The Bottineau pioneer., 1895-04-27
&c. A STATESMAN. s7s1

! Ae was uaSnlnS young congress-
man, who came to Washington on
the tidal wave from one of the dis
tl1cts in the south. But he had not
been at the capitol more than six
months before those who had known
hlm at home and came here on bust
less, scarcely recoknlzed him as the
same man. A great change had come
| over Algernone Smith Brownlee. NJ. G.
AT home he had never amounted to
| much socially. He came of very poor
)arents--"whi7c trash" the colored ver-
dict said-though his relations had new
er been indicted by the grand jury.
Mr.. Rrownlee's pedigree, however be-
gan with Mr.. Brownlee, and what he
lacked in pedigree he made up by his
prodlglOus huStling abilities
| wan MS Keen energy and hustiing
| tendency or mind. he had had the good
| fortune TO combine an affable dispOsi-
| hoh' an accommodating manner, q
| peasant smile and certain good ad-
| dress. When he entered the race for
| congress none imagined for a minute
that he had the slightest prospect of
success, but the average political
| weather prophet has a very dangerous
tendency to pin his faith to the infalli-
pllltv or his own opinions and stand
pat upon them; and that is why it
happens so often that young men like
Mr.. BroWnlcc beat out an old race
horse and got to congress on a tidal
wave. Unlike the ravens who croaked
his doom. Brownlee did some charac-
teristic hustling, snatched the nomina-
ton from tried old campaigner and
was elected.
when he reached Washington he
wore the conventional soft black felt
hat and long black skirt coat-a south
ern idea Of Prince Albert. But be-
tore he had been here six months he
looked like copy of the latest edi-
ton Of one Of Jim Bells Broadway
swells, with silk hat, black cutaway
coat and gray trousers. And that's
why his constituents scarcely recog-
nized him.
1t is strange how these things hap
pen in Washington. The rich and
Thoroughbred Miss Daisy Vernon, who
had smiled with icy scorn upon the
suits of dozen society people casting
themselves at her feet, together with
the fortunes and pedigrees, felt her
heart dissolve beneath the insidious
attention of Mr.. Brownlee. NJ. c..
There may have Deem something in
that nj. c., a mistaken idea, perhaps,
that man who is sent to congress
must be the cock Of the walk in the
district-an idea that some persons
have-and that altogether. the suit Of
a member Of the house who combined
as many attractive qualities as her
BroWnlee was preferable to that Of
any other mortal
And so. to cut thi1 gs short, after a
dashing courtship they were married
at one Of the fashionable churches,
with a great display Of pomp, the at
tendance of her distinguished relatives
and his congressional friends, men,
bers of the press, etc. Then after a
brilliant reception, they departed on
their bridal trip, but not to Brownlee's
home. On the contrary he purchased
tickets over railroad that took him
In a diametrically opposite direction.
just as far from the district as he
could 90.
On the whole Brownlee deserved
success. He had no influential friends
to thank for his rise in the world; no
family influence had stood back of
him to direct his efforts; no money had
been used to buy seat In congress.
had just invested that wit mother ma
tllre had endowed him with, in such
opportunities as, came to hand, and
when fortune. In her timid way, had
knocked at his door, as she ia said
to do at every mans door once in a
lifetime. he had said 'Come in!' in
his loudest tones.
y
The session came to an end. The
election was near at hand, and every
member fastened home to look after
his fences. It was the hardest strug-
gle of his life to decide upon course
Of acticn with regard to his aristocrat-
ic wife? Take her home? Leave her
here? He suggested the latter course.
II have been thinking a good deal
about it, remarked Mrs. Brownlee.
II think l shall accompany you. You
know, dear, l have never seen your
papa and mama. l have formed my
own ideas Of them, and am real anx-
ious to. see them. They must be just
charming people to have son like my
Ally"
"Well, I'm not ashamed of 'em any
how he replied in desperation.
They packed their things and left
town the next evening.
If Mrs Hrownlee in her buoyant
trustfulncss. anticipated scenes Of
greeting i'll which Mingled the pictur-
cSque effects Of a summer residence OH
the banks of Lake Colro. as described
by Claude Melnotte. with the other de-
tails Of romantic stage Illusions w4..ch
hegri'" ~" senses of girl who has
seen only the fashionable side of life.
her anticipatfons were somewhat damp
ened when they stepped off the train
in the dark and found themselves on
a platform where some rough looking
men We're louEging about under the
snM lEIp JoOI SunoefoId z 10 kdougo
sheltering them from dreary rain
fall.
Dog my oats, Bill!' called out one,
If this amt Smith Brownlee. Hello,
Smith; got back, have yo'?" slapping
him on the back. My, but yo' look
putty! Come ere. Jim, look at i'm.
Would We know i'm ef yo' met i'm on
Il dark road? Say, Smith, yo must
n-struck 1t rich when we sent yo' to
congress? When yo' left var yo' didn't
have an overcoat to yo' back. an I'll
leave it to the crowd, now, did 'ee?''
Smith tried to take it as joke. He
laughed softly, and introduced his wife
in the ill-lighted waiting room whittier