Joe. from
the tone in which l write. that we arc
cast down, or. if cast down, discour-
aged. but can one tread the Wine press
so long alone and not some time give
out?"
Killing of Garfield.
Here is Mrs. Blaine's account of the
shooting of Garfield in a letter written
to her eldest daughter on July 3, 1881:
Dear NJ: Your father got up quite
early yesterday morning in order to
drive the president to the station, and
at half-past nine, Tom, the boys. Alice
and ! had breakfast. In the midst of
called out. hen he called Walker;
but as the house is besieged all the
time, we who were so fortunate as to
remain unsent for. paid no attention to
the prolonged absence of the absentees:
but shall l ever forget the m
the room crying, They %telephoned
over to YOU, Mrs. Blaine, that the presi-
dent is as~sassinated.' Emmons flew,
for We all remembered. with one ac-
cord. that his father was with him.
by the time ! reached the door I
on the street. and wild. Mrs. Sherman
got a carriage and we drove over to
the White House. Found the streets
in front damned and the doors closed,
but they let us through and in. The
president was still at the station, so
drove lhither. Met the mounted police
clearing the avenue, then the ambu-
lance: turned and followed into that
very gateway where, on the 4th OF
March. we had watched him enter.
II stood With Mrs. MacNeagh in the
hall. when II dozen men bore him above
their heads. stretched on a Mattress,
and as he saw us and held us with his
eye. he kissed his hand to us-I
thought | SHOULD die: and when they
brought him into his chamber and had
laid him on the bed. he turned his eyes
to me, b%eckoned. and when | went to
him, pulled me down. kissed me again
and again. and said, Whatever hap
, pens. ! want you to promise to look
out for Crete the name he always
| gives his Wife. Don't leave me until
Crete comes 1 took my old bonnet off
and just stayed. l never left him a.
moment.
AT 6 or thereabouts, Mrs. Garfield
came. f.ail. fatigued, desperate, but
firm and quiet and full of purpose to
save. and l think o there is a possi-
bility of succeeding"
ather (of student)-But nv bow
| nnSSeGScS plentN of energy doo,,.t