Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-08-30
THE POOR LAWYER.

N-' ''ooNs NO ShtittbS SlOI1 wa
we'll termed by the edi,ot "a species u
MounIjoy Of the Wes,," for the lovers O
Ralph Ringwood are scarcely less pratt
cal than those Of Mountjoy himself
Here is the first introduction TO tn
lovely maiden who was to have s.
great an influence on his after life:
81 had taken my breakfast and wa
waiting for my horse, in passing up an,
down the piazza, saw a young .ir
seated near The window, evidently
visitor. She was very pretty, with au
burn hair and blue eyes, and was dfes
sed IN white. | had seen nothing of th
kind since had left .Richmond; at ,ha
time | was too much Of boy 70 b.
struck by !cmalc beauty. She was 81
delicate and dainty looking, so dilleren
from the hale, buxom brown girls of thu
woods-and then her white dress it wa
so dazzling! Never was a poor you'll
so taken by surprise, and suddenly be
witched. My heart ycarncd to know
her, but how was to accost her! hat
grown wild in the wools, and had none
of the habi'udes Of polite life. Ha,
she been like Peggy Puse, or Sally Pig
man, or any ofmy lcalhernhressed bellies
of the pigeon rooSts, | shoull have ap
preached her without dread: nay, ha,
she been as fair as Shurl's daughters will
their looking. lass locke,s, | should no
have hesitatcd; bn, that white dress, an,
those auburn ringlels, and blue eyes AM
delicate looks. quite daunted while the!
fascinated me. don't know wha, pu
it in my head, but | thought all at one,
would kiss her! Ii would take lon!
acquaintance to arrive at such boor
but might seize upon it by sheer rob
berry. Nobody knew me here, | woulc
jus, step in and snatch a kiss, .moun
my horse and ride off, She would no
be the worse for it; and that kiss-oh
shr uld die if d,d not obtain it.
gave no time for thought to cool
hut entered the house ana stepped light
ly into the room. She was seated with
her back::lo the door, looking ou, Of the
window, and did not hear my approach
lappedhcr chair, and as she turned and
looked up, snalcbed as sweet kiss as
ever was stolen, and | vanished in a
twinkling. The next moment was OF
horseback, galIoping homeward. my
very heart ,ingling at what had done
After variety Of amusing adventures
Ringwood attempts the study of law, in
an obscure settlement in Kentucky del,
wing night and day. Ralph pursucs his
stulies, occasionally argues at deba'
ting society, and at lens,h becomes
quite genius, and favoritc in the
eyes Of the married Indies oflhe village.
lcallcd TO take tea one evening with
one Of those ladies, when, 10 my sur
prise, and somewhat to my confusion,
found with her the identical blue eyed
beauty whom | had audaciously kissed.
was formally introduced TO her, but
neither of us betrayed any sign Of pre-
vious acquaintance, except by blushns
to the eyes. While tea was getting rea.
dy, the lady Of the house went out Of the
room to give some directions, and left us
alone.
Heavens and earth, what situation!
would have given all the pitlance |
was worth, TO have fbaDn in the deepest
dell in the forest. | felt the necessity
Of saying something in excuse for my
former ruIcness. could not conjure
up an idea, nor utter word. Every
minute made matters worse. i felt, at
one time tempted to do as had done
when had robbed her Of the kiss bolt
from the room, and take to flight; but |
was chained to the spot, for ! really
longed 10 gain her good will.
At length plucked up courage with
myself and walking to her, exclaimed
81 have been trying to muster some
thing to say to you but can not.
feel tha, am in a horrible scrape. Do
have pity on Inc and help me out OF it?'
A smile dimpled about her mouth and
played among the bushes on her cheek.
She looked up with sly but arch g anco
Of the eye, that expressed volume OF
comic recolleclions; we both broke in
to laugh, and from that moment all
went on we'll.
Passing the delightful description Of
what srcceeded, we proceed to the de.
nouement Of Ringwood's love afair--the
marriage and the settlement.
"That very autumn | was admitted to
the bar, and a month afterward was
married. We were young couple, she
not much more than sixteen, and not
twenty, and both almost without dol.
lar in the world. The establishment
was we'll suited to our circumsta noes; a
low house with two small rooms, bed
q table, q half dozen Of chairs, half.
dozen knives and forks, half.dozen
spoons-every thing by the half dozen,
we were so poor; but then so happy. 8,
We.had not been married many days
when q court was held in a country
town, about twenty five miles distant
|. was necess snry for nae to go there, to
put myself ia the way Of ousiness-but
how was l to 60! l had expended all
my means on our establishment, and
then it was hard parting with my wife 50
soon after marriage. However, 80 ]