The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-02

auctions have been limited to a private
circulation, for II those who have read
them are 20 be believed they are quite as
amusing as the work OF any professional
humorist. One essay which he wrote not
long ago. choosing for his subject his
house cat is said 20 have been a literary
gem. But the public will have no oppor-
tunity 10 read AIR Reeds views on cats
and on this cat In particular. for he in
tends never TO permit his humorous writ
ings 20 get into print. He believes the dig
nifty Of ii public man IS impaired by the
circulation OF anything humorous from his
pen. Humor Is almost as frivolous
poetry Of certain type; and on doubt
the grave and reverend chief justice of
the supreme court Of the United States
would have hesitated about publishing
verses OF his own composition In his ear
Her years II he had then had an eye on a
judicial position.
Mr. Reeds literary fancy sometimes
takes another flight He very often re-
ceives odd letters from people who are
strangers. criticising or abusing him
Some are even threatening In a mild way
These letters afford the speaker "a great
deal OF amusement He Is not biz sensi-
tive 10 criticism Of this kind. and shows
these letters 10 a few OF his friends from
time 20 time. with laughing comments.
Sometimes he Is received with an itresiSt-
ihle inclination 20 answer one OF these
cranks. and writes a reioinder In his most
brilliant style. The speakers letter is
never mailed. lie pins " 10 the crank let
ter. reads both Of them over a second time
has a good chucklc az the crank's ext~use
ana sometimes shares his enjoyment with
o chance caller. Then ne destroys both the
letter and the answer. ft is "a pitv tbe,.
cannot be preserved. for "a compilation or
unpublished" ana unmalicd letters from,
Mr. Reed TO various, unknown corresn~f,a-
ents would make an amusing book soma
d8N.
Mr. Reed has the happy faculty. shared
hy SO many men. of working host I'm the
night hours and when he has on hand any
literary work he often remains IN his ar
Tee ~ the Shorcham as late as ! or ,
ocl0ck In the morping fIe writes With
pen, and h.S ficcers fy very ranldlv over
the payer. He sometimes writes s0lo 90
ht@' words IN an evening. lie revises his
manuscript. hat the changes ne makes are
few. lie believes BE the judgment OF 9th
erF. ard almost every thing hc writes 20
submitted 90 Mrs Reed for approval Some
times whom hc Is dissatisfied with his work.
MIS- Reeds favorable criticism viii reas-
sure him In the case ~ one ~ his speech
IS in thc last congress. he WAS thorouenlv
dissatisfied until Mes Reed haa read what
h had written. After she had PASSED iudr-
rfgnt on the epcceh favorahIv he decs Eel
90 a,uvyr 70 as IL was written. and the re-
suls surprised him Tie said afjrrWarl thar
n VS. quite content with what be had
doar
This speech Mas TIRE only ono ne ever
dictated Ia q SteueErapher Letters De de-
taies hut h's 1aeaz ne work and his pub
- speeches hc prefers 20 40 VITA peH
hHt the weather was warm when rs was
preparing hts srserh or fhe rcoe.L of she
p1rchtsiur Ciause 40 the sherman silver
law. AMI hV irrtlcl to Use a ateuoErauher
So as Nr eNprFssrt o. lftprwari De '-tafk-
e out ~ Che window for about an hour.
~ BILE ;he SIZE 1oE. f}hsr fook the tvpewr5t-
tea nanuScriHt anf Rtvt over So. bar NJ
was uot at an satisfied Undetermined 70
rcwF.tc thc whole in.re ana sat az MS
srsk for lonS iulr perrat.nE cnp.ously
while he wrote Hut when ha asked Ms
Reeds Judgment ana ihat 80 bis secretary
NJ Allen. on What te has written. thsv
toid htm The tyrewr.tten manuscript. was
better. SO ~ gave U3 tts task ana used
tn arst copy
NJ Ree8 would he calir3 "a <ooi study
n theatrical circles That e. he has a
raef memory. ara in3s 81 easy to study a
.nee,h Tor delivery. III always writes the
s-,se.h cat. res O. over thf manuscript tso
~ three times a1H thru is pretty well pre-
pared to reel OF MS thoughts just as he
wrote them tsually a fellow mem lser
.us behind hisn WITH ghr manuscript. ready
- srarfnt hsn II r. should ha necessary.
va n.esfs Narv Ettle prompting thouEh
Ea IS satisfied lf hc a1hcreS Sc az thouES s.
IN the manuscript. without ussuE Is tx
at tsnEuas-e. Ills speeches as published ta
sNe Congressional Record are not repur. ca
exactly as he delivered them on the roar
81 ne Nause f4e gives RS prepared Faanu-
.,rfrt 20 fhe rcnerters FOR uuhlicatson
USUALLY ~ has the speeches rgt - tFpe
NJ tNe government printing once Before
.etssevv. and slins ara given 20 ERE press
.Ssa,sntiouS Tee Reporters. however. fol-
lew NJ. Reed closely, snd II De departs
radically from the prepared s2eeeAs maze