The Van Buren press., 1875-11-02
MISCELLANY.
A STORY SUCCESSFULLY TOLD.

Pretty, plump Mrs. Archibald Steele
wrt tie the following paragraph in one OF
her letters to her husband the other day
"John must come down here at once,
whether you can spare him or not. Oar
dsar little Laura is greatly taken with =
tall thin Young msn, with hooked nose
and thin lips called Stuyvesant 1t is
whispered about the hotel that he is a
very good match. and has the vertable
blue blood Of the old Dutch Governor in
his veins. | must say it has queer way
of showing itself, for the young man is
as pale as specter, and dressed in that
white duck, with his sunken eyes and bill
ious skin. IS enough to friphten one. |
have grown to hate him. while Laura is
growing to do quite the contrary, I'm
afraid All the evening he leans up
against the wall, never dancing, or open
ing his mouth save to give vent to some
hateful sarcastic criticism upon the scene
around him, and yet dear little Laura $
eyes--as, indeed, all the other pretty
eyes about--arc perpetually beseeching
him for attention. In the daytime he is
always with a long black horse, that Gov
ers more ground with his legs when ii is
going than any animal ever saw. When
Laura goes out to drive behind it, and
vanishes out Of sight with the bony cread
tnre, tremble to think how dreadful i
would be if our dear little girl would evet
become part and parcel of this wretcher
man and his wicked beast. So l think
John had better come down at once
quite long to see his handsome face and
hnar his hanest' i, rc ice. and 4 th;nL IL ;s
about time John should tell his little sto-
ry to Laura, and have thitgs settled com
fortably. "
Mr. Archibald Steele smiled when he
put the letter of his wife in his waistcoat
pocket and picking up the morning pa
per, scanned through his gold trimmed
spectaeles the news of the day Finding
nothing therein to rufiie the exceedingly
satisfactory condition Of his affairs, he
put it down, and smiled again as only a
prosperous, contented, downtown mer-
chant can smile He was one of those
happy exceptions to the ordinary rule of
MORALS, with whom every thing went
well His whole appearance was an ex-
clamation point to that effect Ii he ven
tnred little hazarlously in trade, For
tune trimmed her sails to favor him. II
he set his heart upon any thing relating
to domestic felicity, all the elements Of
art and nature conspired to bring it about
office and bcckone to young man wits
a strip of commercial paper in his hsnh
and pencil ehnd his ear, with that gen
eral air OF briskness and shrewdnesd
about HIM that hatok, ned success tul
down town merchant in embryo. Mr.
Steele smiled the third time, with the all
of one who WAS not at all afraid of any
be thrown in the path Of a domestic hap
piness which he firmly believed had been
arranged by All omnipptent hand.
John" said Mr.. Steele, closing the
door of his private office, and looking
upon his young clerk benevolcnlly, " | vt
got an order here from Mrs Steele. which
| wish you would attend to. F."
Certainly, sir said John ''Shal
/ 60 and get the articles myself?"
"Why, the fact is, John, said the
merchant, enjoying his joke more and
more, "its only one artice--a rather
bulky one. 1t was hargained for long
ago think you will have to go with it.
John.
Down to the sea shore" said John
getting u little hot and Mustered. Is il
a very valuable parcel. SIR"
"Well, perhaps your natural moaesty
may depreciate it's worth, John. Mrs
Steele and think good deal of it, and
Laura tod IN sure she does. The
commodity is yourself, John. Mrs.
Steele wants you to so down and take a
little holiday there "
When the name of Laura was mention
ed, the young man face grew more fus
tered and hot than before.
"You are very kind, sir" he said,
81 and Mrs. Steele is always more like AN
angel than woman.
Rather solid and plump for that, ~
interposed Mr.. Steele, but liking the
phrase nevertheless
II" But it is simple Madness" pursued
John, "to dream of further happiness
than | enjoy now-your affection and
that Of your wife, my position here; l
don't dare, can't hope for any thing
more. Oh. Mr.. Steele. | can't tell her
my story, sir. She would shrink from
me with horror and aversion. she is so
young, so beautiful. Let me at least en-.
joy the present.
"And in the mean time some cadaver
Gus, bilious, blue blooded sceundrel will
carry he- Off from us all -
Then Johns face grew pale and stern
-" If there is the slightest feeling upon her
part for--for any one else, then, indeed
Mr. Steele my case is hopeless y
The commercial paper futtered from
his hand, the pencil fell from his ear, he