Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-17

! lie lovingly among the hills, or on II.
! bosom Of The landscape within o circuT
of hundred miles from the metropolis
Extending along the turnpike rosd for I
distance Of hsf mile or more on eithe1
side were strkggling rows OF cottages
iuterspersed here and there with more os
teuts,lous dwellings, while an occasiona
shop window O. sign peepe9 cut from be
meath the trees to vary the monotony
About midway another street interested
the main road, 81 about the junction q
these two thro7ghfares, forming, with
the execution Of few back lanes and SIDE
streets. the entire village, were clustered
the principal stores, the post Office, the
Office Of the newspaper, which weekly L.
sued TO denounce local abuses lsud the
American bird 10 the ultiIna.s thule OF
glory. the court house, whore semi annu.
ally long bearded country lawyers and
grave knowing old judges came together
10 plead a doubtful questions OF right and
wrong" and, last OF all, the hctel, the
/ Washington House, the veritable head
/. quarters, twas said, of the Father OF his
/ Country in the old Revolutionary days.
/ One gtraying from this business center
/ came in the one direction upon 81 old
/ stone bridge spanning swiftly running
4 brook. and saw before him the dusty ROAD,
winding its serpentine course up an almost
I iDterminable hill beyond; in the opposite
/ direction be passed the village church, 8
| relic Of the oiden days, renovated by mod
ern hands, and came suddenly upon the
1 banks Of canal, the favorite resort Of NJ
chins for swimming in summer and skst-
/ ing in winter. AID then beyond were
\ hills, and meadows, and corn fields, and
I groves, and swamps, and endless vista Of
I worm fences, with here and there a farm
/ house peeping out-in short, a scene Of
/ tranquil beauty, telling only OF peace and
/ prosperity.
Now, the unannounced advent of I" Mr.
John Thompson, Of New Orleans" 10 a
! 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
1 inquiry Of their memories failed to recall
any relatives living in the remote city from
which the new conner hailed. Specula-
ti0ns as to the old gentleman's financial
status were no less varied and diverse
The rusty garments in which he again
made bis appearance at breakfast on the
morning succeeding his arrival, earned for
pellations Of poor man, probable mi8er,
and disguised millionaire. Meanwhile
Mr.. Thompson was stoical, was uuap.
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 finallv, with his hands buried deep
in his coat tail pockets, limped and shuffled
down the steps and turned down the cross
street as if for stroll, leaving the vii.
layers in q state Of doubt and curiosity
bordering on despair.
All that day he was absent. IL 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 Campbel's
cottage, rapping vigorously at the door;
another he had accOsted on the road about
quarter Of mile away, with the in
quiry Of where Farmer Matthews house
hadl 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 a third had
seen the old man wandering about in the
old church yard, attentively examining the
inscriptions, and had finally seen him
seated on a 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 a gentler tone n 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 deeper
mystery. After he had partaken of his
breakfast, MIR Thompson drew the meek
and lowly host into corner, and quietly
inquired "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
man as any OF them, guess.
"a young many"
"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 naild 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 coy arm chair, removed his hat, and
wiped hia forehead with great bandanna,
l shall have to request TINT what | am
about 10 say to you, Mr.. Jessup shall be,
for the present strictly confidential" The
lawyer nodded assent
II am John Thompson" continued the
visitor, "and my home is New Orleans.
Years ago, was for a 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
ask me any questions now, sir. What ]
have TO say shall be said in business-like,
straightforward way. l have called to
secure your services Can / trust you"
AT this sudden and direct interrocatory,
the lawyer turned and looked his visitor
full In the face. with anything that is
honorable and right, Mr. Thompson, |
aay YES Won can trust me | ask no higher