Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-03-08
NJ is CT ELLA N Y.
rrom the Ns~ Yotk Leader.
ROMANCE OF THE BAR.
ny v,Il,.r LYNN rrpn.lt.

ROMANCE OF THE BAR.
Br WILLIAM LYNN rrpsALL.
In the course ofs long practice have
found that my sympa,bics were never %
easily excited - In bshalfof helpless old sgc
in the person Of woman under the heel Of on.
preston OF In the inniction of wrong !: and
never were they more active than In the aid
Of Margaret Morgan. tho wife Of . prosper.
ou- Pearl Stree, Merchant, by whom she
had been % oitsn abused, and her lifc %
often threatened that she was obliged to Gy
IRON his presence in the dead OF the night,
and SEEK safety and shelter In the house OF
q neighbor. and re,irc~s at the hands OF the
nearest magistrate. Something OF this
treatment had been surmiscd in the circles
which they had foruerly frrqucn.ed, aud
somo strange suspicious were entertained
when the wife suddenly disappeared from
society. and graccd IL no moro with her &C
ccptablc presence, but except in solitary
whispers these things had never been alu.
ded to, ~ highly wa. the merchant respect
ed by those who worship mammon, and 90
careful WAS b., heart broken wife to conceal
all her sorow' AMI suGcrinss. but no
sooner had she abandoned her home. than
Dame Rumor few iron house TO house.
and put in circulation all sorts OF stories.
chiefly pr-iudieial TO the injured wife. and
it~a. not until unravelled the mystery.
,ha, the truth was known and the commu.
nifty convinced.
AZ an early hour the second day after.
wards. Mr.. Natalie. the gentleman with
whom Mrs. Morgan had taken refuge called
a, my oGce door. and placing one Zoo, on
the sill. while tho other remained on the
step below. 10 be ready, it seemed. TO enter
or retreat. according to my reply, abruptly
inquired, 4" Are YOU Carville7"
There was something 10 the oG.hand msn.
ner OF the man ,ha, di'plca'cd me, and I
was .,rouSly inclined to answer him as I
thought he deserved. bu, !, occurred 10 ne.
in time. tha, no nigh, Be in search Of legal
assistance. and the improper word. q, the
end Of ny tongue were quickly forced back
into my guile, and swallowed.
lie was a man Of plain exterior. aud rath.
sr bruslue in his manners tut he had q
tne manly coun,enapcs--an honest eIpres.
sion-an air OF despatch in his altitude
enough to indicate worthy purpO'e' and
I alierward. found him to no q merchant.
in the same line OF trade /. Morgan, Of cub
stantial business habits and .,r,e, integrity.
"ic-. air." replied N length. as I
should have done at once, with compliance.
my name ., Carville-Charlcs Car,ille. -
And asked him TO enter aud be seated.
lie promptly accepted my invitation,
doa,d his hat, crossed his les.. and 81, com.
pletely n, his cas-, bu, his mode Of bust
ne-- was not In the icas, changed ny my
civili,y. Ia the abrup, manner already
mentioned, be Proceeded to ay:
Z" am come for another 10 retain your
professional services but before enter up
on the particulars OF the cAss, allow me TO
siate one fact. that there may may be no
misunderstanding between US. The person
in whose behalf I am TO -olici, your a..is.
tance, is an old woman, At present without
even the means oi subsistence. Arc you
willing 10 accept such client, and To u-c
the same industry and energy to procure the
justice which she deserves, as il you were
certain Of liberal fee when your labor wa.
performed ?"
lwas not prepared TO say yes. for WAS
too poor TO labor for nothing; and | va.
afraid to say no, les, should not bs eu.
ployed. 81 I rcsort,d to evasion. which I
should no, have done had not supposed him
in some way interested.
"what concern have you in the issue =
inquired.
After his last words, !. required no time
for inc TO consider whether IL were better.
for the sake of justice aud an Old woman,
TO devote my time aud talents to u cau.e
that prouii.ed no immediate remuneration
| promptly expressed my willingness To join
him in the furtherance Of any such under
taking. and requested him TO proceed q,
onco with narrative Of the facts. But
shall not repeat them here in his words, for
they would not convey very satisfactory
account. fr his knowledge ofthem was con.
fined TO such as the sufferer had seen ft q
disclose. The important ones. as CLEANED
FROM other sources. and particularly ss dc.
,eloped on the trial that followed. may b,
contained in few paragraphs.
Margaret BentIy. the complainant, ws'
born in Bridgeport, Connecticut; at that
time prosperous village, bu, already CIV
ins promise Of its present magnitude. She
was the belle and b-auty Of the village and
among her attractions which were pei,hei
small nor few. was the handsome legacy ol
Q widowed aunt. whose idol and namesaks
she had been from the day Of her birth.
Nothing occurred to in,errupt tho even
tenor Of her life, until she entered upon bei
twentieth year; but during that summer
George Morgan, n young Eosli.hman, ol
handsome perscn and polished manners, IN.
eIpectedly appeared in the village. and for
. brief space reisncd tho undi'puted lord Of
fashion. To iail in lore with him tho gay
gallant. as he was not unirequentiy termed
by some Of the more thoughtful Inatrons-
vas the least Of Margsrct's intentions; bot
Morgan was shrewd and Wsr'. and by no