The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-07-04


The city editor of the Chicago paper
sent me down to Stanchield, a dis
tance of forty miles, to write a funny
story about a misfortune which had
befallen one OF the best men In the
state Of Illinois. His name vas Samuel
Brandon, and ne was now far and
wide as a genuine American. a man
whom great wealth had not spoiled, III
every way broad minded and thorough
ly democratic in the best sense OF the
word.
The joke was thai Mr.. Brandon's only
daughter had recently become engaged
to a titled Briton, Lord Colewyn, whom
malicious fate had sent to the little city
Of S~tanchfleld. This was a source of
was a born aristocrat, and OF deep cha
grin to her husband, whose patriotism
was intense.
To add to the humor of the situation,
Lord Colewyn was to be a guest of the
Brandons IN the Fourth of July. Upon
this day Mr.. Brandon always threw op-
IN his spledid estate to the populace
and gave his fellow citizens such an
entertainment as spared the city all eX-
pense for a celebration. 1t was Mr..
Brandon's one day in the year; upon
the other 1854 Mrs: Brandon ruled the
OGIilGSll6 III d ldSIllOIl Highly eACluSINS.-
I agreed with the city editor that his
affair partook of the nature of a jest.
The sense of humor dawned upon the
world When one of Jul monkey ances-
tors pushed another off the limb of a
tree and was amused to see hin light
upon his head instead of on his feet,
n fun has not changed much in the
intervening millions OF years.
An early train took me to Stanch-
field. where my friend Tom Mason met
me at the depot. He was employed in
Mr.. Brandon's bank. and I depended
upon him for such of the facts as were
really common property and might be
told without inde1icacy. Indeed, Tom
had already given me some Of them in
a queer letter written about the time
Of the announcement of the engage
ment, in the middle Of June. He SEEM
ed to suffer for Mr.. Brandon. whom he
greatly admired, and to expect me to
sympathize fully.
In company with my friend I went to
the Stanchf1eld hotel for a bit of break
fast. AS o as we entered the dining
room my attention was attracted by a
a gentleman's gentleman. He was SUI
perinten6ing two walters in the ar
rangenent OF q table, the most favor
ably situated Of all in the room, for 1t
was on a dais In a corner and was al
most surrounded by open windows
" SSAS" w ~ SdACls odlO i J.
Ills lordship evidently intends to
breakfast In public this morning 81
why isn't he at the Brandons'?" I
asked
He doesn't want to crowd the old
gentleman too hard, 1 guess" replied
Tom. My lord is not such a fool as he
looks"
MIR. Brandon really takes this to
heart, chr" said L.
Joe he?" said Tom, with most ex-
pressive emphasis, "and yet he's such
a thoroughbred; absolutely a man Of
principle! He believes that a mother
is the natural n proper guardian Of
her daughter. In this matter he has
advised his wife. but he would never
attempt to control her. Toward Lord
Colewyn he is strictly just. He'll be a
model father-in-law in every way.
Including the pecuniary way"
said I.
Tom smiled bitterly.
AS to that" said he, 'let me tell you
a story-not for publication, of course,
for we are keeping 1t quiet. His lord
ship a about $1,000 in Mr.. Brandon's
bank. One day last week a man pre-
sented a check to me as paying teller
at the bank for $4,000, drawn by Cole
wyn to his own n-der and indorsed by
him. Signature and Endorsement looked
all right, and I took the man to be that
funky over there, who had cashed one
or two similar checks for small
amounts. It appears that the check
was a forgery and that Bitters, as Cole
Wyn is pleased to call his valet, was
1-mpersonated by a swindler who had
had q room In this hotel next to nv
lords for about a week and has now
skipped for parts unknown. / could
have sworn that the man was Bitters.
but he wasn't, because Bitters was at
the Brandon place at the time."
Who says SOP" I demanded.
Everybody" answered Tom gloom
Ivy, Miss Brandon among the lumber
Bitters was undoubtedly there with his
master. And it was on ne, of course.
! ought to nave lost my Job. But Sam
Brandon is 1t priisce. He instantly made
good Colewyn's loss and lighted a cigar
with my resignation, and the whole af-
fair Is dead except that a detective is
secretly chasing the %swindler."
As l was about to ask a question Lord
Colewyn entered the dining room, and
at the sight of him I laughed. A mo-
ment later ! began to be surprised that
ne should have APPEALED to me in that
way. He was a big, blond E~nglishman,
naturally rather good looking-indeed,
he night be called handsome. But he
was the absolute ideal OF self compla-
cency. In costume, carriage, express
sion. everything to the minutest detail,
he was entirely beyond criticism as the
representative of a type of character.
The picture of self satisfaction was so
J perfect that it eyea transcribed nature,