The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-04-23
NOT 4 BAD DEAL.

The little volume of verses entitled
ITO Lalage" made quite IA stir in the
literary world. One critic of note said
that it was instinct with classic grace;
another that it was informed by the
r spirit of Hellas: a third that it had
"a Whit of Hymettus; a fourth that it
was hardly suitable for family reading;
and, on the strength of all this lauda-
ton. ITO Lalage" was "a success, and
several copies were bona fide sold to
complete strangers. Imagine. then, the
bitterness of heart with which Adrian
Politics, the gifted author. saw himself
compelled to maintain strict anonymity,
and to conceal from a world thirsting
TO know him that he was the "A. p"
whose initials appeared III Old English
letters OF the title page. Yet he did
not hesitate; for he knew that if his
rncle, Mr.. Thomas Politics. of Chaplain
Common. discovered that he wrote not
only verses, which was bad, but alna-
tory verses, which was a~trocious, his
means of present livelihood and pros
poets of future affiuence would vanish
into thin air.
For Mr.. Pottles was Il man of strict
views, and whether one regarded this
world or tbe next tbere coulJ he no
,nestio, that a hank clerk Of e~v,pgal-
zeal connections committed a - va fault
III writing love poems. So poor Adrian
had to make up his mind to remain I'M
known. and to hold his tonr,e avon
when he heard that another man had
heeu CLAIMING fine authorship nf $40
Lalnee," Luckily. nrrhnps. he failed to
find out WIN This misrrount was rnroh-
ably his indignation would have over
come his prudence. and he would ot any
cost have claimed his own. The secret
was well kent. and Adrian received the
usual check at Christmas time and with
il the usualinyitatiou TO spend tbe festive
season with his uucle and to brino with
him his Young friend. Peter Allison. to
whom OLD Mr. pottles had tnknn 4. o,.oat
fancy, Peter was n man of many an.
gapements. but. sought after rs he was
and proclaimed himself to he ba ra.
memherod the GOOD chaar nj NJ, Pot
Ties. and accented the invitation Tbev
went down together. Adrian hew.ii-
ing his hard fortune and dannunc;nr
the inlpostor. Peter warmly ~svmnatbiz.
ing, but connselinr continued silence
and prudence.
All. if | could ONLY claim it, cried
Adrian. openinp his Gladstone bar and
gazing fondlv at half = dozen naot clear
copies of TO Lalare." IL sboull he
the lion of the season. Peter"
Peter smiled and shook his head. "A
fortune is better than fame. Adrian"
said he.
For n dav or two all went we'll =,
Clapham. The old gentleman was in
the best of tamner and fine two vopng
men did their best 70 keen him in il in'
iorsinr all his views As to tbe lax moral.
itv and dispracefnl tnna which nery,Ie1
modern literature and modern s,cietv
and wben they had dome their dnt,, IL
this way they rewarded themselves nv
going in next door and having tea with
Dora Chatterton. a Young I,dv whom
they both thought charming.
Indeed. Adrian tbouobt hor ca cb,rn,-
ing that after n short acquaintance ba
sent her "a copy of ITO Lalage," with the
authors kind regards. Now. Miss Dora
Chatterton adored genius. She had
thought both Adrian and Peter very
pleasant young men: She had perceived
that they both thought her a very pleas
ant Young and She had been
rather puzzled TO know which of them
she would, in a certain event. make III
her mind to prefer. ITO Lalape, set.
tied the question. 1t was the gifted
author. A. p. who deserved her love,
and A. P. obviously stood, not for Peter
Allison, but for Adrian Pottles.
The very next morning she called early
at Mr.. Pottles'. She found him alone.
The boys, he explained, had gone for a
walk. Dora was disappointed; but, fail
ing the author himself, she was content
to pour her praises into the ears of an