Evening journal., 1910-04-28


'In all my experience when i'm Wash
ington and ia other public lifo / never met
so cordial ana companionable a man as
james c. Blaine" said the venerable
Smith Ely who was mayor Of New York
city in iS7l-S. Mr. Ely was member Of
Congress IN the seventies and at that time
made the acquaintance OF MIR. Blaine,
then also Of the House OF Representatives.
They were of opposing political parties,
but their difference Of political view seem
ed an the more strongly TO MAINTAIN the
personal friendship which came to be
established between them.
"Mr Blaine was one OF the most fasc-
mating Of men at an informal or quiet dim
ner party" Mr. Ely went ON to tell me.
"And yet he was so conslderate Of others,
and so completely lacking in dominating
self-assertion, that this gift of charming
an who were with him was greatly nten-
sinod.
81 remember that one summer, when
Mr.. Blaine was Speaker Of the House, he
spent few weeks at Saratoga Springs.
There, too, Samuel $. Cox. better known
as Sunset Cox, a member of Congress
and close personal friend of Mr.. Blaine S.
was stopping. and he invited MIR. Blaine to
be his guest of honor at dinner party at
hotel at Saratoga Lake. Mr.. Blaine ac-
ceptcd; / was fortunate enough to be num-
bered among the guests, and / must say
that / never saw Mr. Blaine moro fasci-
mating than he was at that small gatner-
ing Every guest felt the magnetic cnarm
of his graciousness, personality and in
telect
1T was towards the end of the dinner
that Mr. Blaine made his hit Of the even
ng For some time he had been engaged
In an animated dialogue with Mrs
Granniss, a very brilliant lady, who's,
husband was also present, and in tn,
course OF their talk Mr.. Blaine happened
to refer to a member of Congress, con.
siderably past the scriptura three scor,
years and ten, who had recently married
his fourth wife. This fact Mr.. Blaine to Z
after revealing something about the man
public career
"Thereupon Mrs. Granniss, half in earn
est and half in jest with "a comically fem
mime protest i'm the tone Of her voice. ex
claimed why. Mr.. Blaine, that man is al
bad as Brigham Young.
10 you lilllh So dNktN MT. hldln'
very courteously. 4 can hardly agree witt
you, for I think our member of Congress
Is not to be compared with the grea
prophet Of the Mormon Church.
why. It seems to me that he can b
so compared, protested Mrs. Granniss
Isn't it enough TO say that he has mar
ried four wlves2'
" 'Ah,' said Mr. Blaine, but there Is thi
difference. our friend. the member o
Congress. has married his wives tandem
one after another while the Mormo
apostle took his wives abreast, in a row
For several minutes the whole tabl
was upset with laughter at the wltticisn
As for myself l was stin laughing over
when I met Mr.. Blaine the next day
Then I complimented him upon il.
d" Oh was the smiling response. tina
was not mine l simply appropriated Il
II was. in fact. "a breakfast table witt
clsm made by a member of my family
Gail Hamnton-and It was just liS- he
to say IT, She should have the credit TO
it,
And that was James G. B.aine al
through as I knew him." concluded MI
Ely "He was ever willing 20 give credl
where credit was due"
Copyright 1910 by f. J. Edwards.)