Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-03-04
MISCELLANEOUS
y. ll.BR0WLER,s pERALCATTnN. I

count OF his three sisters; though L dc
not suppose he would have cared much
what we thought; even II he knew. znin
But II was really comical to us fellows
TO see the, way he tcted those three old
girls around. he was great for lectures
and because The sefibbled d little fof
the papers, plontyiof tickets came 70 him
with compliments. You might see them
alppshany night, ~ aboltt eight bmarchA
ing in solid phalanx, the two oldest arm.
iusarm in front, with Browler and Itkd
youngest bringing up the rear. All four
of them wore speetaoles,l and kept a per.
feet step; and little Browler, being rather
short, was obliged TO stretch a great deal
TO keepup the stride. 'r
IL was fun, too, to see the way he
glowered at the men who went past;
and he would make nothing of stopping
the whole clvalcade and giving some
poor follow a lecture on, civility,. if he
1ancied he paid too warm attention to the
ladies. And such q rigmsrols it was, too.
Baxter said he got it from one of Can
ning's speeches, and learned Il by heert
but never could find it. sF,r ftE.fEsai
Suddenly we found out, one day, that
none of u5 ever visited .Brewler, or
knew where he 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 il.
Baxter, who is our policy clerk, 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 wafer so much. But of
course, we did not think this was fact.
However, we commenced 10 have an
eye on Browler's movements, as there
would be q reward coming to. US if we
found him out in any rascality and we
vowed that no pity for his three sisters
shonld prevent us from exposing him to
the world, if we unearthed him. He had
a mean way of eating his lunch behind his
ledgers, though we found out it was moth.
ing but a cracker and an apple ), but some
day he might be pretending to take his
lunch and really bopltering some figures
and 50 we determined to keep strict
watch.
About this time, a young fellow was
brought into the office by the President.
and introduced to us lower clerks by the
name of % Neil. He was handsome one,
and looked so 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 oil, as though he meant
we should understand it, that he didn't
know anything about work, and that he
had been used to 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 if we
liked. Veal laughed, and we struck up
friendship directly.
That day, ut about ten, when we were
all busy and still as death, we heard O'Neil
sing out, t.s 81 -.issa
"Hello say, Van Colt, is that you ~
We all looked around, and there was
O'Neil, looking at Browler, quite pale in
ayes" said Browler, keeping his red
face down and writing away like mad,
"Here am"
We fellows stared like owls to. hear the
old gentleman called Van Colt, and to sec
how it affected him. Baxter eyed the two
like hawk, bnt managed to give us a
look that said, "How are the limo.
cent apples and bread now, eh "
O'Neil stood for a minute, looking as
evil as a thunder-cloud aud then walked
slowly over to old Browler's desk and
stood beside him, tiddling with his watch
chain all the while. We did not let a
move or sign escape us. Browler pretend.
ed to be trying his pen on his thumb-nail
and tried hard to appear unconcerned
but he could not get rid of the flush in his
face and his hanging head, O'Neil leaned
his should o., against the desk and looked
down very cool but very fierce at Brow,
Ter, who was a little below him, and said
something TO Inn ina very low voice, SO
low that we could not catch a syllable
Browler answered him in the same mean
underhanded style that was piece Of the
rest of his actions lately. They talked
some minutes this way, then suddenly
BrowleF brekelotIt: tEs So SFl' -
1T win only make a heap of mischief
That's exactly what want to make, /"
said O'Neil, turning away. "' An eye fol
aneye, and altooth for a tooth say 1. !
He made few steps, as If he were going
back TO the private offices, when BrowleI
scrambled off his. stool and touched his
c6oat-sleeye very huEriedly, but very gent
ly
"Dont,o for Gods sake" SAYS he
trembling like an aspen.
For who's sakeg' a9 rt
"For my sisters sake,p stammered
Browler, much cut up.
You mean your incomes sakem re,
torted o'Neil. "'You mean your comfort
your miserable salary . -, -~~,y,
Brpwlsr said nothing, but held his bald
headNdown hfrtber than ever They were
both silent for Q moment O'NeiI scowl
ing, and drumming his foot ON tbs floor
and Browler very meek and quiet. Then
O'Neil sYalhed him off TO the window,
aud leaned down and spoke in his ear
very quickly and IN a sharp, decided tone
but was very careful not 70 let us hear
Then he turned about and came back to
his desk, with his hands deep in his
pockets, and teh TO staring at his inkstand
withont word to any of,us. aa4a
Here was mystery for usl We were
not at all surprised that Browler had
committed some act Of treachery or bioed.
thirsty violence, for we had long been
certain that a man of his peculiar skull
and features would hesitate at nothing
when once fully aroused but that 0'Neil
did not brain him with ruler at once,
completely puzzled us. Baxter said he
expeefed every Instant that % Neil would
useg Me- howiR knife which he had con.
cealed between his shoulders, and the
reason that he did not twas; probably, be.
cause Y Vas not sharp enough for Brow,
lers tough skin. Baxter pointed out the
bOwie-k ute 10 ps, IL making spme frre0u.
lar bunches in O'Neil's coat behind and
when somebody limited it might he oniv !
patent-snspehder, Baxter told him, witt, I
horrid sneer, that be had better 90 and
ask, and then come back alive, If he
thoughtlhe could. 9TSTT
Many were the theories we matched re.
gardihg this mystihcation. One fellow
went directly over 10 Browler's side, ali