Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-20
SRRINEISG 4 MINE.

IT was curious and pleasant, so certain
OF Mr.. Merdock's clients held, to discern
through his office ENTHUSIASTICALLY bar
red to- defeat the designs of the burglar
iOuS -a 6e1AA patch of enclosed land, rich
in rank grass, and shaded, little as it
needed shade for the neighboring houses
hemmed il III on ali sides, by an old, stunt
ed murky elm-trce. The land had origi-
nally p4ktG1ned to a church that had long
since vanished. Sometimes, after a
ghoetly Iooking, solitary sheep, coming
none knew from whence or by whose
authority had been turned into the en-
CLOSURE md had cropped and munched
aWSy 9he long grass, faint outlines of re-
cumbent tOmbstones could be traced
whitening here and there the vegetation,
Within Hiring memory no interment had
taken place there; and the inhabitants of
the ad5oinlng buildings took little heed
Il now except now and then to turn it to
account - dust-bin, receptacle for
broken glass and crokery, cinders, litter,
Eelnse ana fnbbish of all kinds.
NLr&y lock's offices were on the
ground t0Dr of rambling old house ia
one Of the tortuous, confined thorough.
fares Of Walbrook. His private room
was at the back or the building, and thus
obtained ~ feeble sort of rural outlook.
he W. eeolicitor of sound repute, enjoy
ing q axCellent practice; tall, lean,
elderly nan, with good features, worn
very sharp BY time and hard work at his
calling His tall, bald forehead had the
look Of ~ parchment, or of discolored
ivory; ~ How face was deeply lined
ana mt. Yet his aspect betrayed
no Rac1 ~ health or of premature de-
CAY. Nas alert of movement the
fringe 81 6fr at the back of his bald head
Wae o. dense black; there were no
threads A1ver in the sharply-trimmed,
creGce5e pei whiskers he wore on his
high ZONES; although his lips were
cQl0kteo1 lia teeth were sound and white,
and HI 9fAy eyes twinkled piercingly be-
meath his heavy penthouse brows. He
WAS, plainly, why, spare man, who
could atill andure much wear and tear,
and make ! good fight with time.
MI. Meriiock sat at his desk-idly for
the mOment-glancing now at the green
enclosure be seen from his window.
now at tin box, one of a large pile of
similar tin bokes, ranged against the wall
opposite to him, now at the Times news,
paper, spread out before him. With a
mcditative air he was rubbing the palm
of his largo, yellow, bony hand against
his Wy npa chin, for his strong black
beard ppp4efd q stout resistance to the
ta1pr let him ply 1t as persistently as he
might Hepaused to take noisily huge
pinch q snuff, and then passed a large
scarlet md puce silk pocket handker-
chief acEoos his face
pratt p he said, with glance
- Co. n0x. The legend, THE DEL
e,1lsEz1 2sT, was inscribed upon it in
-0yXk zsS#nk&fnrc ttnoo1 IL al
To- dow at the wavy grass and
- In of the graveyard without
~ 1go - he laid his hand upon
Or. It contained among it's
ITS of deaths the following
Dill lo{ zion
- p eOLh Of November, at the
49, 49, Lup,on, Hants, EUsTACE
g. ATT, aged fifty seven"
ock shook his head mourn
A q, and then shrugged his
!. slle;yl kak.ng an effort, as it seemed,
s0 "a distressing subject from his
- then one of his clerks en-.
49, handed him card. He
49, 81 sal| read the name it bore. After
Hesitation he said:
g show him in, Booth"
nan entered, dressed in deep
Est Delpratt ?" Mr.. Merdock
~ ~ e. aloud the name on the card.
I've forgotten me, l see, Mr..
Merdoc But it is not surprising. W.
hAxe Roeet for some years. know
9he uch changed in appearance.
! Wa : A16ae DO. then"
"Rl1y b Seated"
He WA now perhaps about thirty: wear
ing thick, red brown beard; and rather
long Aeir, falling negligentlv across
hia fehead His natural pallol
5 Vs. "a doubt increased in effec,
3 black clothes he wore
o0mplexion was of that deadly
- which knows little variation
"a all influence of temperature
20 be bronzed by the sun, or red
e.3z. Exposure to the wind 1t was
year. but the weather was un
49,! nltry. Still it had not brought
/ =. ..,fyl lse Of color to his face; only the
ciamminess on the surface O.
IS ID. e aware. of course, Of the sad
, that has brought me here?"
only just read in the 71raes OF
8 z I'D ats death" Mr.. Merdock':
as reserved, even distant.