The Monitor-register., 1896-01-31

fore committee and finally the man Who
| wants to shake the speakers hand, for Mr..
Reed is easily approached. He sees almost
every one who calls, and, if the visitor
comes on business, gives him fair hear
ing. If you ever call on Speaker Reed and
fail to see him, you may know that he is
really busy. He is not excused merely be-
| cause he does not want to see you.
The succession of visitors continues un-
| til O'Clock, when the speaker is sum
moned to the chair to receive the commit
| tee report, to put motion and On it to
| declare the house adjourned. Several
| members trail after him into his room.
| He talks with each of them as briefly as
possible, signs the letters his stenographer
| has written, puts on his hat and coat and
says good night to his messenger. The
| elevator takes him to the floor below He
| goes out through the eastern exit, signals
| to a cab and climbs into it. There are
evenings when he walks part of the way
| home, but not today. No need to tell the
| cabman where to go. He drives around
the steep circle down to Pennsylvania av-
enue, to Fifteenth street and then to H
street. In ten minutes Mr.. Reed is climb
ing out of the cab at the Fl street entrance
of the Shoreham. In three minutes more
he is in his sitting room ON tine fourth
floor. AT 80 O'Clock he is in the dining
room of the Shoreham. At 7:3O O'Clock he
is his office. Mr.. Allen is with him. So
is the stenographer. There is a note to
answer, and magazine to be examined
and newspaper to be read before visitor
is announced.
This one is a crank who wants to dis
cuss the silver question with the speaker
He has not the slightest claim on Mr.
Reeds time, but he is treated with the
same consideration that the speaker ac-
cords to every other visitor A newspaper
correspondent comes in to ask the speaker
q question about the presidential cam
paign. The speaker parties it wittily, and
the correspondent goes away unsatisfed,
but unoffended. Presently the speaker
looks at his watch.
II made an engagement with two gen
tlemen for this evening, and they have not
come yet,' he says to Mr.. Allen. "My
wife tells me there is a reception at the
White House. I had forgotten about 1T.
Will you ask them to come tomorrow even
ingf''
He rises from his desk and goes out Of
the room. The silver crank continues to
turn, but there are only MIR. Allen and the
stenographer to see the wheels go round
Half an hour later the speaker and his
wife and daughter are at the White House
bowling to hundreds, seen of thousands
The hurry and rush of the crowd bore
him little, but presently some congenial
spirit joins him, and he enjoys a converse
tional episode. That ended, he joins his
wife and daughter, and at II O'Clock they
are back at the Shoreham. BY midnight
the speaker is in bed and asleep.
Mr.. Reed spends about one-half of his
evenings at home, sometimes writing in
his office, sometimes reading i'll his room,
sometimes entertaining guests. He is q
domestic man, and no doubt he would
prefer TO spend ali of his evenings in the
busom of his family. Yet he likes din
ncr party If there are no speeches to be
mate, and like President Cleveland, he
enjoys a quiet game of cards occasionally
There are few recreations permitted to
him. Tlas duties of his office arc too ex
acting. But he equalizcs matters in the
recess of congress Then he tievotes him
self entirely to rest and to his family
GEORGE GRANTUAM RAIX