Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-08-10

ally long-bearded country lawyers an
grave, knowing old judges came togethe
to plead doubtful questions of right an,
wrong" and, last of all, the hotel, tn
Washington House, the veritable head
quarters, twas said. of the Father of hi
Country in the old Revolutionary days
One straying from this business cente
came in the one direction upon an olC
stone bridge spanning a swiftly runnin!
brook, and saw before him the dusty road
winding its serpentine course up an almos
interminable hill beyond; in the opposit,
direction he passed the village church,
relic of the olden days, renovated by mod
ern hands, and came suddenly upon thu
banks of canal, the favorite resort of ur
! chins for swimming in summer and skat
| ing in winter. Aud then beyond were
| hills, and meadows, and corn fields, anC
groves and swamps, and endless vista o
| worm fences, with here and there a farm
house peeping out-in short, a scene o
tranquil beauty, telling only of peace ant
| prosperity.
Now, the unannounced advent of " Mr.
John Thompson, of New Orleans" to 6
| little place like this did at all events pro
duce no small sensation among the gossip
hunters. There were, naturally enough
two or three families of resident Thomp
sons, each and all of whom, after diligent
inquiry of their memories, failed to recall
any relatives living in the remote city from
which the new conner hailed. Specula-
tions as to the old gentleman's financial
status were no less varied and diverse.
The rusty garments in which he again
made his appearance at breakfast on the
morning succeeding his arrival, earned foz
him, in different quarters, the several ap
pellations of poor man, probable miser,
and disguised millionaire. Meanwhile
Mr.. Thompson was stoical, was unap
proachable; hesitated not to express his
emphatic disgust at whatever did not suit
him about the house, cast whitening
glances, coupled with short replies, at one
or two adolescent rustics who had the
hardihood to accost him on the front piaz-
"a, and finallu, with his hands buried deep
in his coat-ta pockets, limped and shuff1ed
down the steps and turned down the cross
street as if for a stroll, leaving the vii
layers in a state of doubt and curiosity
bordering on despair.
All that day he was absent. 1t cannot
be said none knew where, for different
ones, lounging in and out of the hotel at
various hours through the day, spoke of
having met the stranger, and inquired who
he was. One had seen him standing On
the doorstep of old Mother CampbelPs 8
cottage, rapping vigorously at the door
another he had accosted on the road about
a quarter of a mile away, with the in
auiry of where Farmer Matthews house
had stood. The house had burned down
some years before, but the man had pointed
out the spot, as near as he could, and gone
on about his business. Still third had
seen the old man wandering about IN the
old church-yard, attentively examining the
inscriptions, and had finally seen him
seated On q grass-grown mound, with his
head buried in his hands, and apparently
unconscious of observation. And last of
all, about twilight, home came Mr.. John
Thompson himself, looking worn and
weary, but with gentler tone in his voice,
as he asked that his supper might be sent
up to his room. And so the gossips were
none the wiser, for that night, at least.
The next day they got slight crumb of
comfort. terminating in only q deeper
mystery. After he had partaken of his
breakfast, Mr. Thompson drew the meek
and lowly host into corner, and quietly
INQUIRED s'Who is the best lawyer we have
in these parts?"
"Well, there are three or four good
ones" was the answer. esquire Jessup,
over the way, is about as sound and square
a man as any of them, I guess"
GA young man?"
"No, sir, he's been practicing here
these fifteen years, and must be hard onto
fifty"
"Thank you," said the visitor, and IN
quarter of an hour after he was closeted
with Squire Jessup, an elderly man, of
genial, benevolent mein, whose mild greet.
ing, as he ushered in his unexpected
caller, went far to convince the latter that
he had found the sort of man he
wanted.
81 shall have to request" said Mr..
Thompson, with something of his former
tartness, after he had seated himself in
the cozy arm chair, removed his hat, and
wiped his forehead with great bandanna,
81 shall have to request that what l am
about to say to- you, Mr.. Jessup. shall be,
for the present, strictly confidential. Inc
lawyer nodded assent.
clam John Thompson" continued the
visitor, land my home is New Orleans.
Years ago, I was for time resident of
this village, and have now come back to
it in my old age to see what changes time
has made"
The SQUIRE was about to ask some
thing, but was interrupted by Pray don't
have to say shall be said in business-like,
straight forward way. have called to
secure your services Can l trust you?'
At this sudden and direct interrogatory,
the LAWYER turned and looked his visitor
full in the face. "With anything that is
honorable and right, Mr.. Thompson, L
say yes, you can trustme. ask no higher
endorsement than the respect which my
fellow-townsmen bear me, and the love and
affection, especially, of the poorer classes
among them. / ask no better encomlum
when die than the tears which the needy
and destitute, whom Providence has en-
abled me to befriend, may shed over my
grave" His countenance warmed as he
spoke, and the pride of an honest, gener-
Gus heart shone in his mild blue eyes as
they met the attentive glance of the
stranger. The latter felt reassured.
"To be brief then," said he, Il want
you to buy me piece of property-a part
of the Matthews farm"
"a good piece of land, that" said the
Squire, /" and worth good figure"
II shall want about ten acres of it" he
continued, Including the site of the old
farm house which stood on the knoll near
the road"
"And how high do you want to pay fol
it
GA fair price, which you can better
judge of than l can. Who is the owner p
Matthews still owns it-that is the son
of the old man, Joshua Matthews"
"Csn you arrange an interview ?"
eyes, he lives near at hand. can send
for him now"
"Better send for him then," said Mr.
Thompson.
| In less time than the old man had ex
pected, there came rap on the door, and
the brown, sunburned face of man O.
thirty, tall, and uncouth in figure, peepeG
in. "Want to see me, 'Squire?"
eyes" said the lawyer; "come in, Mr.
Matthews. This is Mr.. Thompson, gen
tleman from the far South, who has taker
a notion to settle down in W, and il
looking for some eligible property"
With this introduction, the three sa
down, and in half an hour the bargain wa
struck. Mr. John Thompson had pur
chased of Mr.. Caleb Matthews all hi
right, title, and interest in the ten acre
aforesaid, in consideration of the sum O
| Ill