Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-10

BROWLER,S DEFALCATION.

BROWLER'S DEFALCATION.
WE always used to pity Browler on &C
count OF his three sisters; though l de-
not suppose he would have cared much
what We thought, even II b knew.
But i. was really comical to US fellow
TO zee the way he toted those three old
girls around. He was great for lectures
and because he scrubbed little fol
the papers, plenty of tickets came to him
with compliments You might see them
almost any night, at about eight, march
ing in q solid phalanx, the twoOldsst arm
in.arm in front, with Browler and the
youngest bringing up the rear. All four
Of them wore spectacles, and kept = per-
feet step; and little Browier, being rather
short, was obliged to stretch great deal
To keep up the stride
II was fun, too, 10 see the way he
glowered around ~ tho men who went past;
and he would make nothing Of stopping
the whole cavalcade and giving some
poor fellow lecture on civility, II he
Ancied be paid too warm attention TO the
ladies'. And such rigmarole 1t was, too.
Baxter said he got it from one OF Can
ning's speeches, and learned it by heart !;
but never could End II.
Suddenly we found out, one day. that
none of us ever visited Browler, or
knew where be lived. We could tell
pretty near the quarter he came from
mornings, but he used to slip away
from us at night, in . way that seemed
mysterious, now that We noticed It.
Baxter. who is our policy-clcrk, said he
believed he lived in sewer somewhere,
on account of the musty smell he used
to have about his clothes, and his shrivel-
ed-up skin, which Baxter said, came from
being in the water 20 much. But, Of
course, we did not think this was q fact
However, We commenced 10 have an
eve on Browler's movements, AZ there
would be reward coming TO Us, II we
found him out in any rascality; and we
vowed that no pity for his three sisters
should prevent us from exposing him to
the world, II we unearthed him. He had
q mean way of eating his lunch behind his
ledgcT, though we found out It was moth
ing but cracker and an apple; but some
day he might be pretending to take his
lunch and really be altering some figures,
and so we determined To keep . strict
watch.
About this lime, a young fellow was
brought int j ae Office by the President,
and introduced TO us lower clerks by the
name of O'Neil. He was q handsome one,
and locked 90 much the gentleman that
all of us were afraid to speak with him at
first, though he presently turned out TO
be quite social and civil.
He told us'right off, az though he meant
we should understand it, that he didn't
know anything about work, and that he
had been used slaves In the South, but
that the war had made him poor; but he
said he could whistle and box beautifully
and we might take it out in that II w
liked. We all laughed, and we struck up
a friendship directly.
That day, ut about ten, when we were
al busy and still as death, we heard o Neil
sing out, !.
.sHello say, Van Colt, IL that you! p
We all looked around, and there VA
O'Neil, looking at Browler, quite pale In
"YeA" said Browler, keeping his RED
face down and writing away like mad
"Here am"
We fellows stared like owls TO hear thu
old gentleman called Van Colt and to set
how II affected him. Baxter eyed the two
-hks = hawk but managed e give ~ I
look that said, "How are the limo
cent apples and bread now, oh ?
O'Neil stood for Q minute, looking a
evil q thunder. cloud, and then walkc(
slowly over to old Browler's desk and
stood beside him, fddling with his watch
chain all the while. We did not let l
move or sign escape u. Br0wler pretend
ed to be trying his pen on his thumb-nAil
and tried hard to appear unc0ncerned
but he could not get rid Of the nnsh In bill
face and his hanging head. O'Neil leane<
his shoulder against the desk, and looket
down very cool but very fierce ct Brow
Ter, who was little below him, and al,
something to him In very low voice, .,
low that We could not catch . syllable
Browler answered him In tho same mean
underhanded style that was piece OF tn
rest Of his actions lately. They talke
some minutes this way, then suddenl
Browlcr broke out:
1T win only make heap Of mischle
dr."
THAT'S exactly what / want to make,
said O'Neil, turning away. An eye 70
an eve, and . tooth for Z tooth cay /.
He made . few steps, ~ II he were goin
back to the private Offices. when Browle
scrambled of his stool and touched hi
coat-sleeve very hurriedly, but very gem
~.
aDont, for Gods SAKE" Ays h
trembling like an aspen.
"For who's Akei"
"For my sisters sake" stAmmere
Browler, much cut mp. 49,
"You mean your incomes sake" n
torted O'Neil. SYou mean your comf0r
vour miserable ealary."
Browler said nothing, but held his bal
head down farther than ever. They wer
both silent for moment, O'Neil scOw
INT, and drumming his foot ON the hoo
md BroWler very meek and quiet. The
O,Neil walked him OF TO the window
and leaned down and spoke In his q
very quickly and in sharp, decided tone