Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-02-20
STEMBI4E'S INVESTMENT.
ny CHARLES DUDLEY RHODES.


night with the rain. 1t first came leak
ing through the roof about midnight
and, finding convenient crease in his
blankets, trickled slowly downward,
{ until II awoke him with start. Be-
ing man Of few words, he simply gave
a grunt Of disgust, leaned over to a cor
ner OF the diminutive room, seized an
umbrella, opened it, thrust 1t accurate
ly under the leak, and calmly fell
isleep.
In the morning things were in even
worse state. The bed was minia-
ture island, the type-cases were half
filed with water, and the press, foot
lower affair, stood cheerlessly in u
lamp corner as II waiting to be resrs-
ctated from its ull-night exposure.
Even then, Hank made no remark
his first act after sitting up In his
blankets being to pull forth slowly n
huge plug Of tobacco from his hip
,ocKet, take generous chew, and then,
rs II fortified against ull manner Of
lisagreeable things, to spring up and
begin putting things to rights
There was knock at the door
Come he shouted gruf'ly; md
here appeared to view little old gen
,leman whose black frock-coat white
olIar--an unusual luxury in Lariat
md air Of quiet dignity accorded well
With his gray hair and mustache.
'i'ardon me- he said, with u slight
air Of difiidence, "but is this the editor
Of the Exponent"
Hank nodded.
~ am Col. Stemblc," the little old
fellow continued, atrably, 'and | am
up here on special business for the
Black Butte Cattle company. Now, TO
come to the point, ! am very anxious
to have special edition Of your paper
published to-day"
Hank kicked an empty tin can under
the press, and looked hard at his boots.
People were wont to say that he was
cautious nan.
ut will pay" the cattle man con
tlnued; "and this will give you some
idea Of my wishes lie handed the
editor some pencil notes and new
greenback.
Get the paper out by three o'clock
at the latest, and above all things make
1t interesting"
"l'll do it" Hank replied, with GUS
tomary brevity; aud then,withrencwed
energy, he resumed the renovation Of
the little one-story shanty which
served as editorial Office, press-room
and home.
The old gentleman smiled to himself
Ms he trudged away-such n paternal,
benevolent smile us to seem almost
out OF plnce in such an unconventional
wicked little frontier town as l.arat.
AS fur as the eye could reach were to
be seen the temporary structures Of
canvas and tarred paper which were
the homes of the inhabitants. Up and
down the railroad the irst-comers had
pitched their tents, and rs the town
grew rough streets had been formed,
ranging back to the line of low hills at
the east. Lariat enjoyed the distinc-
ton of being the extreme end Of the
new railroad which was rapidly push
ing its way through Wyoming towards
the great northwest Crouchs, down
the road, had until recently enjoyed
that honor But one fine morning after
the first train had pushed on to the
present site of l.ariat, the inhabitants
OF the older town had emigrntcd In n
body, and Crouch's was no more.
True to the editors promise, the
Exponent appeared at the time named,
but not until Hank 0'Doughall, man
in whose veins ran n strain of thrifty
Scotch blood, had engaged in several
mysterious transactions with certain
property owners Of Lariat, in exchange
for some ready money that the editor
had been boarding up for many a day,
the latter became the owner of con-
siderable strip Of land along the rail
road-an acquisition afterwards ex.
planned by the following announce.
ment which appeared in the Exponent: |
I'VE take pleasure in announcing the
arrival of Col. c. II. Stemble, agent for
and prominent stakeholder in, The
Black Butte Cattle company. This
English syndicate, having been struck |
with the advantageous location of |
Larlat, is contemplating the erection
OF enormous stock yards in our city, |
for the shipment Of cattle from the
Powder river valley. II is needless TO
comment upon the great influence that
this deal will have upon Lariat. the
Star city of northwest Wyoming, lis
the improvements will amount 10 NJ
least saO,OOo,' etc.
IL was all very quickly and amicably
arranged. That evening the colonial
held an enthusiastic reception at the
Alagazan,t the leading hotel,where there
were none so confident of the future
of Larat so joyial, and withal so lavisl,
with his money, as he. incidentally,
it may be said that the bar of the Ala.
gazan did a big business, and that the
landed proprietors Of Lariat, Hank Nc
Dougall especially, awakened to the
fact that they had good thing.
The next morning the colonel, note.
book in hand, and accompanied by the
ending citizens Of the town, inspected
PROPERTY available for the uses Of the