Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-12

errand was duly performed, and Mr..
Reed. sitting pohderously in his seat Oh
the Republican side of the chamber.
was asked to let the American public
know what he thought the house would
be like with any considerable number
Of women representing constituencies
there.
The big man turned gravely on his
visitor, continued arranging many pa
pers on his desk seemed to he thinking
intensely on the proposal and finally
asked If the visitor had a telegraph
frank.
To an affirmative reply the Maine
representative said:
would you he kind enough to send a
message to your principal for me-"
OF course the answer was affirma
tive, and the gentleman from the pub
fishing house took out his pencil TO
write from Mr.. Reeds dictation.
please say" said Mr.. Reed. Just
this, Excise me-, and get the tele
in capitals. That was as near as any
one ever got Reed to delivering him
self on womans suffrage.
Mr. Reed lad fallen off in flesh a
great deal Of late years. When he was
in congress- he was tremendous man
physically. One day during his speak
ership in the last year of Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration friend said to
him:
"How much do you weight"
II weigh 200 pounds" said Mr.. Reed.
"Oh, you weigh more than that
was the surprised reply. You must
weigh nearly 300 pounds"
"No," said the speaker, with an air
of tinality. mo gentleman weighs
more than 200 pounds"
AS rule. Mr.. Reed was in the habit
of walking from the capitol in Wash
ington to- fine Shoreham hotel, a dis
lance of about mile and half. His
big figure and his numbering, swing
ing sailorlike walk were familiar
sights along the avenue! Never a halt
did he make till he reached the corner
of Fifteenth and F streets, where he
used to stop and buy an evening paper
from annie" the old woman who is
one of the characters of the capital.
He would chat with Annie and then
proceed to the hotel. \
When it is stated that he did not
stop, an exception must be made. AT
the very beginning of the walk he
used to drop in at the queer old curl
osity shop at the foot of the capitol
kept by quaint old character named
Guild. Guild is a taciturn old man
who seems to resent the presence of
customers and who sells his curios as
favor. Reed used to spend hours
there delving among the old books,
magazines and engravings, watched
with suspicious eye by the old man.
One day he picked up two fine en-.
cravings Of Oliver Cromwell and ask
ed how much they were.
give dollars, Mr.. Reed" said Guild.
"Oh, you know who l am?" said
Reed. THAT is why you charge me
such an outrageous price"
Its SIS to you and S. to anybody
else," growled the old eccentric.
"That's my price,"
Reed went away, but he came back
the next day and asked Guild again
how much he wanted for the engrav.
tngs.
"Y5u know the price," grumbled
Guild and would say no more. He re-
fused to answer any of Mr.. Reeds ar
guments, and the speaker went away
defeated.
Months passed, and every day the
persevering statesman dropped in and
asked the price. The answer always
was, "You know the price," and after
that Guild locked himself up in silence
and made no answer to the statesnlan's
protests. Mr.. Reed had met an antag.
onist he could not overcome. At last
one day after three months Of daily
visits he walked in without a word,
took up the engravings and handed
Guild S.. Guild took the money without
a word. Mi. Reed used to 60 in there
daily after that. He struck up an &C.
quaintance with the old man and
seemed to enjoy his eccentricity as
much as he did the queer, tumbledown
old store with it's huddled stock.
Sarcastic himself, Mr.. Reed appre'
ciated joke at his own expense, Here
is story that has never seen the day
light of print. and 1t illustrates how
well he liked a witticism even If he
was its target. One day he was brows-
ing in Guilds dingy bookshop. He took
up number Of books and finally the
novel "Scruples."
what is the price of this?" asked
Mr.. Reed.
"A dollar, sir" replied the old man
rather tartly.
- 'Too much" said Reed laconically
and laid the book down.
'"Well, SIR" retorted Guild, who has
q sharp tongue Of his own, II dom
know of any law you have passed that
compels you to buy If you don't want
to- Besides, don't see what a mem
Der of congress wants of book with
tho% fif1o onuwnvn