Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-11-11
Weeds Before Widowhood.

town, there lived an honest, thriving law
yer. Thriving he certainly was, for in
those days there we're but three mem
bers of h legal profession in P;
and you will be no 8 certain OF his
honesty when | el you that even his
two rivals spoke we'll Of him. Well, he
was sitting one day over dry and un-
interesting brief in his front office, while
his red.haired clerk, Mr.. Sloper wa S
employed in an adjoining room copying
gigantic indenture, which looked like
letter from Brobdignag. The afternoon
a hot a dusty. Mr.. Crumstone
had Iunched about an hour ago, n an
odor of brown sherry ham sand
wiches difiused itself over the room,and
blended strangely with that usual aroma
of S our ink and melted sealing-wax
hi h chiefly prevails in solicitors
office.
Mr.. Crumstone looked at his watch;
it was not yet three o'clock never in
the course of bis legal experience had an
afternoon passed so slowly. He looked
out of scratch in the officially-frosted
window pane. Never had he wished so
much for some unexpected incident
b r the monotony Of routine. He
glanced down & a i n at his papers,
Never had the word "briet" appeared to
him such cruel misnomer.
Suddenly the distant c after of
horses trot broke upon his ear, followed
by the roll of wheels. Mr. Crumstone
sighed.
"Ah" thought he, "anothsr excursion
into the country! Everybody is away
now. W y can't l enjoy myself P
Why am not / this moment, like Tit
yrus,
'-Recubans sub fty'-no teymine fagi ?
Instead of sitting in this dusty, fusty Of
fee F? Confound this brie-"
He stopped short d hesitated.-
While he had b indulging in the
above soliloquy, the hackney b
(there were no cabs in those days. had
rolled nearer and nearer, and at |
drew up before t h Office door. Mr..
Crumstone b d just time to warn his
clerk, (who, in consideration of the heat,
had divested himself of his swallow>tail-
ed coat, and was sitting in his shirt
sleeves,) when the driver Of the vehicle
dismounted, and, opening the carriage
door, helped out lady attlred in deep
mourning, with thick Grape veil over
b features. Mr.. Sloper rushed o
meet her. After a short parley in the
passage, he entered the front office with
a peculiar expression on his sharp, ferret
like features.
"What is it ?" said the attorney.
"Mysterious case-deep grief-wants a
private interview, sir--must Mr..
Crumstone Immediately, sir, she says"
"Well, but give me an idea Of the sort
of thing" i d the attorney. SIS it
breach case, dye think ?"
Mr.. Sloper shook his head knowingly.
"Or, perhaps" suggested the attorney,
with benevolent wink, "a separation"
"HardIy, sir. She's in !aoeeds.'
At this juncture, an impatient shuffiing
movement was heard outside.
"Well, show her in said Mr.. Crum>
stone.
The clerk had turned around to do so,
when the door opened, and the lady her.
self appeared. Mr.. Crumstone S e
and bowed. T h clerk placed chair
tor her, and then retired.
"Permit me, madam" "a Mr.
/ Cramstone. But he was interrupted by
convulsive sobs. "God bless me p said
the good attorney, approaching his client,
who had by this time raised her veil and
discovered countenance to which some
fifty years had f t their charms, now
suffused with tears. "God bless me
b d no idea that-dear me !-Sloper,
bring in the brown sherry Pray-pray
compose yourself, my dear madam"
"Oh, sir ~ calculated the lady, "oh sir !
l.
Here her feelings again overcame her,
and she sank back hysterically 10 her
chair.
"Pray take glass of this, madam"
said Mr.. Crumstone, pouring out some
Of the identical wine which b d Just
qualified his luncheon. "You'll find it
frst-rate cordial let me entreat you, my
dear madam, to calm your feelings, and,
if possible, TOTO take biscuit"
The lady raised the sherry to her lips,
wiped her mouth, dried her eyes, looked
gratefully at the attorney, and then pro-
ceeded.
'oh, sir you behold one of the most