The Portland daily press., 1894-06-07
Mr.. Reeds Fear.
[Kate FIELDS Washington

Few who know him would pretend to
doubt the courage of atom" Reed under
any circumstances. The man who calm
ly faces the wrath of the whole Demo-
cratic party, and who smiles at the
picture of Kilgore kicking down the
doors of the House, must needs be pos
sessed of at least few grains of sand"
Incredible as it seems, however, there
are times when the big man from Maine
is a coward, and confesses there are two
persons on earth of whom he is abso-
lutely afraid-his wife and his only
child. Yet Mrs. Reed is little woman,
pretty and amiable, and Miss Reed,
who adores her father, is sweet-faced,
brown-eyed, slender girl. still in her
teens. 1t is not in private life that Mr..
Reed quails before his nearest and dear
est ones, but in public, when making
a speech. that he hates, above all things,
to see his wife and daughter looking
down upon him from the galleries.
The seats may be packed with all
sorts of people as they always are when
he speaks, and if there were bombs in
all their pockets, "Tom" Reed would
go on serenely, without fear or favor.
But when Mrs. and Miss Reed meekly
declare their intention Of being two Of
the spectators. he gets weak in the
knees. The "Czar," the "Autocrat," the
"Usurper.n the "Tyrahtn backs down in
gloriously, and begs his wife and daugh-
er to spare him and stay at home. He
does not care copper for the public,
but he fears these gentle foes of his own
household, and it is great relief when
he can persuade OF bride them to stay
at home. This he often does so far as
he knows
The day he made his speech closing the
debate on the tariff, Mrs. Reed and her
daughter naturally desired to hear it, so
they SAID quietly but firmly in the
morning that they would go up to the
House. At first Mr.. Reed was diplo-
matte. He offered no objection, but in
persuasive tones pictured the discomforts
they would be subjected to from crowd
ed galleries and bad air. The private
gallery, he urged, would be as packed
as the rest, and as for the debate, the
tariff had already been talked to death,
and had not shred of interest left.
TO all this and much more of like
tenor they replied that they enjoyed a
crowd now and then, that they had no
fear of bad air, and if the tariff had been
talked to death, there was nothing they
would like so much as to witness the
funeral. Then Mr.. Reed threw diplomacy
to the winds and fell upon his knees,
SO to speak. begging them to spare him
the ordeal of their presence at his speech
making
Nov, girls" he said appealingIy,
"you know can't do anything if you
two are up there looking at me. Kitty,
if | make failure, you and your mother
will be responsible I really think you
might stay away and persuade her to,
when you know just how / feel. I can't
help it. ! don't care a continental for
the rest of the world, but do not want
you two in the gallery"
What could they do? Well, they did
what they had done before-apparently
yielded to his entreaties, and let him
start for the Capitol happier but not
wiser man. When he was safely out of
sight they put on their bonnets, quietly
left the Shoreham, and, boarding a street
car, went to the Capitol. They avoided
the halls to that gallery Reserved for
Members Families" and went direct to
the public seats. where, by patience and
good management, they got in in spite
of the crowd. There they sat, looking
down on the unsuspecting ex-Speaker,
who, inspired by their supposed absence
made one of the greatest speeches of his
life.