Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-31

The New Years Stocking.

are all alikel" said, almost despair
ingly, Mr.. Simon Qaillpen, th,
painstaking clerk of old Lawyer
Latitat, rs he sat late at night, or
the last day of the year. digging
away at the copy of a legal document
bis liberal patron and employer had
placed in his hands in the early part
of the evening. THANK Heaven I
he added, laying down bis pen, and
consulting a huge silver BULBS eye
which he pulled from threadbare
fob, i shall soon get through this
job, and then, hey for roast pota' oe-
and the charming society of Mrs
OR And with this consolatory re.
fiectioD. he resumed his work with
redouol d energy.
Mr.. QliIlDen was little man ;
not so very tile as to pass for a
phenomenon, but certainly too SINAI
to be noticed by recruiting grena-
der sergeant. His nose was quite
sharp. and gave bis wild, thin
countenance, particularly as he car
very bird-ltke air. H, trod, too,
gingerly and lightly. very like a
sparrow or a tomtit; and, to CON-
plete the analogy. his head being al
m )st always surmounted By . pen,
he had sort of crested, buejayish
aspect, that was rather comical.
QliIlpen had a very little wife and
three very It'll, children. B 10, Chilly
and the baby the last the ul innate
specimen of the diminuendo. 1t was
we'll for them that they were so
small, for QliIlyen obtained his
starueLihood by driving be gull for
M. Latitat at four hundred dollars a
wear, to which Mrs. Qllllpen added,
from time to time, certain little sums
derived from making shirts AMI
overall, at the rate OF about ten
cents TO the NIL ion stitches.
Whether Mr.. L4titat was able to
pay more was question that never
entered the minute brain of Simon
Qllllpen for he had so humble an
opinion of his own merits, and was
always 80 contented and cheerful
that be regarded his salary as enor~
nous, and was wont playtally to
4igu little conf iential notes Cr9sus
QalIlpen and Girard Quilpen, and on
rare convival occasions wonl sOme-
Times style himself Baron Rothschlld.
Bat this last tile was very rarely
indul ged ia because it once sent bis
particular crony, chuckle-headed
l,rk in he postoffice, into cachln-
natory fit which was rather in the
apoplectic line.
To return TO our mutt0ns.' Sic
mon dug away at his copying with
an occasional revereutial glance at u
certain low oaken door, opening
into the penetralia of this abode OF
law and RICH teousness, behind which
oaken door, at that very moment
sat MIR. Lucius Latitat, eilh3r deeply
engaged in the solution of some vasl
legal probl,m, or calculating the in
terest on an outstanding note, or
consulting with chucking delight q
list cf mortgages to be foreclosed.
Well-Qulllpen finished his dccu,
ment, wiped his pen on thick vel
vet butterfly, laid itin the rack above
the ink, pushed back bis chair from
the table, withdrew the cambria
sleeve from the right arm, and
smoothed down his wristbands, hav-
ing first put on his India rubber
overshoes. The fact is, be was very
anxious to get home, and be could
not go without first seeing Mr.. Lati-
tat. The idea of knocking at Mr..
Latitat's door on business of bis own
never once occurred to him. He
wouli do that tor client, but not
for himself So be ventured on a
series of low coughs, and finding no
notice was taken of them, he drop
ped the poker into the coalhod, the
noise thus produced crashed on his
guilty ears like thunder, or rather
with the roar of universal earth
quake. Slight, however. as it was,
IL brought out Mr.. I4atitat from his
interior.
what the deuce are you making
such racket for 2 be exclaimed in
tones that thrill ed TO the heart of bis
employee; then, without waiting for
an answer, he slightly glanced at the
table, aud a.ked. have you got
through that job? 2
'Yer'm-I mean, yes'r,' replied the
qniveiing Simon.
We'll, then, you can go I'm go
ing myself. You blow out the lights
and lock The room. Aud mind and
be here early tomorrow morning
Nothing like beginning the New
Year well. Good night
Mr.. Latitat, sir cried Quilpen,
with desperate resolution, as he saw
the great man about TO disappear
please, sir-could you let me have q
little money to night?'
'Why! what do you want of mon
ey? 2 retorted the lawyer. ooh !
'spose you have host of unpaid
bills
NO sir; no sir, that's not it,'-Si-
mon FASTENED TO say. Il hain't got
nary bill standing. pay az | go
Cash takes the lot
None of your coarse, vul ger slang
to me- = said Latitnt. Reserve it for
your loose companions. If not t.
pay bills, what for?'
please, sir,-we, that is Mrs. z
and myself. want to put something
| 10 the ch,ldren's stocking, sir
'Then put the children's legs in
EN- I said the lawyer with a grin
Il make no payments to be used fol
auy such ridiculous purposes GOOD
night. Yet, stay-take this letter
there's money in it-a large
amount-putlt IN the postotfiee WIFI
your own hands as you go he me.
And you can't lot me have tri
fer gasped Simon.
Not a cent? snarled she lawyer
and he slamme the door behind him