to take up that subject I
was surprised to find that your Secretary for Foreign Affairs was
always informing us what Her Majesty 'expected,' while our Secretary
of State was telling you what our President 'ventured to hope.' When I
received a dispatch telling us what Her Majesty expected, I replied,
telling you what our President 'expected.'"

"Well, you admit you changed the character of the correspondence?" was
shot at him.

Quick as a flash came the response: "Not more than conditions had
changed. The United States had passed the stage of 'venturing to hope'
with any power that 'expects.' I only followed your example, and
should ever Her Majesty 'venture to hope,' the President will always
be found doing the same. I am afraid that as long as you 'expect' the
United States will also 'expect' in return."

One night there was a dinner, where Mr. Joseph Chamberlain and Sir
Charles Tennant, President of the Scotland Steel Company, were guests.
During the evening the former said that his friend Carnegie was a good
fellow and they all delighted to see him succeeding, but he didn't
know why the United States should give him protection worth a million
sterling per year or more, for condescending to manufacture steel
rails.

"Well," said Mr. Blaine, "we don't look at it in that light. I am
interested in railroads, and we formerly used to pay you for steel
rails ninety dollars per ton for every ton we got--nothing less. Now,
just before I sailed from home our people made a large contract with
our friend Carnegie at thirty dollars per ton. I am somewhat under
the impression that if Carnegie and others had not risked their
capital in developing their manufacture on our side of the Atlantic,
we would still be paying you ninety dollars per ton to-day."

Here Sir Charles broke in: "You may be sure you would. Ninety dollars
was our agreed-upon price for you foreigners."

Mr. Blaine smilingly remarked: "Mr. Chamberlain, I don't think you
have made a very good case against our friend Carnegie."

"No," he replied; "how could I, with Sir Charles giving me away like
that?"--and there was general laughter.

Blaine was a rare raconteur and his talk had this great merit: never
did I hear him tell a story or speak a word unsuitable for any, even
the most fastidious company to hear. He was as quick as a steel trap,
a delightful companion, and he would have made an excellent and yet
safe President. I found him truly conservative, and