The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-17

a portable mirror of the species often
seen at cheap auction stores.
And this was what her Lake Como
Illusion had shrunk to!
When she arose the next morning
her headache had not abated. The
smell of fried pork and coffee that
struck her olfactories while she was
dressing was too much for her deli
cate nerves, and she never wished her.
self farther away from the house Of
her husbands parents than at that
moment. She slipped a little coffee
and then withdrew again to her room,
Just to be alone. When Brownlee, NJ.
c., entered she was lying on the bed,
fully dressed, weeping.
What passed between them In the
interview that took place is a matter
Of conjecture The result became evil
dent when the bus drove up to the
Brownlee mansion that evening, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Brownlee, the younger
got in and rode to the depot. Brown
lee saw his wife safely aboard the
Pullman car. and then stood on the
platform and watched the train dis
appear in the distance. The same set
or rufFian constituents who greeted
him on his arrival were occupying
their accustomed place on the plat
form, and INDUCED in their favorite
pastime Of heaving fossilized jokes at
their representative in Congress.
Brownlee swallowed II all In good part
and then turned his back to the sta
ton and sauntered toward the paren-
tai mansion with the weary step OF
man who had load on his conscience.
But that did not deter Brownlee
from getting out and hustling. IL he
had worked like Trojan the first
time for his nomination, he threw his
energy Of double dose of Trojan devo-
ton into his efforts now. All the
voters in the district did not know
what the loafers at the station knew
and what Brownlee himself knew, that
he came Of the commonest stock OF
white blood "in the State" They per-
haps didn't care. Brownlee had been
a good member, and he could talk like
threshing machine, and his genial
manners carried the day. and the re-
suit of 1t was that he was renominat-
ed and elected, and went back to
Washington to finish his unexpired
term Of service in the House.
His wife sat in the gallery one day
unseen by him when a great debate
was on. Brownlee had prepared him
self for the master effort OF his life
He had got the consent OF the leader
on his side to make a speech. He al
tracted little attention as he arose ana
with his genial smile glanced over the
House, drew a deep breath and launch
ed forth. But by and by he warmed
TO his subject, and here and there
plember on the other side interrupted
him. Then Brownlee's genius flashed
forth in all its originality. Several
members who had tried to trip him
up found themselves mercllessly i'm
paled upon the fiery shafts Of Brown
lees sharp retorts, and held up to the
ridicule of the House, while Brownlee
smiled in that fetching way Of his
that made him resemble an expert
conjurer when he contemplates the
astonishment of the deluded victims
of his craftiness.
Before he sat down Brownlee had
scored triumph that insured him
place on one of the big committees In
the House when the next Congress
should organize.
One of the doorkeepers handed him
note. He was receiving the con-
gratulations Of his side of the House,
and he did not open 1t for several min
utes, holding it almost forgotten in his
closed hand. When he opened 1t he
read:
Dear Ally,-I am ready to beg
your pardon now-any time Come
Am heartbroken. DAISY"
-Washington Post.