Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-01-03
THE MAN WHO GAME TO TOWN,

roof about midnight, and, hndlng con-
yenient crease in his blankets, trickled
slowly downward, until it awoke him with
a start. Being a man of few words, lie
simply gave a grunt of disgust, leaned over
to a corner of the diminutive room, seized
an umbrella, opened it, thrust 1t accurately
under the leak. and calmly fell asleep
again.
In the morning things were even in
worse state. The bed was miniature
island, the type-cases were half filled with
water, and the press, foot-power analr,
stood cheerlessly in damp corner as if
waiting to be resuscitated from its all night
exposure. Even then, Hank made no re-
mark-his first act after sitting up in his
blankets being to pull forth slowly huge
plug of tobacco from his hip pocket, take
a generous chew, and then, as if fortified
against all manner of disagreeable things,
to spring up and begin putting things to
rights.
There was knock at the door.
"Come," he shouted, gruflly; and there
appeared to view a little old gentleman
whose black frock-coat, white collar an
unusual luxury in Lariat-and air of quiet
dignity accorded well with his gray hair
and moustache.
"Pardon me-" he said, with slight air
of diffidence, "but is this the editor OF the
EXponent?"
Hank nodded
~ am Col. Stemble," the old fellow con-
tinued, affably, land am up here on spe-
cial business for the Black Butte Cattle
company. Now, to come to the point, l
am very anxious to have a special edition
of your paper published today"
Hank kicked an empty tin can under
the press and looked hard at his boots.
People were wont to say that he was a
cautious men.
at will pay" the cattle-man continued;
''and this will give you some idea of my
webes.'' He handed the editor some pen
Gil notes anda new greenback.
''Get the paper out by three o'clock at
the latest, and above all things make it in
teresting"
'I'n do it," Hank replied, with custom
airy brevity; and then, with renewed ener-
gy, he resumed the renovation of the little
one-story shanty which served as editorial
office, press-room and home.
The old gentleman smiled to = 4iself as
he trudged away-such paterI Z, benevo-
lent smile as to seem almost out of place
in such an unconventional, wicked little
frontier town as Lariat. AS far as the eye
structures of canvas and tarred paper
which were the homes of its inhab-
itants. Up and down the railroad the
first-comers had pitched their tents, and as
The town grew rough streets had been
formed, ranging back to the line of low
hills at the east. Lariat enjoyed the dis
nation of being at 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 hon
or. But one fine morning after the first
train had pushed on to the present site of
Lariat the inhabitants of the older town
had emgrated in body, and Crouch's was
no more.
True to it's editors promise, the Expo
nent appeared at the time named, but not
until Hank McDougall, man in whose
veins ran strain of thrifty Scotch blood,
had engaged in several mysterious transac-
tions with certain property owners of Lar
at, whereby, in exchange for some ready
,onaA that the editor had been boarding
I'D for many a day, the latter became the
owner of considerable strip of land along
the railroad-an acquisition afterwards eX-
planned by the following announcement
which appeared in the Exponent;
1--WE take pleasure in announcing the ar.
rival of Col. G. II. Stemble, agent for, and
a prominent stakeholder in, the Black
Butte Cattle company. This English syn.
dictate having been struck with the advan-
tageous location of Lariat, is contemplate
ing 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, a. the improvements
will amount to at IeasC7 Tty thousand dol
lars" eto,,
It,~was all very quickly : amicably ar.
- ranged. That evening the-S\Cne held an
enthusiastic reception at the q ,azan. the
leading hotel, where there W 1one So
confident of the future of LariaS eioyial
and withal so lavish with his mon NJ he,
incidentally, it may be said that tNRsA II
the Alagazan did big business, aNSA.
the landed proprietors of Lariat, HaAa;A
Dougall especially, awakened to then ~
that they had a good thing. v
The next morning the colonel, NON
book in hand, and accompanied by til
leading citizens of the town, inspecte
property available for the uses of the Blac
Butte Cattle company. In the afternoon
for the agents time was limited-the pu
chasing began. The courteous old gentl,
man who had entertained them so hospit
bly, the night before did not haggle ovC
prices. He paid cash for his new acquis
lions in crisp, new, fve-hundred doll
notes proceeding which, to make chang
SneeroCSSnStely drained the town in a sho
by ey all Its smaller denominations.
i.caSSired a the English syndicate hS
Tar,a Sides OF the the tract of land lying {
twenty-five Witch it sSSSd in the heart
ee.or ana town marsl'snnaEs. Nxo1N.,,sS.ai
thousands by the deSlHe S@a S%S NED
ready ready speaker would pr oS thsd S ne son
These Englishmen are the have m
- ers ever saw" But, as IL ',vsssest SUI
Sn himself with the Simple he 9
beats anp' P'e Wo
wanted but a few minutes ot
lime , next day, when the colonel CO..
ms compact little yalise. his facaa ~ o,i
NNn happy good-nature. sannterea pea "a.
uowh TO where the big engine S,a 40
down the road. W Hs
"''st leave just at this time - !,
cry important bu