South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-11-05
II AS OLD BEAU.

.
relating.
Clara and Mary Merwin. sisters and
orphans were in the sitting room Of their
pleasant home, on the edge Of n village
near the Missouri. Their mother had
been dead several years; their father
hal lately died, leaving them an estate,
as they supposed, Of the value OF some
forty thousand dollars, but they had
learned quite recently that the property
was encumbered TO such an extent that
they were likely to be deprived Of it all.
This discovery, as may be supposed, FILL
ed them with sadness and anxiety, and
they were seated in silence, unable to
read. to converse, to work, to do any.
thing but brood over their great misfor.
tune.
While they were thus occupied with
sombre thoughts, a buggy drove up in
front Of the house, and d man alighted
and the buggy drove away
| The man must have been little on
the shady side ofdfty. to Judge from his
gray hairs, although his face was fresh
and nnwrinkled. He was dressed with
remarkable neatness, rs we'll rs precis-
ion. In one hand he carried q small va
| lisc. and in the other an umbrella. and
lie stepped quickly to the door and rang
the bell. In few minutes he was ush-
cred into the presence ofthe young ladies'.
I'm obliged to introduce myself" he
said smiling and bowling in courtly
manner-"Abner Pierce. Here is my
card-professional card. You will per
ccive that l am q lawyer in ST. Louis.
and presumably respectable man. Do
1 hn 49,
but TO help you. / have the honor to
call myself friend Of your family
that is To say, although it is many years
since | have seen any member OF said
family, l always had the highest posi-
bic regard for your now sainted mother,
and nothing would please me better than
to he of some service to her Children
I'VE arc happy to meet you," MUIR
INJURED Clara.
Thank you. I happened TO hear
no matter how-that you are i'm 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
IN honest man. although a lawyer, and
mean well. although may express my.
self clumsily."
II ain free to admit" said Clara, that
we need assistance aud advice. aud that
we have not known to whom to look
! for it,
Very we'll. 1t is good thing. no
doubt. that have come. Now sit down
and tell me all about it,
Clara Mcrwin. who was the elder of
the orphans. and leader in everything
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 mortgage
with bond included, executed by the late
Mr.. Merwin, upon all his real estate, for
the sum Of forty thousand dollars Not
content with prohibiting them from at.
tempting to sell anything. he had tied
up their money in bank. leaving them
absolutely penniless. They had used
their credit, but tradesmcn were bccom.
ing impatient. and some had refused to
supply them any further, without pay
This is bad case" said Mr.. Pierce
You need money-that is the first thing
to be attended to. You must let me act
"a your banker until get YOU out Of
this scrape, and that won't he long, I
hope. How much do You owe?"
More than one hundred dollars" an.
swered Clara.
The old gentleman counted out two
hundred dollars from n wel-fillcd peck
et.book and handed it TO her.
For your mothers sake" Inc said
when she refused To receive it. and he
forced IL upon her in such way that
she could not help taking it. lie then
accepted the young ladies' invitation to
make their house his home during his
stay, and went in to dinner with them.
us there any place where can
smoker" he asked when they had re-.
turned TO the sitting-room.
You can smoke here" said the i'm.
pulsivc Mary. PA always smoked here,
and we arc used TO It,"
SO he took mcerschaum and some
tobacco from his valise, and was soon
putting away with an air Of great con.
tentment.
II can think better when smoke"
he said. Did you have any legal al.
vice in the matter Of that mortgage, Miss
Merwin?"
Yes. sir" replied Clara "Our law.
yer said that it was plain case against
us, although il was strange that we had
never heard ofthe mortgage before"
Very strange. What is the name of
the man who holds it?"
Alexander Campbell"
"IIum. A good name, but bad man.
am afraid. When and where can see
him.
"IIc will he here this afternoon" an
swcred Clara lie proposes if we will
make him deed Of the real estate, TO
give up the bond and mortgage. leaving
our money in bank and the rest of the
personal property"
Very liberal Introduce me to him
when lac comes. rs an old friend OF the
family. and not as a lawyer"
Mr.. Alexander Campbell called in the
course OF the afternoon, and was made
nrnnnintnI Ill AI.nor Pinrnn ~ rrI,n,,,