Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-03-13
. ingie specimen viii suffice to satisfy

IT, readers csriosity:
pEkR MCVTTTIE:-I quite Intended 20 call
a11 see you about those two ponies owe you.
bun hts Lordship wont hear Of my leaving
I Pl,sase let tho Insfter stand over 4 bii. and
| g1are yourself the trouble OF issuing writ
Yours ever. T. BIISEKR-
While engaged ON these important
compositions Tom could not resist Civ
| ing an ear 70 the conversation which
was going on on the other side of the
I fireplace He gathered that the prin-
cipal object Of the LAWYERS visit was &c
consuk his LOudship about appointing
a new steward The post was at pres
/ ent vacant, the late occupant having re-
I signed in hui. and Mr.. Pennington
was n favor Of giving IL 10 a practical.
T business-like man. who wOuld not be
above his work His LordshD cordial
I " acquiesced in this view. and left the
matter in the lawyers hands, and. hay
ing affixed his Signature to 4 few dOcu-
ments. the conference ended.
Now, gentlemen. let US come and
have a look around" said his LOriship,
with an air Of relief Mr. Blinker.
the batler will hand your letters To
groom. who Is now going into Bitches
ter. and who will deliver them immedi-
ately."
Tom Blinker was trembling with sup
pressed excitement. for it had suddenly
occurred 10 him to apply to his Lord
ship for the vacant stewardship. He
was almost startled By his own bOidness,
and although not wanting in cool as
surance. he could not at the moment
summon up courage 20 apply for the
post he resolved to wait until after
luncheon. by which time he hoped to
have created favorable impression
Meanwhile he pulled himself together
and assumed a more sedate and busi-
ness-like afr. Tom was a shrewd fel-
low. and was very well posted up rs to
agricultural topics generally. He had
a knack OF repeating information gained
N secondhand as though il were en-
tirelv original, and he never confessed
/ ignorance on any subject whatever.
Fortunately for him neither Lord Mont
arlington nor Mr.. Pennington knew
anything of country life except in its
frivolous aspects. so that during their
ramble through the grounds and over
the stables Tom contriTed 10 impress
them both considerably without COM
mitting himself At luncheon he was
still more successful. for there was nc
denying that he was capital company
on festive occasions He made his
Loriship roar with laughter at his iokes
and witficisms. and even the LAWYER be-
came quite hilarious and cheerful. The
result was that when Mr.. Penning-
ton rose to depart-for his LOrIlship.
carriage was 20 take him 70 the neigh
boring station 10 catch the London train
Ten no longer felt any hesitation
about prefeTring his request
'.MY Lord. there Is = little matter ]
should Ike to mention before Mr..
Pennington goes he said airilv. Il
wish 10 offer myself as candidate foI
the post Of steward 10 your LOrdship. |
As | m on the spot | can get into har-
ness at once. which viii be an ad- |
vantage I'm willing to come on sale |
or return 1 mean on approval for q |
month That is an advantage also. |
And 1 haifer myself YOU wouldn't finl /
better business man. nor one that /
would serve YOU straighter if you were
TO I'll the inns for six months with ad- /
vertisemeuts.
Toms tone and manner were hardly |
those Of 4 person asking favor. He |
seemed honestly conscious Of his own
worth. and Lord MontarliRgtOn. though /
somewhat taken aback. was evidently /
struck by the suggestion. He looked /
across AT the lawyer and said:
''Eh. Mr. Pennington? What do YOU
say 10 thats''
.'Well. really. my Lord. such n thine
had never occurred to me" said the /
lawyer. looking undecided. III your
LOrdship thinks Mr.. Blinker viii be /
likely TO suit"
a months trial. eh?' inierposed
Tom, with alacrisy. VERY we'll Then
that settled" "
And 50 it was. His Lordshir
glanced Al the lawyer and the lawyer /
AZ aim. but neither raised anv objection. 4
and the result was that Tom received 1
permission 10 begin his duties on the .
morrow. he was proud man when
he drove into Chichester that evening
and announced his good fortune. He
found. however. that the neighbors
were less surprised al the news than
might have been expected. for every
one had heard of the letters which ne
mad written from the Castle on paper
bearing his LOrJlship's crest u he had
come back and said that Lord Mont
arlington was his long-lost brother the
credulity of his friends would have
borne the shock
Tom proved himself quite competent
70 discharge the duties he had 50 rashly
undertaken. When 4 man has plenty
Of assurance. backed BY natural ability,
shrewdness and firm determination Il
succeed. he can not very well turn ost 8
failure Those who uttered ominOus
predictions based upon his unsuccessful
career in Chichester overlooked the fact
that want Of capital was alone the cause
OF Tom 5 misfortune. and il turned out
that he had a powerful incentive tc
make him do his best in his new posi-
tiOn- for shortly afterward he became
engaged to be married To the pretty
daughter Of mine host of the Blue Boar.
Lord MOnfarlingt0n eft for the North
on the day Tom entered upon his new
duties, and three months after,vartl. or
passing through London he had an in
terview with Mr. Pennington.
''By-the-by." be said. at the close Of
their conversation. i suppose the new
Is a success. as haven't heard
TO the contrary
He Is the best agent your Lordship
has ever had, prompt. business-like.
energetic and trustworthy man." said
Mr.. Pennington, warmly. MAY | ask
ask how you came 10 know him2'
Why. you introduced him. Of
course. returned his LOr,lship. staring.
Il never saw him before that day."
Nor did i. returned the lawyer,
opening his eyes; ''he offered to drive
me over. and was certainly under the
impression your LOrdship was ac-
guainted with him.
Lord Montarlington and the LAWYER
stared at one another for a moment in
Open-mOuIhed astonishmenf. and during
hat brief period Toms prospects were
IN imminent peril Then his LOrdship
suddenly burst out laurhing- and Mr. /