Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-08

love affairs. bethumbed the magazine he
had been reading and looked up.
We'll. she'll have dandy opportu-
nifty to prove her adroitness," said that
gentleman. "Vannys not the chap to
allow himself to be dictated to. He's
too much devotee at the shrine OF
independent bachelordom: not saying, of
course, that the right woman, at the
proper time, may not succeed in break
ing this steel-clad barrier. He's often
spoken Of it to me; decried the weak
mindedness of men who allow them
selves to be transported hither and yon
by the rbuffeting waves of Aphrodite's
sea- He calls it misguided reason and
silly sentimentalism Mary Trezevant,
from what know Of her. is not the girl
to conquer under such circumstances.
I've half mind to believe she wouldn't
try. either, since her mother and she
are so opposed to men who indulge their
appetite for an occasional brandy and
s.sda or a nip of warm Bourbon"
That may be true" interjected Phil
Pearson, a ruddy-fac chap. VINO. while
innately championing Vanny's cause,
had hitherto refrained from saying any
thing. With head bowed in his hands,
he had sat there for the last half hour.
DIS IL uLEuTtdtiAS a 6ACdl hSSi Al "ACol
or some new coup on the board of trade.
In truth. it was Van Zandts behavior
that concerned him most deeply, for
Vanny and he had long been kindred
spirits-chums from boyhood. So. when
Carlough finished his remarks, Phil's
ears were soon turned to catch all that
was said.
THAT may be So" he said, but as
for keeping promises, I'd pit the old fell
low against anyone in this club" Holly,
1--WE know how he likes his toddy, es-
pecially at such cold, clustering time
as this, but that doesn't weigh in the
balance against him-not with mel"
None of us is trying to pose as a
saint, my dear boy" mildly interposed
Carlough, you have placed a wrong
construction on what I have said. We
have a hit of the ancient spirit about
each Of us, when it comes to tempt
ing glass or pretty woman. and you
know that Vanny's no exception. In
his case, unlike the acid and the alkali,
however, one will not neutralize the
other; one must give way, and I'm
ready to vouch for his good sense"
Sound of familiar voice in the cor
ridOr announced the arrival Of the
much discussed Van Zandt. A kindly
word to the porter and a nod to friends
in the billiard room. off the hall. and
soon the young lawyer, with cheeks
aglow, strobe into the room, wherein
he would find his cronies. At sight of
him. there was a simultaneously whis-
pered greeting from each, but it was
plain that his entrance had caused a
lull in the conversation.
The possibility of losing one of the
brotherhood of Letheans. New Yorks
famous bachelor Organiza ton, after all
kinds of resolutions ;.c.,inst marriage
had been passed, was more than the
most stanch- hearted of them could
bear. A mental pail seemed to settle
over the little gathering. as if one OF
their number was already under the
power. He who brought the pervadins
| gloom, maintained a rigid silence, not
at all in keeping with his conduct
when. with glass to lips he was won,
to join in the chorus:
"He's a jolly good fellow,
He's a jolly good fellow,
He's jolly good fellow.
A jolly good fellow is he"
Then someone suggested the regular
nightly potation, which. for some strang'
reason, thus far had been overlooked
Prospects of that which was to follow
brought back the good cheer. and soOl
all were laughing and joking, conscious
only Of the joys Of cOmradeship