Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-06-02
MISCELLANY Y.
Balancing the Law with a
Grindstone.

A~OOASSAAOAAAo SO A@SW Wa I'LL
Grindstone.
Just on the outskirts Of fire old village
in the southwestern part Of New Hampshire
on what, before the building of railroads. was
the main road for teamsers from Vermont
through Nashua and Lowell to Boston. resi-
ded. in a very beautiful residence, distin-
gushed lawyer, who within few months
has paid the great debt of nature. Near his
mansion, under the shadow of compaov : f
ancestral elms and row Of stiff Lombardv
poplars. was his tidy, square, one-story, fat
rooted office. The tall genllemanly, silver.
haired Squire A. was no perIyfogger. IF
you solicited his opnion-you should be
prepared to pay for it. His charges were al
ways of the most respectable character. Now
Joe Clark was an honest, broad -shoudered
slx-footer, who, from the up-country had for
years, driven his fat, sleek, six horse team,
by lawyer AS, on his way to and from Bos-
ton, and often was the time, 10 the dusty days
OF midsummer, he had let bis team stop TO
breathe under lawyer AS nice shade, for Joe
was kind to his horses, while he and the civil
attorney chatted of the weather, the news
'up-country,' &C., at the little office door
One morning as Joe was assisting The hos
tier in hitching on his team at the tavern in
lawyer AS adjoining town, he did that
which he had rarely before done in his life,
accepted banter to swap horses. AS he
was whisting along by the side of his team
that morning, some 'law question in con-
nectlon with his swapping, started into being
in his mind, and though it was on point Of
little consequence, yet he resolved that when
he reached Sq1ire AS he would let his
team breathe for a minute, while he should
get the Squire's opinion. The few miles
were soon passed-the Squire found in his
otflce-the case stated-te opinion given by
the ulterance Of the single word YES AS a
polite way of taking leave, but without the
most distant thought of anything of The kind
being required Joe asked what was 10 paw !?
Five dollars, with ono of the Squire's bland
est smiles, was the reply. Without word
the money was paid. Joe continued for
months 10 travel that road, a thoughtful man.
How was he to get square with his old friend !?
One day. as he was approaching Nashua, he
met the Squire, who told him that he had
purchased grindstone for his farmers at a
certain store in Nashua, which was a fa-
nous store in those days, and he wished
him on his return from Boston, 10 call and
take his grindstono along with him. Joe
very readily acceded TO the request-and
never before had Joe Clark's team come into
Nashua in such sweat as they did that
morning. Without stopping 10 see that the
hOstler looked after their wants, he hurried to
the store, and rolling the purchased grind
stone through the premises into an out.of.
the-way -from-sight corner, and carefully COW
ering up the same, he left orders that on no
condition was that stone TO be delivered to
any other teamster.
The week came round, and Joe with
happier face than he had worn for months,
NoiSu iOi NCVcT uIu Il STIHGSlOUO
before fall SO pleasantly upon Joe's sight,
He lifted it to his wagon with the pleasure
that he would have tossed there one of his
white-headed boys. Through The eleven
miles of pine plain, that separated Nashua
from lawyer AS home, Joe's team went
that day with an unwonted speed. The old
gentleman, as the team came to halt soon
made his gentlemanIy and good-natured ap-
pearance. The stone was carefully rolled TO
the side of the fence-never was grindstone
handled more carelully-Joe almost seemed
to touch it with an air of affection. How
much 10 pay? graciousy asked the old law
yer. Five dollars was the cool response.
o, the freight, l wish TO pay you, Mr.. Clark !;
the stone paid for, at the time of purchase.
Five dollars, sir, is my charge for the freight
The money was paid without another word
and ever after Joe thought himself square
with the Squre-having balanced the Law
with Grindstone. -Biddeford Jour.