Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-08-18
OUR NcNSMAN.

His name was Ellis Mars,on; this
learned without any special desire TO
know it, from the bill which he rem
dered mont .lt lor the daily papers that
he delivered at my house. The bill it.
sc f. being Tor a small amount, was one
or the sort that a IN last remembers
when in the humor for paying bills, so
l saw its makers name several times
before | pail it.
One morning our servant told me,
while was at breakfast. that Gentle
man. who desired to see Inc, was in the
parlor; he had not given her his card,
and she had not fully understood his
name. found the early caller to be
Ellis MarstOn, my newsman, but l was
not at all surprised that the servant had
unhesit tingly admitted him. and an
nOunced him as gentleman, for he
had refined face and good manners,
while his clothes. although far from
new, fitted him well, and were of taste
full cut.
In paying his bill l made as many
apologies as would have done to any
gentleman whom had subjected to de-
lay and annoyance. AS while waiting
for me, he had opened a volume OF
Browning that lay upon the table. and
had not closed it up to the time that |
entered the room, promptly assumed
that he had more literary taste than the
generality of men in his business. and
moment or two of conversation, be-
FUN haphazard, upon the book in his
hand. satisfied me, not only that l was
rI0ht h,,f fbof h<, f.;,, IL
about modern English poetry.
At that particular hour my time was
precious. and my mind crowded with
interests temporarily more precious
than poetry; SO to express in some
way. and quickly, the respect which
the mans manner had exac,ed, | in
creased my order by asking him to
serve me with several weeklies and
monthlies that had been in the habit
OF purchasing at whatever newsstand
first saw them on, and his pleased ex-
preston as he made note of my order,
and bowed himself out, put me on very
good terms with myself for the re-
mainder of the day.
So seldom had | seen a man who
seemed superior to his position in life,
that Ellis Marston's face presented it.
self frequently to my memory during
several days that followed; so one even
ing. obtaining his, address from his bill
head, l strolled out to crafty my curl
osity about the man.
found him in a little shop, fairly
filed with periodicals and stationery,
with a small circulating library on
shelves at the rear
An order for foreign review was the
excuse for the visit, which prolonged
by offering him good cigar. which he
lighted with evident satisfaction, and
we soon engaged in pleasant chat
about books.
l looked over the titles of the volumes
in his circulating library. and expressed
my surprise that the general public read
works of character SO high; he replied,
with sigh, that the public did not read
them to any extent; that they were the
bulk of his own library, and he loaned
them for whatever they might bring,
rather than leave them untouched on his
shelves at home.
While we were chatting, a very pref.
ty. well-dressed lady, whose face was
rather vacant, except for an expires.
sion of impatience, entered the store,
and Marston hurried forward to meet
her.
She did not seem to want to purchase
anything, but conversed rapidly and in
low tone with Marston. and departed
after he handed her some money.
She looked utterly unlike any ordi.
nary business creditor, and l suspect
some wonder expressed itself in my
face. for, as the proprietor rejoined me,
he explained. very quietly. in just two
words:
Mrs. Marston."
Then saw in an instant that Marston
had made very unfortunate marriage,
but, after the untruthful manner of so.
ciety. complimented him on his good
fortune in having so slightly compan.
ion. and he acknowledged my felicita.
tons with fine dignity, but not a sign ol
enthusiasm.
1t was very evident to my mind, as
sauntered homcward that evening, that
Marston's wife must be extravagant and
unreasonable, and that her husband
would never save money with which to
enter a better business, unless he had
some help; SO. for several days sys-
tematically tortured publishers among
my acquaintance to make place fol
our newsman. But / soon learned that
Marsten's present position was not thai
in which he had begun business. He
had been respectable bookseller in the
interior, where he married a beautiful
girl who longed to live in New York, SC
he sold out and re-established himself
in the metropolis. Everybody liked
him. but everybody said he ruined his
credit, and then his business, by failino