The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-01-04

The gavel which Mr.. Reed used has
disappeared. Possibly there was moth
ing of it left. Maybe when worn down
to mere scmblance of its former POL.
ished self it was tossed through win
dow and found its way to the ash bar
rel. If wood were receptive and had
the power of articulation, it could tell
strange tales of the emotions of the
man who grasped it SO firmly and
brought it down with 50 weighty an
arm. For a long time the desk top was
also missing, although Mr.. Reed made
many efforts to secure it Immediately
after congress adjourned. Because OF
his anxiety to obtain it, somebody
thought that it was intrinsically valu-
able, and secreted it. Now that it has
been recovered. Mr.. Reed intends to
send it to his Maine home and hang it
up over the fireplace, just where his
! English ancestors many decades ago
! used to hang their shields and boar
spears.
Speaker Crisp has arranged to send
to Georgia the desk top used by him
/. during his first term; and he also re-
tains the gavel in his possession. The
desk tops and gavels will be valuable
memorabilia for the posterity of these
great men; and some day the govern
ment will want to purchase them as
relics for the Smithsonian institution,
and pay fabulous price for them.
The thin green cloth which covered
Mr.. Reeds desk, and which is almost
macerated as the result of its expert
ence, is in the possession of yoang
married woman, who was pretty
belle two years ago, and when visit
ing the capitol the day after adjourn
ment stripped it from the desk. She
says that she intends to keep it for
ever, and bequeath it TO her issue; for
she is an enthusiastic admirer of MIR.
Reed, and regards the shredded green
baize as priceless heirloom.
'These things will all be lost or for
gotten in short time" said Mr.. Reed
the other afternoon. "These relics of
| political excitement are we'll enough to
keep in families, but the general pub
lie never takes any interest in them.
That which is likely to last forever is
the impetus which was given Tor ma
f., iority rule in the days when the old
desk was hammered so hard, and when
the gayol crumbledl l5eaeath The weight
of ny arm and hand, The noisy sce-;;cs
are already almost forgotten, and the
wooden relics are valuable only to my
self and family; but the principle that
congress is elected to do business will
probably last forever"
The distinguished and aggressive
ex-speaker is not man who seems to
have any personal pride or cgotism.
He is as modest and approachable o
man as there is in either house of con-
gress; and he is possessed of a fund Of
| good humor which often disarIns his
political enemies
| T Speaker Crisp, who now holds power
second only to that of the president
Sof the United States, is also All 1npre-
sentious man whom everybody likes;
and his door always has the latch
string out for his friends. He is the
| last man whom one would expect to
| pound needlessly upon his desk to
maintain order; yet he was obliged to
| 40 so, as his desk indicates. He says:
"A great deal of the speakers work, in
securing order, is due to the careless
! ness jof representatives who disregard
| the call to order, and continue their
conversations or puplic speaking, in
voluntarily, feeling that they must
continue until their ideas are fully set
| forth. The house is not Intentionally
4 disorderly body. Its very size seems
TO encourage feeling Of individual
llirrssponsibility." SMITH d. FRY.
just In His Line.
What do you call this?" asked OFF,
! Ger McGobb, as he pulled dangerous
! looking bludgeon out of the pocket OF
! his prisoner.
THAT is called life preserver,'
answered the derelict.
'An' fwat right have you with q