Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1883-12-14
Poor Biron's Collar.

Lawn Tennis tournament at Newport
this summer. | was seated III the lower
gallery of the theatre bIulding-the
niGzzi. proprr ] did not care to follow
the crack PLAYERS about the grounds. |
dislike detail; my Incidence is satisfied
with sustained effects. And then was
interested in the young people among
whom sat. On one tide of L found
Bin on Browne, with Miss Plack on the
other Isabel Marden, who was with her
family. knew that my young friend,
Eiron, had ilirtod deeply with Mss Mar
,lcn IN ~. hut | suspected that he was
now irving to engage himself with Miss
Rack, aud rs it is only proper for a
comfr rta,ie bachelor to amuse himself
with other peoples affairs, concluded
that ] "ould easily reap the advantages
Of nv position. Poor Biron had been
gradually sinking of late into that
epicpuc position the necessities of
which elevate money marriages into the
rank ut virtues and his market valre
as husband was unfortunately small.
He had little social influence. though
Lis family descent was allowed to bc Of
sipa.!Oa lad lrcn too often crossed 10y
ludicr"us adventures TO permit much
romance To he associated with his
character,
On consideration ! had concluded
that Mary Anne t.ack was the girl with
whom he wogld he most likely II suc-
coed. 80 VAS not surprised to find
him paving attentions to her: Int ! was
caref4l not to he too lasty with my in
ferences. For Mary Anne was by rep
u,aiion 'clawcr." Any man was fair
game 10 her; as long as she appearedto
have attention she did not care what
were the chains which bound the un-
fortunate victim to her side. As
looked at her pale, fat little face and
listened 10 her Internal clattcr | felt
very sorry for poor Biron. 1t was not
his fault lie was poor.
A game was going on beneath us.
"Look!" cried Mary Anne, mir. Blank
is gong to he beaten. hope that lit
tie fellow heats him. Mr.. Browne,
I've got a mash on that little fellow. l
want You to bring him up here. Don't
know him? You ought to know every
body-he. he!" They are not engaged,
thinks ]: Biron's looks show he cannot
afford to disobey her. / began to
wonder how he felt toward Isabel Mar
den. ! have given up devotion--my
waistcoat is too broad; but
my voice is still in ex-
cellent training and the tones of fiat
terry and intimacy are mine to CON-
mand. In short time i was talking
contidentially with Isabel and Biron
began to look miserable. He sees what
lac has given up, / thought. and is
ashanel of himself. And as Isabel is
very charming, allowed myself to be-
come-well, just little devoted.
Presently the game Of tennis came TO
an end: once more did Mary Anne
command her swain to bring the fav-
ored player TO be introduced TO her.
looked for Biron 10 jump up; but no
he only froaned. Is it possible,
thought |, that they are engaged and
he feels free to disregard her behests or
is it only his conscience?
1t occurred 10 me to confide my sus-
picions to Miss Marden. She was won
derfully amused indeed, / became
quite indignant at her hard-heartedness.
But it was pleasant TO watch the couple
with fellow-scientist. For some time
our judgment was in suspense; when
Biron refused to admire Miss Plack's
bonnet was near deciding that he was
free and onscience-stricken; when be
suddenly faced abont and praised her
eyes in manner really fulsome would
have given my vote that he had sue
ceeded. But was Just beginning TO
tire of my amusement when my eye was
caught by Biron's collar.
Biron was dressed with much ele-
gance. He wore straw hat, white
flannel coat with rose in his buttoo-
hole. calico waistcoat with small pink
stripes, pink-striped shirt with o
white collar, white silk necktie with
cat's-eye pin, cashmere trousers and
patent leathers-altogether good
combination. But it was at his collar
that looked. Everybody knows that
it is the height of Anglo-American
fashion to wear pink or blue striped
shirt with white collar. il the mon
sirosity was born thus united. II your
collar is made on your shirt you are in
good form. but if you descend to the
paltry snbterfuge of putting new white
collars on your old colored shirts You
are doomed; you are mean imitator
of the fashion; you might rs we'll wear
dickey or ceIluloid cuffs.
Now for some reason or other sus'
pected that Biron's collar was q pre-
tence, and was once more interested.
When whispered this to Isabel her
amusement was again remarkably acute,
and when / said that was going 10 try
20 betray poor Biron's makeshiit she
entered into my plans with gusto "Ws
can tell the joke on poor Biron. you
know said /. "Let MS think Of a
plan. Could we challenge his chivalry
and get him to spread his cloak before
his Virgin Queen, like Sir Walter
Raleigh? or would he take of his coat
for wager? or il 1 spilled glass Of
L.