The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-05


Of course the incident was som the tall
OF our quiet village, and even old, gray
headed Job johnson, the lawyer with whom
| was studying, perpetrated joke upon tn,
occasion, thing unheard of before in tn,
annals of c.
49, SIR" said he as | entered the Office
the next morning after the adventure, "you
have eclipscd old Isaac Walton:"
"How, sir: What do you mean:"
stammeftd.
"Why, sir!" and his face wore the near
est approach to smile ever saw upon it
Why, Sir, you have been fishing, L hear
and caught a-mermaid!" !"
After this Miss Grey and Of course be
came well acquainted, and if we did not per
fectly, it was no fault of mine; for on all
suitable occasions | was by her side. A
change about this time alse in my pros
poets, made me sometimes dare hope that
she might some day become nearer and
dearer to me, than a friend, and il it was q
day thought and night dream then, | am faI
from ashamed of it no7o.
JOB johnson, my kind, though austere tu.
tor, was gathered to his fathers. Gray
headed, old anc somewhat feeble, he bowed
without murmur to the summons Of the
destroyer, and was laid 10 rest by the side
Of those he had loved, and who had gone
but 4 little while before him, to brighter
realms beyond the swiftly rolling river ot
death. At the same time bis executor and
successor, | found myself (ior had been
admitted and hung out my gaudily painted
shing!cD with plenty to occupy my time,
without giving a thought 70 the fslreT por-
ton Of creation. Yet there were hours
when q fairy form would come before me
and my paper, putting at once to flight all
the grave maxims of my Lord Coke.
| WAS seated one bright morning in my
somewhat lonely den, dor what young bach.
elor lawyers office was ever anything else ?
with my feet elevated upon the desk, and
gravely ponder;ng over somewhat intricate
point, when heard gentle knock upon my
door Used only 10 the unceremonious en-
trance Of rough clients, sprang to open il
and ushered in fair visitor.
- Miss Grey
"Mr Brown were the cIcamation-
that sprang simultaneously from our lips. -
Excusing, as wei! a. could, the disordered
state Of my ofics and Offering her the best
chair | was the owner OF, | requested insor-
nation as TO the reason OF such an uaex-
Eected and welcome visit.
- Profe ssioHal entirely, assure you, re-
Piled she with :. smile.
Professional: VIVA: could Lille Grey
have t. DO with Jaw: was the thought that
itted through my brain. y soon would /
have expected 10 have been sent upon 4 di-
ploma.ic mission to the Canuibal is!suds -
But concealing as wei as | could my sur
prise, replied
My time and services are entirely al
your disposal"
at j. customary believe, Nj Brown, to
alyance wha, | think YOU call retaining
fee and she held her Gainti!y wove purs,
towards me.
Soletimes-yes-u | st2umered
bu; from you cannot receive a !ee-ar
least not now" and my natural impudenct
returning continued, = some day Will ash
you for it. and hope no, to be refused"
thought b.ush de-pened tie roses or
her checks. but | might have been mistaken
Yet was confident that she misunderstood
me, and FASTENED to put her at ease by ex-
planning that the fee should ask vas simply
one OF the pictures that graced her room
Sle vas evidently relieved, and | saw a
ouce that she had oYiued that in.ended Il
be boider and ask for her own dear self
Confidence thus being established between
US, was not long in becomiB. possessed o!
graSping, ayariciouS guardian, and helples:
orphan, left at an early age 10 the cold cha
rites OF THIS m0ucy loving world. Still i
was a web cunningly devised to rob her o
the little her father had died possessed Of
and required both time and caution to unra
vel. Assuring ler that Al, ! could do sh u,t
be done, and giving her all the hope
dared, we parted, and | set myself at once K
work in the matter.
The village where her father died was no
very far distant, and as had an old frienc
and fellow student there, thought coaiC
so without being suspected, and in u fer
moments was on my way. Riding directly
up to his office, fastened my horse and en-
tered without ceremony
Hello, Tom, what in the name OF good
meas sent you here was the salutatiou re
c,ived from somewhat secdy locking indi
vidual, lazly seated in huge arm chair an,
smoking a bvgrimmed pipe.
Merely to see you and for exercise, va
my cautious reply, for saw several Of tn
genus usually deuoninated loafers" about
"W-ell, take chair, old fellew. How ar
old Blackstone, Chitty. Coke, and the rest .
the old vagabondS p
Well, as far as | am concerned. An,
how do vol get along?"
"S.owly, slowly, Tom. \ half 4 dozeI
cases on the docket, and not single ont
prepared. The fact is. I'm tired of this drI
work, and mean to cut it dead. But, Tom
now YOU are here, | want to consult yol
about point with regard TO the admSsibi
ty of testimony before the Probate" and
turning, lie somewhat hastily cleared the of
ticc, and ushered ne into his - 'sanctun
sanc.Orum," anC as near as | ever ascertain
ed. the point he wished to have me elucidat,
was hid in a black bottle and its "admiSsi
blity' was fairly proved after the fashier
that old Meg Merrilles recommended to Do
mimic Sampson, namely, Gap, Sinner, ant
swallow :"
"Tom," said |, after we had drank guam
tun syt, "do you know old Griffin s'
know him The most Internal oil
scape grace that ever drank water from
spring"
as he rich?"
CAS- mud, and too stingy to breathe 70
fear he will lose something"
Has he any relations?"
"No near ones that know of. But h.
has ward, and as far as know he has dri
ven her of, and kept the little property hel
poor father left"
"W no is she ?"
"Well, let me see. Her name believe il
Grey-Lillie Grey they used to call her, ant
a very pretty little girl she was"
"Is 'od Griffin as you call kim, ellen
of yours -
"Cient? The devil is the only counsello
he ever had"
"Then want your help" and briefly re
. lated the facts had gathered from Lille
When had concluded, | asked him if h
would assist me.
"Hand and glove, my dear fellow" wa
the reply, and he pushed the bottle over t
me, re-lt his pipe, and smoked for som
time in silence. At length, however, h
. broke forth
"D;ck, the old devil ITom did not stop t
| choose words when his temper was up, as
plainly saw it was now, is as sly as a fox
and as avaricious as old Shyleck; but
think we can oat-wit him, if We manage tn