Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-08-31

went almost every day to the village to school
and to see his father
1t was in the month of June; twas abou
six in the afternoon, and the stranger was JUS
bidding them good bye, when the little dog
gain gave the signal of alarm, and stranger
appeared at full gallop, making down the patti
! from the highway He rode up to the door
| dismounted, and rushed into the hut before The
other had scarcely left the Threshold, witt
how are you, madam, by Cd I've found YOU
at last-tracked you to your den-and you
Miss, how are you-whatl catched beau II
your trap already? pretty crafty, egad Well
ladies, I've brought my suit, made my declara-
ton, and want you to plead lit, or suffer judg-
ment to 80 against you 10y default. Ior
have had one Judgment and execution, sir, anc
what do you want of another?" said the old wo-
man, with look of Indignation, that would
have silenced any but coxcomb. " | want
Judgment from you, not against you, IN favor
of myself, not my client-so that | can have an
execution against you, to take the body, MADAME
we LAWYERS call it a ca Sa." I" Is the lady a
Judge, then, and is her daughter debtor to you
sir?" said the first gentleman to Mr.. living
ham, who yet halted at the door. Chow, sir,
said the lawyer, are they then your clients
and YOU retained to defend their cause? If so
perhaps little Gaming would be the best ar
gument that could use" " You cane me, sir
said the gentleman, his black eyes flashing fury
and at the same moment seizng the lawyer by
the collar, dragged him sprawling out of the
door, and shook him till he cried murder, which
called two gentlemen, just riding by towards
the village, to his assistance. The stranger let
him up, however, before they arrived.
"YOu have committed an assault and bat
terry" said the lawyer, "and will have YOU
arrested Immediately and put to Jail. Here
are two men who will be witnesses" The old
lady and her daughter had by this time come
out, and told their story, that the lawyer was
the aggressor "You vii wear him clear then,
will you? but remember 1 have the old man in
my clutches, and will be revenged on him for
your conduct" "Villain," said the stranger,
"set that man at liberty instantly, and III pay
the debt. How much is it?" "lt was origi-
nally only thousand dollars, but the interest
and costs have sweled the amount to twenty
four hundred, which is more money than you
can pay, | fancy, Mr. -, and besides this,
YOU have got to pay me heavy damages for this
assault. or suffer the penalty of the law imme-
diately." How much do you demand for your
personal damages?" Zone hundred dollars. "
. And will you pledge yourself thonor you hsvo
none) that you will not prosecute IN behalf OF
the people, if l pay You this sum?' " That
cannot promise, as | am not states attorney,
but / will promise not to complain" But
will YOU promise to indemnify me against any
complaint that may be made?" "As far as
can" "Well, sir | shall not pay you one DOL
lar, and you may prosecute as soon as you
please. As to Mr.. Thompson's debt, it i 50
much larger by your account, than had anti
cipated, that shall not pay you the money at
present" "a very good come of, indeed, and
one of the best reasons in the world, you can
not pay the money, as thought at firSt-6ut
III plague you for your insOlence-remember
that you said you would pay Thompson's debt,
and now III have you in for it'll prosecute
you on the promise" Really, sir, you are
quite full of prosecutions-but remember that
the promises of third person, to pay the debt
of another, are void, under the statute of frauds
unless in writing, and for a valuable cOnsidera-
ton" "Why, sir, are you lawyer, then? but
shall let you know that you are mistaken" "
Looks rather confounded.
"Good evening"" says the stranger to the
ladies, and walks towards his horse. 81 COM
mand assistance, (says the lawyer to the men
before mentioned, seize that man in the name Of
the people" They sprung to seize him, and
he laid them both sprawling in an instant,
leaped on his horse, and was out of sight in
second.
"WeIl have him yet, says the lawyer to his
half stunned coadjutors-" here is five dollars
a piece for you-he is only going to the red
mills, and will be back this way to the village
sometime after dark-go with me and lay in
wait for him in the woods between this and the
village" ave WILL" answered they, "and
we'll have him yet, but he is terribly strong
a keen, arch fellow, too" says the lawyer, ga
robber, no doubt-a highwayman-I wonder
if he has pistols2" 81 dare say he has" says
one. "We'll go to the village first, " say they,
"and get some muskets, and some more help,
and 90 in search of him, or way-lay him-for
he's a robber no doubt-the people here know
nothing about him." As likely as not there
is reward for him now in the papers" says
our lawyer, it appears to me that saw an
advertisement describing very much such a
man; but at any rate we'll make him fast for
the present" They mount their horses and go
off towards the village. 1t now began to grow
dark.