Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-11-24
from Temple Bar.
e WEEDS BEFORE WIDOWHoOD.'

About thirty years ago. in one Of the prin-
cipal streets in a fourishing seaport town,
there lived an honest, thriving lawyer. Cad
jectives," observed the late Lindley Murray,
express the quality of a noun - ana in US
ing the above terms with reference to the
attorney in question: am adhering strictly
TO the truth, however contradictory it may
appear. Thriving he certainly was for in
those days there were but three members of
the legal profession in P; and you will
be no less certain of his honesty when | tell
you that even his two rivals spoke well OF
him. Well, he was sitting one day over a
dry and embarrassing brief in his front office,
while his redhaired clerk, Mr. Sloper, was
employed in an adjoining room copying gil
gantic indenture, which looked like letter
from Brobdignag. The afternoon was hot and
dusty. Mr.. Crumstone had lunched about an
hour ago, and an odor of brown sherry and
ham sandwiches diffused itself over the room,
and blended strangely with that usual aroma
of sour ink and melted sealing wax, which
chiefly prevails in a solicitors office The
bluebottles, attracted by the remnants of the
rcpast, buzzed impertinently through the
open window, and lowered round the chair
and bald pate of the attorney, who, from time
to time made feeble and irresolute attacks
upon them with a paper knife.
Mr.. Crumstone looked at his watch it was
not three O'clock never in the course of his
legal experience had an afternoon passed so
slowly. lie looked out of d scratch in the
officially frosted window pane. Never had
he wished so much for some une expected Incl
dent to break the mOnotOny of routine. He
glanced down again at his papers. Never
had the word {" brief" appeared to him such
cruel missioner .-.--=
Suddenly the distant chatter of horses
trot broke upon his ear followed by the roll
of wheels. Mr.. Crumstone sighed.
AL" Thought he, another excursion in
TO the country! Everybody is away now I!
Why can't | enjoy myself? Why am not
this moment like Tityeus, w. ~
s-Recumbans sub tcg'-ho-stegmtne fagi?''
instead of sitting in this dusty, fusty Office +?
Confound this bre-"
He stopped short and listened. While lie
had been indulging in the above soiloquy,
the hackney-coach (there were 10 cabs in
those days. had rolled nearer and nearer and
at last drew up before the office door. Mr.
Crumstonc had Just time to warn his clerk
(who, in consideration Of the heat, had di
vested himself of his swallow-taIed coat, and
was sitting in his sirt-secvcs), when the
driver of the vehicle dismountcd, and, open
ing the carriage-door, helped out lady at
tired in deep mourning, with Il thick Grape
veil over her features. Mr. Sloper rushed to
meet her After a short parlcy in the pas.
sage, he entered the front office with a pecu-
liar expression on his sharp, feTet-lke fea-
lures.
"What is it, Sloper?" said the attorney.
Cant quite make it out, sir" said the
clerk. "Mysterious case-deep grief-wants
private interview, sir-muSt see Mr., Crum-
StpTp dramatically sir Shn saws
"Well, but give me an idea of the sort Of
thing" said the attorney. is it breach
case, dye think ?"
Mr.. Sloper shook his head knowingly.
Or, perhaps" suggested the attorney with
benevolent wink, :" a separation"
Hardly, sir, l think. She's in weeds"
At this juncture, an impatient shutting
movement was heard outside.
Well, show her in" said Mr. Crumstone
The clerk had turned round to do so, when
The door opened and the lady herself appear
ed. Mr. Crumstone rose and bowed The
clerk placed a chair for her am then re-
tired
Permit me, madam" begin Mr.. Crum-
stone But he was interrupted by convul-
sive sobs. =" God bless me ?, said the good
attorney, approaching his new Client who
had by this time raised her veil and discov-
cred countenance to which some fifty years
summers had lent their charms, now suffused
with tears; God bless me | had no idea
that-dear me-here !-Sloper, bring in the
brown sherry! Pray-pray compose your
self, my dear madam"
"Oh, sir y CALCULATED the lady; "oh, sir,
/"
Here her feelings again overcame her, and
she sank back Historically in her chair
g Pray take glass of this madam" said
Mr. Crumstone pouring out some OF the ident-
icai wine which had just qualified his lunch
con, :" GU will find it frst-rate cordial: let
me entreat you, my dear madam, to calm
your feelings, and if possible, to-to take
biscuit"
The lady raised the sherry to her lips, wip-
ed her mouth dried her eyes, looked CRATE
fully at the attorney, and then proceeded
ooh sir, you behold one of the most in
ficted women"
Eth? beg your pardon, maam," broke
in the attorney; /" did you sa
you will allow me, prefer. the expression, :"
said the lady. -s =
Certainly, ma'am " said Mr.. Grumstone,
mentally making a note Of the &C. rection.
"You remember, sir poor Cait-Capt-
Captain Halyard, who died at the backward
last week ?" @'~
Perfectly well ma'am and ver5 estima-
bic person and gallant officer he was Died
after short illness, universally beIured and
regretted, pursued she attorney, drawing
= largely from the recent eulogistic notice Of
the deceased captain in the p s5serqer
ooh, my dear sir" said the lady, with a
fresh burst of tears, off his friends regret
him so much, judge what must be the feelings
g. of his po-poor DISTRACTED wife !" -
s His wife, ma'amw c2ied the attorney
Why, my good lady, he never had any. He
lived and died a bachelor; he"
"oh, [ thought you would say so ~ reioin-
ed his visitor $50 everybody says, that's the
most miserable part of it, so everybody
thinks, and no wonder too, considering that
he never acknowledged me-"
s :. You ma'am, said Crumstone,. aghast :;
g why you don mean to tell me that-stop "
Ut flashed across him that the woman was in
sane. He had a peculiar dread of lunatics
Supposing she were to attack him with the
ruler? itrlay dangerously her-horrible
thoughtf1 Heswas just about to summon his
clerk, under pretence OF sending for more
!. sherry, when his afflicted client said :
well, sir, if you can't take the word of a
poor injured widow, perhaps this will con-
vince you.
And she drew from her retieule dirty
dog-eared piece of paper, and gave it to the
attorney