Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-07-29
A GUILELEsS VETERAN.

london Truth.
NO one precisely knew how Mr.. ST.
non Buttefshaw came to be a member
u the Greville club. but on the other
iand, no one particularly cared. He
vas, as a matter OF fact, an original
member, but he had been abroad for
ONE years and when he returned, the
me character OF the Grsville had un-
iergone very considerable trans
ormation. 1t lad once been a sober
md steady institution, frequented
'hiefiy by barristers. journalists and
'lch city men, who played mild whist
before dinner and slept comfortably
over the smokipg-room fire in the
evening, but for some reason or an
other, men about town gifted with
ash rather than with brains took 70
oining the Grevilie,and it sprang
with comparative suddenness into
ashton, and even notoriety. Fast
young gentlemen agreed that it was
he correct thing to belong to it: the
oid members dropped of. one by one,
and the Greyiile acquired the repusa-
Ion as the haunt OF CAV sparks. who
sat up till unhallowed hours OF the
morning, supped off devilled bones and
champagne, and played cards and bill
iards Tor stakes yhsch would have
grieyed and Mortified the old habitues
had any OF them been left to tell the
tale. 1t was at this period that Mr..
buttershaw returned from foreign
parts, and he found no difficulty what
ever IN scraping an acquaintance and
even an intimacy with the new
generation. Mr. Butfershaw had.
IN TACT, many qualities which
enabled him TO slime in the So
sty-which frequented the GreyiIle. He
was middle-aged but well preserved
man, with a considerable fiow of an
scdote and large and varied experi-
enee oil HE, He seemed tohave plenty
Of money, gave capital dinners, drove
a smart phaetouand always appeared
to have sufficient spare time to Join in
any festivity which happened to be
proposed to him. But there was one
peculiarity about Mr.. Buttershaw
which endeared him to his new as
sociates even more than all the rest
put together, and this was his persist
ent ill-luck at cards. Not that he
gambled very high, or lost very heavi-
ly, but he never won; and the punters
at the Greville speedily recognized the
iact that for ButteIshaw To sit down
Mt the card-table meant the distrlbu.
ton OF at least ESQ among the com.
pany. Wherefore they voted him
capital fellow, were always ready to
dine with him, drive with him end win
his money, and in their hearts looked
upon him as poor pigeon who had
been sent among them by a mercifdl
proyideiee for the express purpose of
being plucked
Now, among the members of the
Greville there were mobiles of high de-
gree, besides baronets of more or less
ancient lineage, and commoners OF
wealth and distinction, and with all
these personages Mr.. Buttershaw con-
trived to get not merely friendly, but
mum was making up ashooting party
at Gatherum park, some intimate
friend was sure to say. "Ask Butter
shaw; he's very harmless and he al
ways Ioses;" when Sir Hector Flash
wanted to enjoy the society OF a few
starts OF burlesque at Greenwich or
Richmond, Buttershaw was generally
invited, Tor he was never in the way
ard was invariably willing to devote
himself to the oldessa, plainest MEM
Der of the company, thus smoothing
over all manner of unpleasant jealous
les and heartburnings; when Mr.. Gree
sus gave a.dinner he always asked But
tershaw, for he never made a mistake
in praising the wrong wines, and
was sure to discover some beau
ty in Mr. Cresus' pictures or Chi
ma which had hitherto been over
looked So Mr.. Buttershaw became
universal fayorite, and the members
of the Greville, especially those who
had won money from him, united in
wishing long life and prosperity to so
useful and desirable an acquaintance.
II has previously been said that Mr..
Buttershaw gave capital little dinners,
the scene of which was generally laid
in his comfortable chambers in Jermyn
street, and on one of these occasions
he invited the Duke of 0mnium, Sir
Hector Flash, Mr.. Cresus and one or
two more congenial spirits to meet his
old friend, General Barnabas, of the
United States army, who had never
been in England before, and wished to
see little of London life.
He's u capital old sportsman.
Barnaba.s," said Mr.. Buttershaw to
Sir Hector, ''has been everywhere, bar
England, and done most things. In
fact he has only ono fault that Iknow
Of"
"And what is that?" inquired the
baronet
"why, nothing will induce him to
play cards"
"Oh, we'll soon get him over thatl"
Swell, / wish you would, for OF
course it's nuisance when one man
insists upon standing out; but Idon't
think you will be successful. However,
there's no harm in trying"
The evening duly arrived, and Mr..
Buttershaw' guests were presented to
the General, who received them with
stately and old-fashioned courtesy.
He was a white haired old gentleman,
a spare, erect figure, and wore very
large spectaeles, through which he
beamed on the company in benevo-
lent and genial manner. During the
meal he told many curious stories OF
his adventures, his marked American
accent adding much to their point,
while his refreshing innocence of GER
tain subjects amused his hearers vast
ly. He had never made BET in his life,
had only twice entered a theatre, and
seemed to know as much about wom-
en- as a hermit.
This old simpleton will be the
death OF me, whispered the Baronet
to the Hon. Paul Punter, who made
n,,a nf tho Marty