Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-15

warm, and the frlenus VI une or these
candidates raised an objection against
MI. Reed ON the ground that he had no
soldier record in his favor. When
TINS was called to his attention. the
Maine candidate, who had already fIg-
ured out clear majority of the Repub-
'ican caucus. chuckied and said:
why, they don't know me or my rec.
ORD. You just say to them that l kent
grocery on a gunboat down In Louisi.
ana in the wartime"
AS matter of fact, he had seen hon
orabie service as an ASST ant paymas
ter in the navy.
Through all his career in congress,
whether on the floor or in the sp9,ker'a
chair, Mr.. Reed was recognized Nv the
opposition as fighter Representative
Champ Clark once said, 81 like fight
ers, and, to borrow the language of SUIT
Lovinggood, Reed is fighter from the
headwaters of Bitter creek" And LATE
Pence of Colorado referred to him as
the mentor of the Republicans and the
tormentor of the Democrats"
/. On certain occasion, when Mr.. Reed
was speaker of the house. some one in
his presence asked how it was that
such a cold, phlegmatic and conscrva.
tive man as Senator Proctor of Yer
..
bly because he is wholesale dealer in
tombstones," was the Maine mans re.
ply. When Proctor heard of this a
few minutes later, he said Il suppose
then, that Reed is opposed to war be
cause he is adjuster for several large
life insurance companies"
One day he was making speech
when Mr.. Anderson Of West Virginia
handsome and highly respectable
member of six years service in CON
gress, without rising from his seat
logged his memory about something
he did when Speaker Reed paused long
enough to attract the attention of ey-
erybody and then with his most eXas
perating nasar twahg said:
Yesterday had a discussion with
Mr.. Wilson. the head of the West Vir-
ginia delegation, and today, however
unpleasant it may be, suppose | will
be compelled to have a discussion with
the tail of the West Virginia delega-
ton
OF course, the house roarcd. 1t
couldn't help Itself
On another occasion while in the full
tide of eloquence Mr. Reed was inter
rupted by the late Amos Cummings of
New York. Reed looked at him in a
fatherly sort of way for moment and
then. with mock pathos. asked, NOW.
Amos, must yorl-must you really get
your name into my speech-must your
The theatrical pose and injured ex-
preston set the house in a broad grin
at the expense of the New York men,
ber
One day when a discussion on pen
sions was dragging its slow length!
along Mr.. Reed, who was the very pic
ture of health, amused a coterie OF
friends in the cloakrOom by giving a
reason why he should have pension
It ran something as follows: II had
never been able to make more than
$500 or 5000 a year." said he, with a
chuckle, "till l was appointed acting
assistant paymaster of the United
States navy at salary Of $1,4OO, with
board, lodgings, uniform and two serv-
ants to wait on me- That induced an
extravagant style of living, which
have kept up ever since and which has
cost me thousands and thousands OF
dollars. for which the government
ought in good conscience to- compen'
safe me-"
A man Of national reputation had &C.
casion some months ago to employ the
services of Mr.. Thomas B. Reed In
case before the United States supreme
court. says the Saturday Evening Post.
He met the ex-speaker in New YORK
and, after concluding the arrangements
for presenting the case for the corpora
ton which he represented, said to MIN
"And now, Mr. Reed, I should like 10
nav YOU a retaining fee at once"
"Oh, never mind that now" was the
reply. "wait until ! think it over anu
I shall write to you"
The man was in Washington when ne
received Mr.. Reeds letter. The e4'
speaker began by saying that ne was
"a young fellow in the law business
and was "afraid Of charging too much
and concluded by saying that II $l,oo
wasn't too high he might send that
amount. The rest Of the letter was
written in Mr.. Reeds characteristic
style Of droll humor.
IT wouldn't have baked for a mo,
ment at paying fee Of $25,oOo'" saio
the corporation man in telling OF 1t alt.
erward 'but drew check ana "ro'e
a letter about like this:
tha vnllnR fellows III