The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-09-01
SELECTED STORIES.
A Case with a Lady in it.

A Case with a Lady in it.
I had lust taken possession of the worst
room in Diggs' tavern-l was ayounS Jaw
yer on my first circuit, and DigSs kept
his best accommodations for the old sta
gers-whcn the words, II say Bill" and
Tom Mansfield burst upon me at the same
instant.
Tom and had been cronies from the time
we committed our first juvenile trespass on
Deacon Boxley's watermelon patch, tlil we
afterwards studied the action OF that name
together in Judge Thompson's office
Il say, Bill, I've got case, and want you
to assist me in it."
"Ah!n said in consulting tone.
"a will case,n he continued, "full of the
incest kind of points, and the prettlest Wo-
man in the world for client J"
What about fees 2" inquired by way of
keeping up professional Appearances.
Hear the mercenary wretch!' he eX-
claimed. If we succeed there will be plen-
ty of money if we don't it will be noble
cause to fall in"
That's what they said of the dashing
young chap that broke his neck in trying to
make two-forty time with the chariot OF the
sun. but it didn't mend his neck"
"Confound your mythology; business is
business. Let me state the case"
"Well, state away" .....
This was it.
John Andrews had settled in the country
when it was young He had grown with its
growth, and was the proprietor OF half
dozen farms, and zone fair daughter, the
which he loved passing we'll"
His wife, the partner of the earliest and
scverest portion of his struggles, had died
many years before, and his daughter had be-
come the mistress of his house while yet
child . .---
As Effie increased in years, her father pros
pered; and when at length he found him
self the possessor of wealth, the ambition, so
common under such circumstances, of eleva-
ting his daughter to station in life above
that in which she had been reared became
a ruling passion. The first thing was to buy
her splendid education; and like other
not over good Judges of the article, he was
governed in his choice more by the gau d.
ness of the coloring than by the quality of
the texture.
At the end ofthe usual period, Effie was
sent home finished that is, in every re-
spect in which she could be, totally spoiled
In one thing only she remained the same :;
her love for her father had defied the power
even of fashionable education.
A house was purchased in town, of which
Effie was made the mistress, and at which
Mr.. Belden; 4 young gentleman of city an
tecedents, and far too nice to have anything
so vulgar as a visible calling, became fire.
quent and not unwelcome visitor. He had
Just brains enough to think of providing
for the future by scheme of which Miss
Andrews and her appurtenances constituted
the central feature. Accordingly he sighed
and lied and fawned and fattered, till Eff
fic's foolish little heart relented.
But one difficulty remained to be encount-
cred. How to coDciliate the rough old
woodsman-there was the rub. He had
permitted his daughter to amuse herself
with the young dandy, much as he would
have allowed her to play with monkey or
poodle. But could he have brought him.
self to tolerate the idea of her marrying any
body, yet awhile-for the possibility of such
a remote future contingency may have occa-
sionally suggested himself-Horace Belden
was about the last person on earth, in con-
nection with whom it would have been
entertained.
When that gentleman, therefore, reported
at headquarters, and implored the paternal
sanction of his suit, he received no such
thing; ION the contrary, quite the reverse
Indeed, he only escaped being kicked out of
doors, by speedy voluntary departure.
When Effie tried to talk her father over,
for the first time in his life, he flew into a
passion with her, and she dared not renew
the subject. '' -'
But Love, the little pagan, paws no respect
to the fifth commandment. The oficious in
reference of parents and guardians only
renders him the more impatient and unruly.
and the present instance was no exception.
Clandestine interviews were arranged acci.
dental meetings teok place at the houses of
mutual friends, till the whole ended in the
gentleman proposing an elopement.
Efie, after protesting she couldn't nossi.
bly, think OF such thing, and after many
vain attempts to conjecture what people
would say, at last, with graceful besitancv
consented. ~.
Rage, frenzy, despair, are weak words TO
describe the emotions of John Andrews
when he found his house had been rohbe5
of its chiefest treasura U;s e. -
was nursuit II was niobt 1vban - impulSe
occomnanied hv a trnotT soo - n' Ses oet
bSs ar,niov IA oons5o S.o''nlian, long IN
a,.I,,,a5 -. NJ 1870 as Tue TWO
5iaJ nrao;r;.s,; e"ss morse STUN
ond faII;n,i h. IL, ,,,so ,. !" tue GROUND,
-, ;.aor.!biN upon nini. ne was taken
~ au''nIioie, anu carried 10 the nearest
n .OuSo,d a a., pHy was calied, who pro-
nounoG tne " uiies OF most serious, il not
n'I a iatal character.
as SUN as consciousness returned he dis
paeoneu messenger lor nephew of his,
iam!eI VI nos yer! good repute, residing in
WI W{t oo III to"n. u. $3.50. -.
"neI III. jackson, the nephew arrived,
ne was ieiI aione with MS uncle, at the lat
!ef leques'. AT the end OF an hour the
uoctor was summoned, and requested BY
MI. ANDREWS TO note his signature to pa
per 70 winch ne tnen affixed his name, de-
clarlng 1t to be hls will, and asking the doc
Tor 10 SUBSCRIBE IL as witness, which was
zone. .-.
on his hepheWs suggesuon that another
witness was requisite, MIR. Andrews named
Macpherson the Scotchman, and requested
the doctor to send him in.
macpnerso1 II seems fao- pceu sent-on-
some errand, Ou1 as soon as ne returned, the
doctor communicated MI. Andrews mes
sage, and went himsen 70 attend SICK call
IN the nelgnDornoou, not oeemng ms pre-
sence there lmmeuisteiy necessary.