The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-21
THE CONGRESSMAN.

wavo from one OF the districts in tho
south. But he had not been at the capital
more than six months before those who
had known him at home and came here on
business scarcely recognized him ns tho
same man. A great change had come over
Mr.. Algornone Smith ~Brownlee, NJ. G.
At homo he had never amounted to much
socially. He came of very poor parents
white trash, the colored verdict said
though his relations had never been In
dicted by the grand jury. Mr. Brownlee's
pedigree, however, began with Mr. Brown
lee and what he lacked in aristocracy Of
blood he made up by his prodigious hug-
thing abilities
When he reached Washington, he wore
the conventional soft black felt hat and
long black skirt coat southern idea of a
Prince Albert, but before he had been
here six months he looked like copy Of
the latest edition 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.
It's strange how these things happen In
Washington. The rich and thoroughbred
Miss Daisy Vernon, who had smiled with
Icy scorn upon the suits of dozen society
men casting themselves at her feet, to-
gcther with their fortunes and pedigrees,
felt her heart dissolve beneath tho insidi-
Gus attention Of Mr.. Brownlee M. @.
There may have been something in that
M. c., mistaken idea perchance that
man who is sent to congress must be the
cock of the walk in his district-an idea
that some persons have-and that alto
gether the suit of a member Of the house
who combined as many attractive quail
toe hn., ,ta1 to
that Of any other mortal.
And SO, to cut things short, after
dashing courtship, they were married at
one of the fashionable churches with
great display of pomp, the attendance Of
her distinguished relatives and his con-
gressional friends, members of the press,
etc. Then, after q 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 Numerically opposite direction,
just as far from his district as he could go.
The trip came to an end, and then
Brownlee and his wife returned to WASH
ington, installing themselves at one Of the
leading hotels. Brownlee had seen enough
of the world to discover the secret of max
ing an impression in society. With the aid
of his wife's social standing and his S5,-
900 income, the way was open to him, and
he made the best Of his chances. He was
received everywhere with open arms and
II one man ever hit 1t rich 1t was that
Same energetic young NJ. G.
On the whole, Brownlee deserved It,
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 him
n In had f,Icf Inv cd
what mother wit nature 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 Is
said to do at every mans door once in
lifetime, he had said, Come inl" In his
loudest tones.
And he was honest and sincere. He had
not deceived Miss Vernon about his pedi-
gree. She had taken him for better or
worse, and the fault was hers II she should
feel disappointed.
The session came to an end. Tho cleo.
ton was near at hand, and every member
fastened home to look after his fences It
was the hardest struggle Of his life to de-
eide upon a course of action with regard
to his aristocratio wife. Take her homep
Leave her here? He suggested the latter
course.
~ have been thinking good deal
about 1t, " remarked Mrs. Brownlee. Il
think / shall accompany you. You know,
dear, havo never seen your papa and
mamma. l have formed my own ideas of
them and am real anxious to see them.
Thoy must be just charming people to
have n son like my Ally"
ALLY" is what she always called him.
In in hn
the sweet diminutive as she uttered it on
this fnteful morning after breakfast
Brownlce had headache and was not as
responsive to his wifes affoctionate ca
resscs as usual.
We'll I'm not ashamed of EN- any,
how, ho replied in desperation.
They packed heir things and left town
tho next evening.
If Mrs. Brownlee in her buoyant trust
fitness anticipated scenes Of greeting in
which mingled the picturesque effects OF
summer residence on tho banks of Lake
Como, as described by Claude Melnotte,
with the other details Of romantic stage
illusions which beguile the senses of
girl who has seen only the fashionable side
of life, her antioipations were somewhat
dampened when they stepped off tho train
in the dark and found themselves on q
were lounging about under the canopy of
a projecting roof that was sheltering them
from a dreary rainfall.
They seemed TO recognize tho member
of congress, despite of his disguise, for he
wore fashionable overcoat and closely
rolled umbrella, though he had exchanged
his silk hat for derby. After some whis-
pering the knot of loungers gravitated to-
ward them.
Dog my oats, Billln called out one, ,.if
this amt Smith Brownlee. Hello, SMITH
Got back, have yo'?" slapping him on the
back. my, but 20 look putty Come
ere, Jim; look at i'm. Would yo' know
i'm CT 20 met i'm on dark road2 Say,
Smith, yo' must "a struck 1t rich when
We sent yo' to congress? When yo' left
var yo' didn't have an oyorcoat to yo'
back, an III leave it to the crowd. Now,
did 'ei"
Smith tried to take 1t as Joke. He
laughed softly and introduced his wife in
the i'll lighted waiting room whittier the
delegation of his constituents had fol-
lowed.
They removed their hats and stared at
tho lady like lot Of pumpkins, but this
diversion continued only until the most
loud spoken constituent could think of
saying something that was intended for q
compliment to Mrs. Brownlco, but which
ricochetted upon her husband in tho form
of another rude sally 40 tho mctamor-
phosls of his condition, when they all
hawhawed in chorus.
Mrs. Brownlee was beginning to get
shocked. The smell Of the coal oil made
her III, and she pinohed her husbands arm
as signal to break away and HE to the
bosom Of his family
Brownlee cursed himself and the crowd
and for the first time in his lifo felt sorry
that he ever married Outwardly, how
ever, he gave no token of his chagrin, but
smiled and cracked jokes and clutched at
every straw that promised him relief from
the merciless persitlage of his Ill bred con.
stituents. He finally managed to ge. his
wife md himself into q foul smelling lit