Reed And Ingalls

Reed and Ingalls.

"Why don't you grow?" said Torn Reed to Senator Ingalls some years ago, when both men were in the service of the people at Washington.

   "Ah," said Ingalls, who was of very slight stature, "I'm too much interested in my fellows' life and property to assume to your magnificent height and proportion."     

    "And is not that my concern, too?" asked Reed deliberately.

   "Impossible!" said Ingalls. "Walk on the edge of a board walk and you lift up the other end; stand in the middle and you break through. The people's safety lies in your being a middle of the road man."

   Some days after Reed found Ingalls in a state of mental distraction. "Just swallowed the gold fillings of this front tooth," explained Senator Ingalls, pointing to the exposed cavity.

   Reed laughed immoderately. He drew himself up to hls full height. As a victor he stood; his time of revenge had come.

   "Ingalls, I congratulate you. You are now worth your weight in gold."