The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-03-17

tering of his teeth being distinctly audible
until he reached the street.
Ferret was COMPOUNDED.
well, sir, pretty fool you've made Of
yourself, John Ferret" said his hclpmate
.Look after Brown! Look after yourself, J
think, sirD
"My dear, there is evidently some mis-
take" suggested Ferret.
Il beg your pardon, Mr.. Brown" said
Mango to that gentleman, and with whom
he had been conversing in corner. IL
was prepared to receive your statement as
truth, and wonld have acted upon it; but
when l find respectable practitioner like
Mr.. Ferret accuse You of burglary and de-
sertion of 20, + family, pause, sir-l
pause ~
Say, sir. what have to gain Z" asked
Brown. ''That watch which yOn recognise
was given to me by your nephew, William
Chnbb."
"His nephew" exclaimed Mr.. and Mrs.
"With this WILL continued Brown,
showing a legal-looking packet, "bequeath-
ing his claims upon you"
"Ten thousand pounds" said Mango. Il
acknowledge the debt"
Ten thousand ponnds," and Brown roll
ed the words out as though every letter
was lump of gold-'and which he be
queaths to his cousin Mrs Ferret here"
Mrs. Ferret subsidized on the sofa, and the
hair of Ferret's wig stood on end-almost.
Mnat aS ysa gaspSsd na the
and the debt acknowledged"
"Just So" said Mango; "and 1 should
have made no difficulty in the payment of
the money, had not Mr.. Ferret accused Mr..
Brown of crimes which make me doubt the
validity of those documents"
ooh. don't say that" cried Ferret: Il
didn't mean it,"
Pardon me-" rejoined Mango. 81 am
sorry to put you to the delay and cost
of sending to India for proofs. The
process is tedious, very tedious, but
necessary now"
''Oh, joint" sobbed Mrs. Ferret,
from the depths of the sofa pillows 81
told you to look after Brown"
"When you can bring me satisfacto-
ry evidence" continued Mango, walk
ing towards the door, 81 am prepared
to pay"
"You don't mean to leave us Mr..
Mango, in this unsatisfactory mannerq''
cried Ferret.
Mr.. Brown appeared abont to follow
Mr.. Mango, but pausing, said:
"Mr. Ferret, my object was to have
served You in this matter, but the in
snlt have received, the injury my
character has sustained, must be atom
ed for. You, as lawyer, know the
course l shall adopt, and you know
your own"
ooh, yes" replied Ferret, in most
respondent tone; "the process is very
simple. Broacn v. Ferret, defamation.
damages a thousand pounds.
"Oh, John Johnl How could you
doubt the meaning of that telegram 2"
and Mrs. Ferret sat on the sofa like
"Ni0be all tears"
"You have been good wife to me-"
said Ferret, throwing himself on the
table and wrapping up his head in the
crimson cover, $50 young and yet so
wise: You'll find my will at the back
OF the wardrobe, wrapped up in my
wedding waistcoat."
The wife-the woman could not with
stand this, and so she threw her arms
about the red bundle on the table, and
called it her "dear Johnny"
GIVE left you everything, and have
only to add q lawsuit, Bro,rn v. Fer
ret, damages thousand"
"Oh! my dear johnny, yon are wan
deringw exclaimed Mrs. Ferret, striv-
ing to unroll the mummy.
sit was destiny made me erect Nj
agara," continued the unhappy man.
Gan ancient gentleman burned himself
on a funereal pyre. shall take a fu-
nereal shower bath J"
Mrs. Ferret screamed and shook her
husband violently, whilst Mr.. Mango
returned and said, soothingly: "Come,
Mr.. Ferret, be man. Proofs of Mr..
Browns responsibility can be obtained
easily"
"No, no! impossible ~ interrupted
Ferret; and then recollecting the pro-
bable consequences Of such denial,
gasped, rather than said, "more libel
more libel !"
"It was fortunate that Wapshot in
terrupted this agonising scene by an
other telegram, and which the excited
Mrs. Ferret seized and read aloud for
the general edifcation :-'Look after
Brown. He is the best friend you have
and the most honorable man alive"
"Hoorah." All is clear at last. The
telegraph clerk had only sent one hall
the message, which had produced such
confusion and Misunderstanding. The
doubts of Mango were only feigned to
punish Mr.. Ferret, and the old Indian
proved the best of the genus uncle, ma
king his niece richer than she had ever
dreamed to be, and happier by laugh
ing Ferret out of his proneness to sus-
picion.
The telegram was framed and hung
over the mantlepiece in the breakfast
parlor in n,emoriam of the eventful day
recorded in these pages.
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE SINGER