Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-07-28

deed forgeries at criminal trial at Chi
cago, reminded me of an incident that
occurred few years ago, in the vicinity
of st. Louis. which seems to me to be
worth relating.
Clara and Mary Merwin, sisters and
orphans, we're in the sitting room Of
their pleasant home on the edge of a
village near the Missouri river. Their
mother had been dead for several years,
their father had lately died, leaving
them an estate, as they supposed, of the
value of some forty thousand dollars,
but they had learned quite recently the
property was encur.b ered tc such an
extent that they were likely to be de-
prived of it ALL This discovery, as may
be supposed, filled them with sadness
and anxiety, and they were seated in
silence, unable to read, to converse, to
work, to do anything but brood over
their great misfortune.
While they were thus occupied with
sombre thoughts, buggy drove up in
front Of the house, and man alighted,
and the buggy drove away.
The man must have been little 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 man
ners indicated briskness as we'll as pre-
cision. In one Land he carried small
valise and in the other an umbrella, and
he stepped quickly to the door an rang
the bell. In few minutes he was ush-
cred into the presence of the young la
dies.
"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-
ceive that am lawyer in st. Louis,
and presumably a respectable man.
Don't be afraid; I am not here to hurt
you, but to help you. I have the hon.
or to call myself friend of your fami-
ly-that is to say, although it is many
years since [ have seen any member of
said family. I always had the highest
possible regard for your now sainted
mother. and nothing would please me
more than to be Of some service to her
children"
"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. [ hope you will
feel that you can trust me. [ am actu-
ally an honest man, although lawyer,
and mean well, although nay express
myself clumsily."
81 am free to admit" said Clara,
s'that we need assistance and advice.
and that we have not known to whom to
look for it. %
Every well. 1t is a good thing, no
doubt, that I have come Now, sit
down, and tell me all about it."
Clara Merwin 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 a 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
attempting to sell anything, he had tied
up their money in the 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, with
out pay.
''Ihat is a bad case," said MIR.
Pierce. "You need money-that is the
first thing to be attended to. You
n ust let me act as your banker until I
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 dollsrs from a well filled
pocket book, and handed it to her.
''For your mothers sake he said,
when she refused to receive it, and he
forced it upon her in such a way that
she could not help taking it. He ac-
cepted the young ladies' Invitation to
make their house his home during
his stay, and went in to dinner with
them.
SIS there any place where I can
smoke p he asked when they had re-
turned to the sitting room.
''You can smoke here" said the i'm
pulsive Mary. 'sPa always smoked
here, and we are used to it.
So he took neerschaum and some
tobacco from his yalise, and was soon
putting away with an air of great con-
tentment.
II can think better when I smoke, :"
he said. "Did you have any legal adj
vice in the matter of that mortgage,
Miss Merwin 20
"Yes, sir" replied Clara. Sour
lawyer said that it was a plain case
against us. although it was strange that
We had never heard of the mortgage
before"
Very strange. What is the name
of tie man who holds it"
Alexander Campbell.
Hum. A good name, but bad
man, am afraid. When and where
can I see him ?'' q
s. He will be here this afternoon,
answered Clara. "Ha proposes, if we
will make him deed of the real estate,
to give up the bond and mortgage, leav-
ing our money in bank, and the rest of