The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-05
A QUEER STORY.
From the London Truth.

lations consisted Of couple Of married
sisters. He had no entanglements and
was not . gambler. Needless to say,
therefore, that he was acknowledged by
common consent to he the most eligible
parti in London. But, though by no
means impervious to the charms of the
fair sex. Byng was terribly difficult to
please. The loveliest young debu-
tantes and the most astute mothers had
for years angled unseccessfnily for the
glittering prize. But each recurring
season brought with it some fresher
beauty or some more confident mamma,
and hence the hunting Of Byng went
merrily on.
He liked to talk to women about pict-
ures, about poetry, love, transcenden-
tai philosophy and matters generally
mystical and etheral. He found then,
80 much more tolerant than men, and
so much less apt to detect his utter and
ghastly ignorance Of nearly every sub.
ject upon which he conversed. Men, in
fact, considered Byng an affected min
compoop, aud only endured him for the
sake of his wealth.
"Why the deuce don't you marry, Ad.
derley9" remarked Captain Tom Car
bury one day.
Tom Carbury was Byng's man-of-all
work and devouted adherent. He had
lived upon him for some years, and il
was only when h.s eccentricity and van
ity became utterly wearisome to the
practical henchmsn that he limited al
'natrimony. Carbury, moreover, did
not SEQ why he should not make a pref.
ty good thing out of his patrons mar
riage by iudicious arrangement with
the BRIDES family.
my dear Tom," answered the tran
scendentalist. "wllere can find q WON.
an with o kindred spirit; with a soul
above the common things of earth; one
who can really sympathize with my
own idiosyncrasy?"
Blessed II know" answered the
Captain, terribly puzzled by his patron =
words; ''but, If I were in your shoes,
should get rather sick of being hunted
about by all the old dowagers of Lon
don and ogled by every girl who comes
out. should marry one of them lust
TO spite the rest"
Il certainly cannot marry them all,
mused Byng, languidly. "Well, Car
bury, I'll think about It,"
The Captain also determined to think
is over, for, as stated, he was getting O
little tired Of his position. He was a
thick-set, bull-necked man two OF
three and forty, very fond of good iv-
itg, and devoted to London and Paris.
Byng, on the other haud, professed to
despise frivolous amusemenos, live like
an anchorite for months together, and
was in the habit of occasionally rushing
off to wild and uncivilized parts of tbs
globe, where the unfortunate Captain
was forced to submit TO very unwelcomc
privations. A journey through Tartary
had brought the Captain to the verge
Of rebellion, and though he did not like
the idea of quarreling with his bread
and butter, lie felt that he could not
endure many more such terrible expert
ences, SO he began to look about him
for q helpmate suitable to the errant
philosopher.
His difficulty naturally lay in the
abundance of material from which he
he'd to make the selection. After ma
ture consideration, however, he decided
in favor of certain Miss Constance
Laxington. She was exceedingly pret-
ty, it was her first season, and her OILY
near relative was her father, . gem
tleman whose pedigree was much long.
er than his rent-role. Beside, Mr.
Laxington, as the Captain knew, was
by no means overburdened with cash,
and was not likely to have any hesita.
tion in arranging some little scheme by
which Carbury might share in the ad-
vantages Miss Lsxington would derive
from brilliant marriage.
"What q deuced pretty girl your
daughter is !" said the Captain one even
ing to that young lady's father, as they
sat in tho smoking-room Of the Lawn
Club,
"Think SOP" inquired the other, who
knew that Carbury was not likely to
make such . remark out Of pure good
nature.
might marry any one," continued
the Captain thoughtfully.
Laxington began to prick up his ears,
and said. "Yes. I think she ought to
do WE'LL"
After . little more preliminary fenc-
ing. Carbury began TO approach the
point.
"she doesnt know Byng does she ?"
mo, and ] shouldn't think it much
use il she did. He's not marrying
man, is he?"
well, I don't quite understand what
constitutes q marrying man." rejoined
the cautious Captain; but these things
do happen all the same. should lie
very glad myself TO see Byng married to
nice girl, he added, significantly; "it
would do him lot Of good"
Laxington drew his chair closer to
Carbury, and the two became engaged
in . conversation apparently Of the
most obsorbing nature. After half an
hour or no. Carbury arose to 60.
Il suppose / must agree" remarked
La1ington; "but You are terrible fell
low to deal with"
"All right" answered the other;
half when she's engaged and the 9TH
er on the wedding-dsy. Man alive it
will be the making Of yonp
A couple of days later Captain Car
bury contriyed that Miss taxington,
ehaperonei by her aunt. Lady Cara
way, should he introduced to the
philosophical Byng at . house in Gros-
venor Square.
"You might do worse than marry
that darlington GIRL" remarked the
Captain to his patron the next morn
ing; young and lovely, and all that;
got NO inconyenient brothers; and you
swouldnt bs plagued with Q mother.in-
llaw. Not much money, but that
dot matter TO you."
hs 1000 . nice girl, : said Byng,