National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-09-02
4 LAMlEK'S STORY.
TOLD BY HIMSELF.

About thirty years ago | was young
lawyer with nothing but my profession
and two very strong aspirations. The
first was to succeed and make a great
uam6 at the bar the other to be able to
marry the lady of my love.
One morning | went down to my office.
which my boy Just opened, and found
awaiting me there u letter which gave me
the greatest pleasure 1t announced, in
the first place, the death OF my grand
uncle, who, with my grandfather had
cruelty turned My mother out OF door,
when She was a girl and III the second
place IT informed mc that my grand
uncle, touched by remorsc, lad lett me "a
legacy OF five thousand dollars The
writer of the letter. Martin Drew. who
was my uncle requested me to come to
Tyudale at once and get my money, and
expressed ms affection for me, and said
his family were all anxious To- see me.
and many other things which excited my
suspicious.
nat afternoon ! called at the widow
Curtiss' to inform her dnugh.cr Laura
ui nay good fortune, and to ask die dear
lIrl 10 name the day. Laura wis quite
ready To comply with my wishes ; but her
mother SAID we'd better wait until | got
back with the money predicting That
something would be sure to happen,
and asserting that the Drews were
mighty slippery fellows, and that no
Van Buren, (my name that she had
ever heard OF, ever had amy luck. Not
finding myself comfortable In the widow =
parlor soon withdrew and went slowly
back to my office.
The next morning mounted my horse
and with light heart pursued the road
that led to Tyndale. was two day, upon
the way. and. slept the second night at d
little country tavern, few miles distant
from the residence Of my pSe0do uncle
| had intended to reach his house thai
evening" but the heavIncS, OF the road
prevented The next morning | was
early astir, and rodeu to Martin Drew
door, Just as he, with his family, Wa
seating himself at the breakfast table
| was welcomed with great show o
cordlallty 10y the various members of tn,
family, all of whom, save the eldest son
George, were present | might have be
hcycd myself among warm friends haC
not the memory of my mother suffering
IN that house saved me from an entlr
reliance upon the professions of thcs
damonstratiye relatives. Little by little
my reserve melted before their klndl
words and manners. The girls wcr
pretty and facinating, the young man
Martin. frank aud agreeable. | ncye
could resist GENIAL manners. and beiur
the morning hours had wancd | ioun
myself on decidedly pleasant terms wit
the young people, and conlessinR {" my
self that | could see nothing Objection
able in their elders.
had intended to transact my busi1cs
with all speed. and II possible to avol
breaking broad beneath this roof an
bv all ,,,.aus to leave IL before night-inl
AM ON one vrcteXt after another. an
willingly. ' must confess, | was detainc
until long past midday. At las
however. the business had been trans
acted. the money III my hands. and IN
receipt in those of Martin Drew, and
began to insist on going, at least rs ia
that evening, as the tavern where ] In
passed the preceding night
How they gathered around me thel
with smiling cntrcating faces, and clinl
ing han ds. No. they said. one and nj
must not go until George came nom,
Ntr fNI''N'l fN'lN ip'il' ill'lNl -
main until morning and see George, i
would he sadly disappointed else. An
besides, it was hardly safe 10 stop N III
roadside tavern with such n sum
money, the people there were prying AN
curious, and had without doubt lcarno
before this, that / had come to recci,
my legacy.
OF course ! stayed, and pleasant cv
hing ! had with those merry youI
people. and cordial old ones.
The chamber assigned me was what,
country parlance, is usually called Il
spare bedroom. n large. pleasant roo
upon the ground floor opening from II
nest parlor, and, with that upnrtncr
separated from the rest of the house. |
vide entrance hall. Martin Drew ~
ms two sons, for George had returnc
W Their excess of hospitality, had cnt,
'u with me, 10 assure Themselves th
ali wis comfortable for me, and nbo
i all, rs they said. safe for my money.
There were ill-conditioncd people
4 We neighborhood, they said. and n
business was wcll.known, 50 that thoui
wns hardly possible that any %
should attempt 10 enter the house
A neMl my money, 1t was well b. be cnrnf
There were hooks to hang my coat a