Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-07-17
Our Selected StO7'Y.
A STORY SUCCESSFULLY TOLD.

Pretty, plump Mrs. Archibald Stee
wrote the following paragraph in one
her letters to her husband the other day
''John must come down here at ono
whether you can spare him or not. o.
dear little Laura is greatly taken with
tall, thin young man, with hooked no!
and thin. lips, called Stuyvesant. 1t
whispered about the hotel that he is a ver
good match, and has the veritablc bloc
of the old Dutch governor in his veins.
must say that it has queer way of show
ing itself, for the young man is as pale {
a spectre and dressed in that white duel
with his sunken eyes and bilious skin,
enough to frighten one. have grown
hate him, while Laura is growing to
quite the contrary, 1 am afraid. All til
evening he leans up against the wall, neve
dancing or opening his mouth. save t
give vent to some hatefuE sarcastic crit
cism upon the scenes around him, and We
dear little Laura's eyes-as, indeed, all tn
other pretty eyes about-are perpetual,
beseechingsshim for attention. In the day
time he is always with long black horse
that covers more ground with its ley
while it is going than any other animal
ever saw. When Laura goes out to driv,
behind it, and vanishes out of sight will
the bony creature, tremble to think how
dreadful it would be flour dear little cir
would ever be part and parcel Of thi!
wretched man and his beast. So 1 thinl
John had better come down at once.
quite long to see his handsome face ant
hear his honest voice, and l think it is
about time that John should tell his little
story to Laura, and. have things settled
comfortably"
Mr.. Archibald Steele smiled..whcn he put
the letter Of his wite's in his waistcoat
pocket, and, picking.sup--the morning pa.
per, scanned through his gold-rimmed
spectacles the news OF the day. Finding
nothing therein to refine the exceedingly
satisfactory condition of his affairs, he put
it down, smiling as only prosperous,
contented downtown merchant can smile.
He was one of those h:ppy...exceptions to
the ordinary rule of mortals, with whom
everything went well. Ills whole expert
encc was an exclamation point to that ef-
feet. If he yentured little hazardously
in trade, fortune trimmed the sails to favor
him. II he set his heart upon anything
relating, to domestic felicity, all the ele-
ments Of art and nature conspircd TO bring
it about. So when he stepped to the door
Of his office and beclsoned 10 a young man
with a strip...of commercial paper in his
hand ard a pencil behind his ear, with a
general air of briskness and shrewdness
about him that betokened a successful
lown town merchant in embryo, Mr..
Steele smiled the third time, with the air
)t one who was not at all afraid of any
bilious, blue-blooded obstacle that might
)e thrown in the path of domestic hap
'iness Which he firmly agreed had been
by an Omnipotent hand.
''John," said Mr.. Steele, closing the
loor of his private office, and looking up
m his young clerk benevolently, II have
'ot an order from Mrs. Steele which 1
Wish you would attend tor
''Certainly, SIR" said John, "~hall go
ut and get the articles myself?''
''Why, the fact is, JOHN" said the mer-
hant, enjoying his joke more and more,
it's only one article-a rather bulky one.
twas ebargained for along time ago.
hink you will have to go down with it,
Ohm"
''Down to the seashore! said John,
citing little hot and flustered. ''Is it
cry valuable parcel, sir?''
''Well, perhaps,,y your. natural modesty
lay depreciate its worth, John. Mrs.
teele and l think a good deal of it, and
aura, too, 1 am sure does. The COM
odity is yourself, John. Mrs. Steele
ants you to go down and take little
oliday."
When the name of Laura was mention
!, the young mans face grew more hot
id flustered than before.
''You are very kind, sir,' he said; s'and
RS. Steele is more like an angel than a
"Hather solid and plump for that" in !
rposed Mr.. Steele, but liking the phrase,
vertheless.
''But it is simply Madness pursued !,
I'm, "to dream of further happiness than :,
njoy now-your-'affect and that of :,
ur wife-my position here; l don't
re, l can't hope tor anything more. Oh, :
:. Steele, l can't tell her my story. She :
'uld turn from me in horror and avel- !,
n. She is so young, so beautiful. Let !.
at least enjoy the present" = :
And in the meantime some cadaverous,
ious, blue-blooded scoundrel will carry = :
off from us all.'' :"
Then Johns face grew pale and stern. :. .
there is the slightest feeling upon her - =.
t for-for anyone else, then, indeed, my .,
e is hopeless" = =
The commercial paper fluttered from his =, -
ID, the pencil fell from his ear, and he r.
ned his head against the desk and trem-
Why, who would suppose you could - -
;uch a coward? p said Mr.. Steele, inn '"
nously. "You shall 60 down with me
very day." a
IL the way to the seashore Johns face an
,e the look of one who had resolved to &C
m deadly breach, but who did not
e to survive the attempt.
ven the ocean, when it confronted gr
n, wore threatening look. Upon the aW
zon pile Of clouds formed a back We
md wan and gloomy, great black tn
lay in the zenith, and dense red lul
Dr. almost touched the water. tn
very nasty sea-" said Mr.. Steele. my
,hn snuf1ed it in, his eyes dilating, and aft
lead high in the sea-scented air. car
tramp on the hard, wet sand, and like ha'
.teor long black horse shot by, dis lea
airing in the mist, leaving for John ant
OF charming head, crowned wa
blond curling hair, two kind eyes sen
upon his own, and white waving yo'
extended in salutation. the
ohm said Mr.. Steele, ibid you see reg
nee Of that mang I count upon your and