Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1905-08-17

~~~e~Aee~
interested In the joke that had been
sprung upon him that he caused a
brand Of cigars to be issued and sold
from his desk which he called after
the marquis, 1.-THE Marquis Brand"
This brand sprang into instantaneous
popularity among the habitues of the
place. Whenever the marquis sat at
his little table Of the white napkin and
cloth the cigars sold with even more
rapidity. for Beefsteak John. with an
obsequious bow, pointed him out as he
passed the box, then turned his broad
back to conceal his laughter as the
marquis. smiling his slow and gentle
smile, returned the bow as one to the
manner born and accustomed to adula-
ton.
Then it came to pass that among
those human ants that swarm along
the old network paths of the lower
town, going each and every one re-
sistlessly. restlessly, relentlessly toward
the selfsame Identical goal, one ant
dropped out.
Beefsteak John began all at once to
miss the marquis. He came no more
down the brassy steps to sit at the it,
tie taaie' Of the white cloth and bow in
answer to his irony, for he had reached
the goal.
Beefsteak John sent waiter to ques-
ton as to his whereabouts.
The waiter found the door Of the
dusty shop closed, the shelves empty.
Hh0 0cho
the square of light from the DINNER
back window which looked dinghy
through.
"Deadw frowned Beefsteak John.
'But how and when, and who saw to
his burisl?" Then why" he burst
out, didn't they let us know?"
But how could they, whoever they
were-those theys who break open lock-
ed doors to find the dead lying quietly
Within who were strangers perhaps,
who Oftenest are-know of Beefsteak
John and his restaurant and his heart,
which was large in spite of the fact
that he must have his little fun over
those WHO pretended, though ever 50
timidly. that they were what they were
not?
1.-THE marquis is dead" said Beef
steak John that night, and, with
great sigh, passed a box of Tile Mar
quis Brand to be smoked to his mem
DRY.
He was the talk Of week, not more,
and the marquis was numbered among
those who are forgotten.
- "a.
happened in the winter time, when the
snow was on the pavement and on the
slippery brass steps going down into
the restaurant-a carriage stopped at
the door, and a girl alighted.
Beefsteak John looked out wonder
ingly. SO did the walters. So did
those who happened just then to be
taking their lunch inside.
She was beautiful girl, most dain-
tily dressed in filmy black. A thin,
soft black veil half revealed, half hid,
the rose of her complexion.
She came lightly down the steps and
stood at the desk. 81 want to see,"
she began in girlish treble that trem-
bled a little, 1.-The Marquis Brand of
cigars l am told you have here
Beefsteak John, wondering still more
that beautiful, dainty girl should ask
to see brand Of cigars, brought forth
box and. opening it, handed it to her
She held it in her hand. A tear rose
to the blue eye and fell
''It is my father she explained
"who was the marquis. He kept me at
school in France while he came to New
York to recuperate his lost fortunes.
He lost his castles In France, you
know"
No, Beefsteak John did not know, but
he bowed courteous assent to this
charming girl, as he would have done
had she said she had just dropped out
of the moon and was on her way back
again.
"He wrote me Of this honor you had
done him." she faltered on, "and so
have come to thank you for your kind
ness and to ask you to let me shake
you by the hand.'
With that, after ordering a few thou
sand boxes of The Marquis Brand to
be sent to her home in France for her
fathers friends, she f1uttered up the
steps into her carriage, and Beefsteak
John, holding out the precious hand
she had taken between her two little
ones as if he fain would have done it
up in paper to keep 1T from contamina-
ton. cried. 81 wish l had Known
then repeated, with tempestuous sigh
that was like sob, 81 wish I had
known