children from danger of want. His earnest sympathy made him from the first a sharer in all the aspirations, interests and wishes of the soldier on the field. A volunteer officer who served with conspicuous usefulness recently said that what sent him to the war was the accidental hearing of a speech of Mr. Blaine's in the Maine legislature, in reply to the ablest constitutional lawyer in that body, who had denied the right of the Federal government to resist secession, and advocated a peace policy. Mr. Blaine was Speaker, but descended from the chair, and in eloquent words not only overturned the legal sophistries of his opponent, but set forth the duty of every true American in the impending crisis in a manner that roused the deepest and most effective enthusiasm. From that time there was no question about the aid of Maine in the vigorous prosecution of the war. So it will be found in examining Mr. Blaine's record throughout that he has always been on the side of the soldier, never against him, and so he will continue while life and energy remain to him, knightly in his spirit, soldierly in his deeds. CHAPTER XXV. OUT OF POLITICS. As soon as President Arthur had passed the difficulties natural to such an unexpected beginning of a new Administration, and was in no danger of embarrassment from this course, Mr. Blaine pressed for an immediate acceptance of the resignation which he had tendered along with those of the other members of Mr. Garfield's cabinet. After such a year, even his iron constitution craved a release from care, if not from occupation, and he was anxious to return to private life. It was a pleasant home to which he returned, endeared to him first of all by the society of his family, and, in a degree, only second to this, by the beloved company of his books, of which he has drawn around him the best of all ages. Works of art, also, are not missing from his walls. He does not regard the æsthetic rule that engravings and paintings should not hang in the same apartment, for there are engravings in every room, and paintings are not on that account excluded. The gem of them all is the picture of "Charles II. and his Court," painted by Sir Peter Lely in 1668, and which Mr. Blaine was fortunate enough to acquire at the sale, a few years ago, of some old effects of Lord Baltimore. Among his curiosities is a large number of autographs, including those of Dickens, Thackeray, E. B. Lytton, Gladstone, Gambetta, and other famous cotemporaries, inscribed on pictures presented by themselves. In this pleasant retirement, all the more enjoyable after twenty-five years of strife, Mr. Blaine found ample occupation in that historical work which he had proposed to himself some years before, and to which he devoted himself with the same thoroughness that has before been described as part of his character. For the first time, perhaps, he was a profound disappointment to his friends. Contented with his position, engrossed with his private interests and with flattering offers for literary work, beyond what he could execute in years by the utmost diligence, Mr. Blaine declined to take part in politics, even to aid his own candidacy for the highest office in the land. No entreaties by those who thought that he was defeating the hopes of his admirers could shake this resolution, and, as it turned out, he was wiser than they. Not disdaining the prospective nomination, yet largely grown indifferent to it, Mr. Blaine knew that it would come to him, if at all, by the spontaneous movement of the Republican masses, over-ruling those in control of the machinery of the party. This move CHAPTER XXV. OUT OF POLITICS. As soon as President Arthur had passed the difficulties natural to such an unexpected beginning of a new Administration, and was in no danger of embarrassment from this course, Mr. Blaine pressed for an immediate acceptance of the resignation which he had tendered along with those of the other members of Mr. Garfield's cabinet. After such a year, even his iron constitution craved a release from care, if not from occupation, and he was anxious to return to private life. It was a pleasant home to which he returned, endeared to him first of all by the society of his family, and, in a degree, only second to this, by the beloved company of his books, of which he has drawn around him the best of all ages. Works of art, also, are not missing from his walls. He does not regard the aesthetic rule that engravings and paintings should not hang in the same apartment, for there are engravings in every room, and paintings are not on that account excluded. The gem of them all is the picture of "Charles II. and his Court," painted by Sir Peter Lely in 1668, and which Mr. Blaine was fortunate enough to acquire at the sale, a few years ago, of some old effects of Lord Baltimore. Among his curiosities is a large number of autographs, including those of Dickens, Thackeray, E. B. Lytton, Gladstone, Gambetta, and other famous cotemporaries, inscribed on pictures presented by themselves. In this pleasant retirement, all the more enjoyable after twenty-five years of strife, Mr. Blaine found ample occupation in that historical work which he had proposed to himself some years before, and to which he devoted himself with the same thoroughness that has before been described as part of his character. For the first time, perhaps, he was a profound disappointment to his friends. Contented with his position, engrossed with his private interests and with flattering offers for literary work, beyond what he could execute in years by the utmost diligence, Mr. Blaine declined to take part in politics, even to aid his own candidacy for the highest office in the land. No entreaties by those who thought that he was defeating the hopes of his admirers could shake this resolution, and, as it turned out, he was wiser than they. Not disdaining the prospective nomination, yet largely grown indifferent to it, Mr. Blaine knew that it would come to him, if at all, by the spontaneous movement of the Republican masses, over-ruling those in control of the machinery of the party. This move |