The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-06-22

ing on, delighted, and when the party
arose in body to propose for the sew
enteenth time the health of their prince
it was with difficulty that he refrained
from rising too.
At last, though, the frown Of the
waiter, impatient to clear his table for
newcomer from whom he might re-
ceive a more generous tip, convinced
him that it was time for him to leave,
which he did regretfully.
AS he paid his bill he looked back
over his shoulder at the crowd still
standing, still drinking, still hilariously
hurrahing, and said timidly to Beef
steak John, who behind his desk await
ed the advent of the moth eaten dollar
from the slender purse:
"They used to drink In that way to
me. In my own country" he added, Il
am marquis"
Beefsteak John clapped his largo
hand over his mouth to conceal the
laugh. When he took 1t away his face
was rigid, but as the marquis stumbled
up the stairs he leaned forward and
whispered hoarsely to the German
crowd:
''There goes Il marquis.'
But the marquis never once connect
| ed the guffaw of laughter which fol-
lowed him up the stairs from the crowd
of Germans who were so gayly engag-
ed in drinking stems Of beer to the
health of their prince with himself.
After that whenever the marquis ap-
peared in the doorway Beefsteak John
fastened to wave his hand in the d.
rection OF the waiter.
''The marGuis!' he was wont to ex-
claim. And the waiter, entering into
the Joke, made mad rush to attend to
his needs.
Beefsteak John was not without a
sense of humor. He relished the "jol-
ly'' that the marquis was giving him.
He amused himself with 1t. The mar
quis was duly pointed out to each new.
conner as an honored patron of the
house, and such history as he could
take time to manufacture was dished
up to them along with the pate de foie
gras. He had castles in the old coun'
try. He was possessed Of vast riches
1t was only his eccentricity which
caused him to run secondhand shop
full of dust laden antiquities In Anr
street. A little touched he might be
no doubt was, but harmless and aristo
cratic, as one could readily see, will
his gentle ways and his delicate fea
lures, yellow and immobile as any ole
carved curio to be found in his own es
tablishment.
Indeed, 1t was absolutely necesSar.
to invent fiction in his case, for afte
that first e5ullition Of feeling which
had carried him away to the exten
of revealing his identity the marqui
had not seen fit to reveal anything fur
ther.
Beefsteak John eventually became .
interested In the joke that had beel
sprung upon him that he caused
brand of cigars to be issued and sol
from his desk which he called afte
the marquis. ''The Marquis Brand"
This brand sprang into instantaneou
popularity among the hdbstues OF tn
| place. Whenever the marquis sat q
his little table Of the white napkin an
cloth the cigars sold with even MOI
d rapidity. for Beefsteak John. with a
r ohsequiols bow. pointed him out as
t passed the box, then turned his broa
n back to conceal his laughter as I'll
o marquis. smiling his slow and gent
n smile. returned the bow as one to II
Y manner born and accustomed to adui
J. ton
Then it came to pass that amor
= those human ants that swarm alor
v tie old network paths Of the low
e town, going each and every one :
le sistlessly. restlessly, relentiessly towal
= the selfsamc Identical goal. one al
dropped out
le Beefsteak John began all at once
,r miss the marquis. He came no mo
It down the brassy steps to Sit At the