Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-10-15
geletteh gtnry.
MAS OLD BEAU.

deed tOrgerles at criminal trial at
Chicago, reminded ME of an incident
that had occurred few years ago in
the vicinity of st. Louis, which seems
to be worth relating.
Clara and Mary Merwin, sisters and
orphans, were in the sitting-room of
their pleasant home on the edge of a
village near the Missouri. Their mo-
ther had been dead several years; their
father had lately died, leaving them
an estate, as they supposed, of the val
lie of some forty thousand dollars, but
they had learned quite recently that
the property was encountered to such
an extent that they were likely to be
deprived of it all. This discovery, as
may be supposed, filled them with sad
ness and anxiety, and they were seat
ed in silence, unable to read, converse,
work, or do anything but brood over
their misfortune.
While they were thus occupied with
sombre thoughts, a buggy drove up in
front of the house, and man alight-
ed, and the buggy drove away.
The man must have been on the
shady side of fifty to judge from his
gray hairs, although his face was fresh
and unwrinkled. He was dressed
with remarkable neatness, and his
manners indicated briskness as well
as precision. In one hand he carried
small valise, and in the other an um-
brella, as he stepped quickly to the
door and rang the bell. In few
minutes he was ushered into the pres
ence of the young ladies.
''Pm obliged to introduce myself" "
he said, smiling and bowling in a
courtly manner-"Abner Pierce
Here is my card-professional card.
You will perceive | am lawyer in
St. Louis, and presumably respecta-
BILE man. Don't be afraid am not
here to hurt you, but to help you. l
have the honor of calling myself a
friend of your most honorable family
that is to say, although it is many
years since | have seen any member OF
said family, l always had the highest
possible regard for your now sainted
mother, and nothing would please me
better than to be of some service to
her children"
1--WE are happy to meet you," MUIR
INJURED Clara.
"Thank you. | happened to hear
no matter how--that you are in
trouble, and have come up here in the
belief that | can assist you. l hope
you will feel that you can trust me.
| am actually an honest man, although
a lawyer, and | mean well, although
l may express myself clumsily."
81 am free to admit" said Clara,
''that we need assistance and advice,
and we have not known to whom to
look for it."
Every we'll. 1t is good thing, no
doubt, that l have come. Now, sit
down, and tell me all about it.
Clara Merwin, who was the elder
Of the orphans and leader in every
thing, told how she and her sister had
taken out letters of administration
upon their fathers estate, when man
of whom they had never before heard
put in an appearance, and presented a
mortgage, with bond included, execu-
ted by the late Mr.. Merwin, upon all
his real estate, for the sum of, forty
thousand dollars. Not contentWith
prohibiting to sell anything, he had
tied up their money in bank, leaving
them absolutely penniless. They had
used their credit, but tradesmen were
becoming impatient, and some had re-
fused to supply them any further
without pay.
'"This is bad case" said Mr..
Pierce. "You need money-this is
the. first thing to attend to. You
must let me act as your banker until
| get you out of this scrape, and that
won't be long, hope. How much do
you owe?"
"More than one hundred dollars" +"
answered Clara.
The old gentleman counted out two
hundred dollars from a well filled
pocket-book, and handed it to her.
"For your mothers sake" he said,
when she refused to receive 1t, and he
forced it upon her in such way that
she could not help taking it. He
then accepted the young lady's invita-
ton to make their home his home
during his stay, and went to dinner
with them.
''ls there any place where l can
smoker" he asked, when they had re-
turned to the sittiug-room.
"You ean smoke here" said the inn
pulsiye Mary. "Pa always smoked
here, and we are used to it." t....
So he took meerschaum and some
tobacco from his yalise, and was soon
putting away with an air Of content
ment,
Ha iii