Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-28
sTEMBLE's INVESTMENT.

STEMBLE'S INVESTMENT.
BIZ CHARLES DUDLEY RHODES.
The town marshal, ex-officio editor
Of the Lariat Exponent, afterwards
declared that his bad luck came that
night with the rain. 1t first came leak
ing through the roof about midnight,
and, finding a convenient crease in his
blankets, trickled slowly downward,
until it awoke him with start. Be-
ing man of few words, he simply gave
grunt of disgust, leaned over to u cor
ner of the diminutive room, seized an
umbrella, opened it, thrust it accurate
ly under the leak, and calmly fell
asleep.
In the morning things were in even
worse state. The bed was minia-
ture island, the type-cases were half
filled with water, and the press, foot
power affair, stood cheerlessly in a
damp corner as if waiting to be resus-
citated from its all-night exposure.
Even then, Hank made no remark
his first act after sitting up In his
blankets being to pull forth slowly a
huge plug OF tobacco from his hip
pocket, take generous chew, and then,
as if fortified against nll manner of
disagreeable things, to spring up and
begin putting things to rights.
There was q knock at the door.
Come" he shouted, grufi1y; and
there appeared to view little old gem
tleman whose black frock-coat, white
collar-an unusual luxury in Lariat-
and mir of quiet dignity accorded well
with his gray hair and mustache.
Pardon me-" he said, with slight
air Of dif11dence. "but is this the editor
of the Exponent"
Hank nodded.
II am Col. Stemble." the little old
fellow continued. atfably, ''and I am
up here on special business for the
Black Butte Cattle company. Now, to
come to the point, am very anxious
to have a 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 won't to say that he was
cautious man.
ut will pay" the cattle man con-
tinued; ''and this will give you some
idea of my wishes" He handed the
editor some pencil notes and q new
greenback.
Get the paper out by three o'clock
at the latest, and above all things make
it interesting"
"Tll do it," Hank replied, with GUS
tomary brevity; and then, with renewed
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
as he trudged away-such paternnl,
benevolent smile as to seem almost
out of place in such an unconventional
wicked little frontier town as Lariat.
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 frst-comers had
pitched their tents. and MS 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. Crouch's, 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 Lariat. the inhabitants
OF the older town had emigrated in q
body. and Crouch's was no more.
True to the EDITORS promise. the
Exponent appeared at the time named,
but not until Hank O'Doughall, a man
In whose veins ran strain of thrifty
Scotch blood, had engaged in several.
| mysterious transactions with certain
property owners of Iariat, in exchange
for some ready money that the editor
had been boarding up for many day,
the latter became the owner of a 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. Fl. Stemble, agent for.
and prominent stock holder in, the
Black Butte Cattle company. This
English syndicate, having been struck
with the advantageous location of
Lariat, is contemplating the erection
OF enormous stock yards in our CITY.
for the shipment of cattle from the
| Powder river valley. 1t is needless to
comment upon the great influence that
this deal will have upon Lariat, the
Star city Of northwest Wyoming, as
the improvements will amount to at
least $4,000" etc.
It was all very quickly and amicab,y
arranged. That evening the colonel
held an enthusiastic reception ut the
Alagazan,theleading hotel,where there
were none SO confident of the future
of Lariat, SO jovial, and withal so lavish
with his money, as he. Incidentally,
It may be said that the bar of the Ala
gaAan did q big business. and that the
landed proprietors of Lariat, Hank Me-
Dougall especially, awakened to the
fact that they had good thing.
The next morning the colonel, note
book in hand, and accompanied by the
leading citizens-of the town. inspected
property available for the uses OF the