The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-03-02
Settling a Lawsuit.
BY J. AIKEN.

Mr. Nelson Pattinger was an extensive
manufacturer, and rather prided himself up
on his inventive faculties. He was constant
ly engaged in invcnting laborsavine
machines, and his spare time he devoted to
his lawsuit. His only child, pretty girl OF
eighteen, who had received the romantic
name Of Elida, was in the sitting room with
him engaged upon some sewing, when the
servant brought in the mornings mail
Mr.. Pattinger lived in Morrisania, and his
villa was some distance from the postoflicc,
so he generally sent his servant to collect the
contents of his box. He received but one
letter this morning, and he grew quite angry
upon perusing it.
"Contound it - he exclaimed, throwing
the letter down pctulantly. II never expect
cd that -
Elida looked up from her sewing in sur
prise
"You startlc me, father" she cried
''Why, what is the matter now ?''
''Injustice is the NATTER" he answered eX-
citcdly ly-sc chicanery is the matter!- !-vilainy
is the matter Only think, my lawsuit has
been going on steadily and comfortably fol-
the last ten years. and now here is my law
yer actually advising compromise. l will
put the affair into the hands of another agent
who will ruin me before he will bulge III
inch, though the suit last ten years longer
and if | die before it is terminated, Hll leave
! it Us q precious legacy to you, Ellda, for
your children and your grand children,
and
''Thank you, father" interrupted Elida.
She put down her sewing, arose, went tC
her father, and leaned upon the back Of tho
chair in which he was sitting.
"As you are about to take another colln
SELL she continued, ''supposc You take me
I'll plead for nothing-rll look for no fec
but your happiness. What was the origina
sum in litigation ?"
finger moodily, Mot half what have spen
on it; but | shouldn't mind if it were my
whole tortune''
/ Elida elevated her eyebrows prettily.
! "Of course not" she rcioincd. 'You
don't care. Mr.. Patingcr is we'll known BY
everybody to be one of the richest manutac-
turers in the country; but what everybody
does not know is that he is not u happy MAJ
for all that.
GLOW should | be when the obstinacy OF
this cousin of mine worries me out of my
lite p responded Mr.. Pattingcr, testify.
Elida was evidently intent upon pleading
her case.
"Wcll, then, we will not reckon the eos
in money" she answered, 9'but in the wear
and tear, the daily uneasincss, impatienee
i'll humor, and the consequent headaches anC
other ailments and then tell me, please, Us
Il good man of business whether the
sum total Of all this, added upon the debtors
side, will strike q balance with the gain o
the sum in dispute if you do gain it ?''
Mr.. Pattingcr could not but be struck by
the force Of this reasoning; yet his invcter
| ntn O|,ciIOon III ,,nf ,,o,,,,it hin, to m
knowledge it.
''But am in the right" he exclaimed. g
will not give way; l will not permit oil,
Kenyon to triumph over me Never, never
come Of it what may"
He sprang to his feet and began to pac
the room eXcitedly. The thoughts Of th
vexatious lawsuit always rullled his temper
which was none Of the best. Elida resumed
her seat and her sewing, but she did no
give up the argument, she was too true
woman to do that.
ITO be sure" she replied, sedately, ''h
may be ruined, too; and what Il plcasan
satisfaction that will be -
''Its all his fault" insisted Mr. Pattinger
''Why, when | brought the action agains
him, did he support it? Why did he not So,
at once, Pm wrong I'd have given hin
the five thousand-siX-cight he needed
it,"
Come" cried Elida, approvingly, ''That'
more like my good father"
"But he was always us obstinate" contin
ucd Mr.. Pattinger, cas- unyielding, us liti
gOuS, as
piled Elida, slyly.
"a thousand times more ~
''He must be clever to be that" responds
Elida, archly.
Mr.. Pattinger turned sharply upon hi
daughter.
Don't provoke me, child, by taking hi
part" he cried
''Oh! / can't forget that cousin Kenyon al
ways gave me my prcttiest dolls,' replic
Elida, who really seemed to have some de
sign in thus taking sides against her father
"And that his scamp of a boy, Lloyd Ken
yon, always broke them, too" replied he
father, irately.
'But we were very good friends, for al
that" answered Elida, quickly; "and it
no such easy task to learn to hate instead c
loving"
"You have had plenty of time, at least,
responded Mr. Pattingcr, inditlerently, ga
: you have never seen him since your child
hood"
ooh yes, | have"
''Wncre!" crleu MY. llttlnSef, IN angr
surprise.
She smiled deprccatingly.
"Well, smooth that angry brow of yours
and I'll tell you, father" she answered
''You remember the ball at Mrs. Demilt's
i. when we were last in the city. | did n(
/, know Il soul, and sat despairing of partner
4 when L saw young MANA real good-lool
c ing young man he WAS, tOO-hOVering neal
t At last he was introduced OF course, W
$ neithcr of us heard the others name. The
d were pronounced about as distinctly as I'll
k names of the stations by railway conducto
I But he was so amusing, so gay, so clever
s and danced so uncolnmonly well, tha
e though | am not curious, you know,
couldn't help asking Julia Demilt his nan