The Plumed Knight

Wild Cheering For The Statesman From Maine.

Washington, March 6.—The Secretary of State, Blaine, was one of the early callers to-day, and after shaking hands with the president he remained by his side talking to him for a few minutes and then passed out. Immediately he reached the open air he was recognized and the crowd cheered him to the echo and surged around him in a dense, excitable, clamoring mass. Mr. Blaine, it was evident, was Lightly pleased by the demonstration, and yet taken aback by the heartiness and spontaneity. Everyone wanted to grasp the Secretary’s hand, and he shook the outstretched hands which were thrust at him by the hundred men nearest to him. He tried to push out of the grounds, but the crowd would not let him off so easily. They had him surrounded and, not content with grasping one hand, the people seized that which was nearest to them, and at one time Mr. Blaine had hold of a dozen hands, six on a side. It took the Premier fully fifteen minutes to get off the porch, and for a few steps his path was comparatively unobstructed, but as he neared the lower gate the crowd again recognized him and made another rush, and again cheering and handshaking was resumed, and Mr. Blaine witnessed a repetition of the former scene. The crowd had so much superfluous enthusiasm that it cheered on the slightest provocation.

source: Daily Nevada State Journal
location: Reno, Nevada