The Van Buren press., 1869-06-01
MlSCELL.A ANY
A CASE WITH A LADY IN IT.
BY JUDGE CLARK

| had just taken possession Of the
worst room in Diggs tavern-I was a
young lawyer on my first circuit, and
Diggs Kept his best accommodations for
say, Bill" and Tom Mansfield burst up
on me at the same instant.
Tom and l had been cronies from the
time we committed our first Juvenile
tresspass on Deacon BoXlcy's watermcl-
on patch, till we afterwards studied the
action Of that name together in Judge
Thompson's office.
Il say, Bill, I've got q case, and want
your assistance in it,"
"Ahr said /, in a consulting tone.
"a will case" he continued, =" full Of
the incest kind of points, and the pref
tiest woman in the world for client -
"What about fees? ?" inquired, by
way of keeping up professional appear
ances.
Hear the mcrcenary wretch !" he ex-
claimed. g" we succeed, there'll be
plenty of money; if we don't, it will be a
noble cause to fall in
"That's what they said Of the dashing
young chap that broke his neck 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: l
John Andrews had settled in the coun-
try when it was young. lie had grown
with its growth, and was the proprietor
Of half dozen farms, and lone fair
daughter, the which he loved passing
we'll"
His wife, the partner Of the earliest
and severcst portion of his struggles, had
died many years before, and his daughter
had become the mistress of his house
while yet child. . aD. ! ~. t
AS Efiie increased in years, her father
prospered and when at length he found
himself the posscssor Of wealth, the am
bition, so common under such circum.
stances, Of clevating his daughter to a
station in life above that in which she
had been reared. became ruling passion
The first thing was to buy her splendid
, uuu llhC OtuNio NV VIVA ScSss
judges of the article, he was governed in
his choice moro by the gaudiness Of the
coloring than by the quality OF the text
urc.
At the end OF tho usual period, Ellie
was sent home 7" finished"--that is, in
every respect in which she could be, to-.
tally spoiled. In one thing only she re-
mained the same her love for her father
had defed the power even Of fashionable
education.
A house was purchased in town, OF
which Ellie was made the mistress, and at
which Mr.. Belden, young gentleman OF
city anteccdents, and far too nice to have
anything so vulgar rs u visible calling.
became a frequent and not unwelcome
visitor lie had just brains enough to
think Of providing for the future by a
scheme Of which Miss Andrews, and her
appurtenancos, constituted the central
feature. Accordingly he sighed and lied,
and rawncd and lattcred, till Ealc's fool.
ish little heart rclented
But one difficulty remained to be en-.
countered. How to conciliatc the rough
old woodsman-thcre was the rub. lie
had permitted his daughter to amuse her
self with the young dandy, much as he
would have allowed her TO play with a
monkey or poodle. But could ho have
brought himself TO tolerate the idea OF
her marrying anybody, yet while--for
the possibility Of such remote future
contingency may have occasionally sug.
gested itself--Horace Belden vas about
the last person on earth, in connection