Year: 1870

not suppose ne would have cared mucl
what we thought, even if he knew.


But it was really comical to us fellow,
to see the way he toted those three ole
girls around. He was great for lectures
and because he scribbled a little fol
the papers, plenty of tickets came to him
with compliments. You might see them
almost any night, at about eight, march
ing in a s0liG phalanx, the two Oldest arm
in-arm in front, with BrOwler and the
youngest bringing up the rear. All four
OF them wore spectacles, aud kept per
feet step; and little Browler, being rather
short, was Obliged to stretch great deal
to keep up the stride.


It was fun, too, to see the way be
glOweredaround at the men who went past
and he would make nothing of stopping
the whole clvalcade and giving some
poor fellow lecture on civility, if he
ftncied he paid too warm attention to the
ladies. And such a rigmarole it was, too
Baxter said he got it from one of Can.
nings speeches, and learned it by heart
but | never could find it.


Suddenly we found out, one day, that
none of us ever visited Browler, OF
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 a way that seemed
mysterious, now that we noticed it
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 shrvel-
ed-up skin, which Baxter said, came from
being IN the water 50 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 reward coming to US, if we
found him out in any rascality; and we
vowed that no pity for his three sisters
should prevent us from exposing him to
the world, if we unearthed him. He had
mean way of eating his lunch behind his
ledgers, though we found out it was moth
ing but cracker and an apple; but some
day ne might be pretending to take hi:
lunch and really be altering some figures
and so we determined to keen a strict
watch.


About this time, young fellow was
brought into the office by the President,
and introduced to us lower clerks by the
name of O'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.


lie told Us right off, 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. We all laughed, and we struck up
a friendship directly.


That day, at about ten, when we were
all busy and still as death, we heard O'Neil
sing out,


. Hello l say, Van Colt, is that you ,"


We all looked around, and there was
O'Neil, looking at Browler, quite pale in
the face


Yes" said Browler, keeping his red
face down and writing away like mad,
Here l am"


We fellows stared like owls to hear the
old gentleman called Van Colt, and to see
how it affected him. Baxter eyed the two
Ike hawk, but managed to give Us q
look that said, How are the inno-
cent apples and bread now, eh ?"
O'Neil stood for a minute, looking as
evil as thunder-cloud. and then walked
slowly over to old Browlers desk and
stood beside him, fiddling with his watch
chain all the while We did not let q
move or sign escape u.s. 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 shoulder against the desk, and looked
down very cool but very fierce at Brow
Ter, who was a little below him, and said
something to hum in very low voice, so
low that we could not catch a syllable.
BrOwler answered him in the same mean,
underhanded style that was a piece of the
rest of his actions lately. They talked
some minutes this way, then suddenly
Browler broke out:


=" 1t win only make a heap of mischief,
sir"


That's exactly what / want to make"
said ONeil, turning away An eye for
an eye, and tooth for a tooth say L."
tie made few steps, as if he were going
back to tae private Offices, when BrOwler
scrambled off his stool and touched his
eoat-sleeVe very hurriedly, but very gent
ly.


"Dont, for Gods sake" saws he.
trembling like an aspen.


For who's sake?"


For my sisters sake" stammered
Browler, much cut up.


You mean your incomes sake" re-
tOrted O'Neil. "You mean your comfort.
your miserable salary"


BrOwler said nothing, but held his bald
head down farther than ever They were
both silent for moment, O'Neil scowl-
ing, and drumming his foot on the floor,
and Browler very meek and quiet. Then
ONeil walked him off to the window,
and leaned down and spoke in his ear
very quickly and in a sharp, decided tone !;
but was very careful not to let us hear.
Then he turned about and came back to
his desk, with his hands deep in his
pockets, and fell to staring at his inkstand
without a word to any of us.


Here was mystery for usl We were
not at all surprised that Browler had
committed some act of treachery or blood
thirsty violence, for we had long been
certain that man of bis peculiar skull
and features would hesitate at nothing
when once fully aroused; but that y Neil
did not brain him with ruler at once,
completely puzzled us. Baxter said he
expected every instant that O'Neil would
use the bowie knife which he had con-
cealed between his shoulders, and the
reason that he did not was, probably, be-
cause it was not sharp enough for Brow
lers tough skin. Baxter pointed out the
bowie knife TO US, it making some irregu-
lar punches in O'NeiPs coat behind and
when somebody limited it might be only
patent-suspender Baxter told him, with
hOrrid sneer, that he had better 90 and
ask, and then come back alive, if he
thought he could.


Many were the theories we hatched re-
garding this mystification. One fellow


- =
on account of the old mans downcast
Of watching O'Neil's slightest movement.
O'Neil himself did not say word to US,
but stalked off home two hours before he
had right to go, leaving Us four Ia an