The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-06-05
a STORY ON "roM" REED.

wondering how Tom Reed catno 10
avoid Chauncoy Depew's dinner, arc
you?" said man from Portland, Me-.
at tho Fifth avenue hotel last night
"You don't think Maine man knows
much? Well, no does. Reed didn't 60
TO tho dinner cause no was afraid Of
losing his watch"
"What watch2"
"Ni. watch. lie had lost it once be.
fore. and hope no isn't going to run
tho risk again"
"Bu, does Mr.. Reed think moro OF
his watch than he does Of presidential
ambtion"
81 think he does. let the tell you
story as he told it to me-"
The man from Portland settled him
self back on one Of tho plush covered
sofas, and this is the story he told:
tom Reed" said he, has been
touchy on the subject OF watches ever
since tho last campaign in this city. II
you remember, BIO was the star speaker
in Cooper Union shortly before the
close OF the last campaign. lie was
speaker to oblige Mr. Plat. and not be-
cause the campaign was for reform.
well remember the reception Reed got
at Cooper Union. We had TO play foot
| ball with him in order to get him
through tho crowd 10 the stage. Blu.
better than anything else do remem.
| Der him tho next day. when he came
aronud to look up his friends from
| Maine. lie was enthusiastic over New
York audiences, and If you know
Thomas YOU must know that he is sell
dom enthusiastic over anything.
This, SAID he. is town where you
can leave your oversh oes aud they will
not be taken
AFTER much persuasion we induced
Thomas to tell Us the story.
Gentlemen said Thomas, Il have
been 10 great Republican mass meet.
ing in Cooper Union. never saw 50
many persons try to get into go small
place. This is Il great town. There
never was such n town. got there
late, and, as you know. | was the chief
speaker. never want to be chief
speaker again. missed the reception
committee and had TO 30 10 the hall
alone. When got thrre the hall WA
crowded and stood away over on the
| curb Mt the Ninth street station and
concluded to shout Jus, ne was ready
TO shout two policemen came 10 to me.
| One said: Are you not Car Reed ?"
"Um." said !. Then" said the other,
you ought TO be inside there They
are yelling Tor YOU.
81 told them il wasn't the first time
had been yelled for, and with the air
| OF man who was stuck on himself |
asked them il they could get mo into
the building. They said they could,
and they kept their contract They got
mu in. When | landed on tho stage
my breeChcs were torn and my coat was
slit half way UP tho back. The chair
man shook hands with me as il ho were
glad TO see me lion't think no was.
"'Mr. Reed, said no, you will DO OK.
pcctcd to speak in five minutes"
Il nodded at the chairman only and
felt Tor my watch. 1t wits gone!
"'rhis was n Republican meeting,
and nv watch had been stolen. This
was supposed to DO n representative re-
form Republican meeting. was tho
chief speaker. mad gone to great
trouble to acQuaint tho audience with
my talents, but my watch was gone. 1t
had been stolen
1.-THE loss came to mo rs n stunning
shock. Tho watch had been n gift TO
mo from my worshiptul admirers in tho
filty-iirst ConGroS It was gold
watch, and while | do not care particu.
lNrly Tor gold, | did like tho lis, OF
names OH tho inside OF the case.
81 sat dumb and entirely knocked
out Tor short time. | felt as il could
never speak again. Thcn | was intro.
duced by tho chairman aud mochani-
cally advanced to the edge OF tho plat
form and began to talk. But londer
than talked came the words thunder.
ing into my mind, This il n Ropubli-
can meeting. and You have lost your
watch"
"'lt any man thinks Ito can preach II
acrinon from high moral plano under
such circumstances AZ those | would
like to have MIN try it. DO mt know
much OF what said for tho first ton
minutes. Now and then would launch
forth and think | was going to mako II
speech, but that thought constantly re.
cured to me. you are addressing n
n Republican meeting, and your watch
mas been stolen"
81 tried to forgot it. could not. |
tried 10 ignore it. 1t wns impossible.
a dozen ,lmeS ! felt in my YES. pocket
for my watch. 1t was not there.
al tried to tell my audience how SUI.
pcrior tho Republican party was to the
Democratic party. but my effort was n
failure. My tongue seemed TO Cicavc to
tho roof Of my mouth, Where was my
watch! Tha, was the question that
that confused mo as talked. Nv watch
was gone; aud some one in n Ropubii.
can audience had taken il.
"'Woll talked and talked. sup
pose | had boon spnutlng for Il half
hour. had iolt in each pocko, again
and again, and NJ .csticulatcd ho.
came conscious Of iumu over NV lott
hin. ! reached around, and ay reached
lost tho thrUnd nj my argument.
There, caught on the walstbaud oi my
tronscra wn4 nv watch, aud it had not
been stolen. after ALL
"'Nu living man can aurviyn moro
than ono Experience Ike tina. In Now