St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-30

Tom Reed looks anything but the ira
ditiOnal leader. He has the frame of a
Japanese wrestler, and his head might
serve for that OF Chinese giant. He is
fat and tall, an his big-bOned body is
padded at every point with muscular
flesh. l have never seen him strike;
but his hst. under John Sullivan'S
training, would fell an OK: and he has a
foot which would make him one of the
greatest football players in the world.
His face is broad, fair and fat; the
cheeks puff out, and pair of small,
half-almOnd eyes shine like diamonds
under broad forehead. which goes on
and on upward until it fades away into
a fuzzy badness about three inches in
front of Reeds crown. Reeds mouth
is a strong one. ana he has Strag-
CLING red mu>tache on his up
per lip containing about enough
briStleS t0 make camefs hair
brush. Reeds hair is thirkeSt at the
sides and at the back. 1t is not luXu-
riant at any place, and he combs the
sandy locks well up and back of his
ears. SD that the ends of them just touch
the collar of his coat. This big, round
head is pasted down upon Reeds broad,
fat shoulders with a fat, wafer-Iike
neck, and when Reed sits in his chair in
tn. house, with his hands up un er his
chin and elbows leaning on his desk,
you wonder whether he has any neck
at all, and you can hardly imagine him
to be the greatest man among all the
members surrounding him.
Let 4 discussion cone up and You
wonder no longer. Reeds eyes begin
to twinkle, q leer smile hOvers around
that big mouth, and moment later you
see him throw his six feet into the arena
of debate, and, in sharp nasal twang,
he pOurS sarcasm and argument out at
friend and foe. AS he goes on with
his speech his cheeks change from
white to red, his semi-bald
pate becomes the color of a boiled lob
Ster. and he gesticulateS violently with
his arms. emphasizing every sentence
with shake of his head. He cares but
little for appearances, and during the
quieter part Of the session he walks
about the house with his hands in his
pockets, stopping now and then to tell a
story to crowd of brother members,
and making laughter wherever he goes.
He is always ready with story or
speech. He never writes out his
speeches for the Record and seldom cor
reefs the proof of them as taken down
by the StenOgrapherS. He can make as
good an after-dinner speech as a con-
gressiOnal one, and he enjoys the good
things of this life as well as any other
man in congress.
Tom Reed is, however. simple in his
habits. He is not money-saver nor a
mOney-accUmulatOr. and he would be a
richer man if he had remained out of
congress. During his past career he
has lived very simply at Washin ton.
His quarters were in the Hamilton
house, private hotel frequented
largely by New Englanders. Reed had
a couple of little RUINS up near the
attic, and he worked away at his desk
against the wall and under a gas jet.
The only picture in the room was
print of Abraham Lincoln. whom Reed
admired greatly. You never found him
lOafing about the hotel. and he has spent
the chief part of his leisure in study.
This year he has changed his quarters,
and he will live at the Shoreham, which
is more comfortable, but which will be
quite as retired as the Hamilton.
His quarters here are not far from
those of Hon loo EaunnD WIN iS maE-