The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-11-04

swell, with a silk hat, black cutaway
coat and gray trousers. And that's
why his constituents scarcely recog-
nized him.
The rich and thoroughbred Miss
Daisy Vernon, who had smiled with
icy scorn upon the suits Of dozen So
ciety men casting themselves at her
feet, together with their fortunes and
pedigrees, felt her heart dissolve be-
fore the insidious attention of MI.
Brown1ee, NJ O. There may have
been something in that NJ. O., mis-
taken idea, perchance, that man who
Is sent to Congress must be the cock Of
the -%-a11lA II s-9istrt ccz1A-an idea that
some persons have--and that, altogeth-
er, the suit of member Of the House
who combined as many attractive
qualities as her Brownlee was prefer
able to that Of any other mortal.
And so, to cut things 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
q diametrically 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
Washington, installing themselves at
one of the leading hotels. Brownlee
had seen enough OF the world to discov-
er the secret Of making an impression
in society. With the aid Of his wife's
social standing and his $1,000 income,
the way was open to him, and he made
the best Of his chances. He was re-
ceived everywhere with open arms,
and If one man ever hit 1t rich it was
that same energetic young NJ. @.
On the whole, Brownlee deserved 1t.
He had no influential friends to thank
for his rise in the world; no family in
fluence had stood back of him to direct
his efforts; no money had been used to
buy him a seat in Congress. He had
just invested what mother wit nature
had endowed him with in such oppor-
tunities as came to hand, and when
fortune, in her timid way, had knocked
at his door, as she is said to do at ev-
cry mans door once in a lifetime, he
had said, "Come inp' in his loudest
tones. And he was honest and sincere.
He had not deceived Miss Vernon
about his pedigree. She had taken him
for better or worse, and the fault was
hers if she should feel disappointed.
Brownlee was a good working men,
Der of Congress. He made friends
rapidly with the leaders. and watched
that they never lost sight of him a sim
gle day. Ali this young man wanted
was opportunity. He would rise to the
occasion, for that he vouched
4
The session came to an end. The cleo
ton was near at hand, and every men,
ber fastened home to look after, his
fences. 1t was the hardest struggle of
his life to decide upon course of &C
tfon with regard to his aristocratic
wife. Take her home? Leave her
here? He suggested the latter course.
'I have been thinking a good deal
about it." remarked Mrs. Brownlee "I
think I shall accompany you. You
know, dear, I have never seen your
papa and mamma. I have formed my
own ideas of them, and am real anxious
to see them. They must be just charm
ing people to have a son like my Ally"
"Ally" is what she always called
him. But there was no music in the
sound of the sweet diminutive, as she
uttered it on this fatal morning after
breakfast. Brownlee had a headache,
and was not as responsive to his wife's
affectionate caresses as usual.
'eWell, I'm not ashamed Of 'em, any
how" he replied in desperation.
They packed their things and left
town the next evening.
If Mrs. Brownlee in her buoyant
trustfulness anticipated scenes of greet
ing in which mingled the picturesque
effects of a summer residence on the
banks of Lake Como, as described by
Claude Melnotte, with the other details
Of romantic stage illusions, which be-
guile the senses of girl who has seen
only the fashionable side of life, her
anticipations were somewhat dampen-
ed when they stepped off the train In