Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-10-24

Cnnnon-The Episode About Ding
 ley and His Hat.
 The late Jeremiah Simpson, the cx- representative from Kansas and well known Populist, thus told an ae1uaint- ance how he came to be called Sock less Simpson,"
 There are thousands of persons who wonder why I am called 'Sockless Simpson, but there are very few who know the real reason I was a young fellow with a considerable fondness for the society of young ladies, and I was very proud of my feet.
 We all used to wear tight boots, sometimes So tight as to be very un- comfortable. There was a fellow who had foot just trifle smaller than mine, He could wear boots size smaller than I, and a mutual acquaint- ance, who, hy the way, was a young I was in the habit of wearing heavy woolen socks, and I knew that if should take them off I could wear smaller boots. To my great joy found on trying that could wear size smaller than my rival and I at once purchased a pair. I went to call that evening as usual, and found him there. proud in the possession of feet which were really smaller than mine. "The subject came up-I believe I started it-about the sizes of our boots, and he eagerly accepted my challenge to a measurement Of course I won, and he seemed to feel as badly over it as If he had lost horse race. But the bootmaker who was in possession of my secret gave me away, and the boys all got on to the story. Do I wear socks now2 I should say that do."
 Jerry Simpson had the friendship of Tom Reed, former speaker of the house, to an extent enjoyed by few men. of Reeds own party.
 "Will you tell me-" said Reed in his drawl to Simpson one day, "why you are Populist?'
 For the same reason" said Simpson, "that you are a Republicans ma jority of the people of our respective districts are of our way of thinking"
 From that time forward Reed was the stanch friend of Simpson. There Is another story of Simpson which is go- ing the rounds. It demonstrates fur ther how he stood with Reed, and also where his heart was upon occasion. Simpson wanted a private pension bill passed. Heretofore he had been opposing pension legislation. This par ticular bill did not have a favorable re- port, but he went to the speaker, MT. Reed, about it and told himzthe billaf- fected the fortunes of a poor old widow down in Kansas.
 Why" said Reed, 'do you want this bill passed when you have been oppos- ing pension legislation during this ses- sion, especially such bill as this. which comes in without favorable re- port?"
 There are thirty reasons why sup port this bilL" replied Jerry. The first one is that the woman needs the money. have forgotten the other twenty-nine."
 Jerry got recognition and the bill passed.
 There were several old fellows in congress I used to like to get joke en-" said Jerry in reminiscent mood some time ago. "and one of these was Cannon of Illinois. had made an anti expansion speech. and Cannon got up and said that If had made that speech in Manila I would have been tried by a drumhead court martial and shot. When he had finished got up and said I would just as soon be shot in Manila for making a speech of that kind as to be shot in congress by an old smooth bore brass Cannon from Illinois. Tom Reed enjoyed that very much. and be shook all over with suppressed laugh ter. He came up to me afterward and said: That was all right, Jerry. for give you a lot of things for that About that Dingley episode, lt was not l who discovered DingIey's hat; 1t wasia Republican member. Dingiey used to wear a fine plug hat that was ( regular cloud of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night We Popu- lists used to take a shot at It every once in awhile. When he was in the house Dingley always kept 1t standing. rim up, on a corner of hls desk. One day a Republican happened to look in- to 1t and said to me, Jerry. go over and look Into Dingley's hat did SO. but didn't find any eggs or anything and said so. was told to look again. Then I saw the word London and sailed in- to Dingiey. the high priest of protec- ton. for wearing London made hat It was in fun. but Dingiey took the matter very seriously and spluttered and fumed and said: Its all rot That hat was made in Connecticut. and the London" was put Into It to catch the dudes
 Then I said. Well, I caught a dude from Maine with It. He wouldn't speak to me for . month on that ec- count. but one day went to him and said:
 See here. Dingley: how much Ion ger are you going to sulk about that old hat businessT
 And he laughed and put out his hand, and we became good friends again- Reed enjoyed this joke on DingIey immensely. He knew It wss