Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-07-03
1--WE are happy to meet you,"
M urmured Olara.

-hO HaCtcr nOW-tNaC you are
trouble, and have como up here i
the belief that l can assist you,
hope you will feel that you can trus
me. l am actually an honest MAJ
although . lawyer, and I mean wei
although l may express myself cluu
silly" '' ''".
81 am free to admit" said Clara
4 "that We need assistance and ad
vice, and that we have not hnowl
to whom to look for it,"
"very well. It is a good thing
no doubt, that ! have come. Now
sit down and tell me all about it,"
Clara Merwin, who was the cid.
er of the orphans, and the leader il
everything, told how she and hel
sister had taken out letters of nd
ministration upon their fathers cs
tate, when man of whom they haL
never before heard put in an ap
pearance, and presented a mortgage
with bond included, executed by
the late Mr.. Merwin, upon his real
estate, for the sum Of forty thous.
and dollars. Not contented with
prohibiting them from selling any.
thing, he had tied up their money in
bank, leaving them absolutely pen
nyless. They had used their credit,
but tradesmen were becoming i'm.
patient, and some had refused to
supply them any further without
pay.
"That is a bad case,' said Mr..
Pierce. "You need money-that is
the first thing to be attended to.
You must let me act as your bank.
er until get you out of this scrapc,
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 well.til-
led 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 u way
that she could not help taking it.
He then accepted the young ladies'
invitation to make their house his
home during his stay, and went in.
to dinner with them.
"Is there any place where 1 can
smoke y he asked, when they had
returned to the sitting room.
''You can smoke here" said the
impulsive Mary. "Pa always smok-
cd here, and we are used to it,"
So he took meerschaum and
some tobacco from his valise. and
was soon putting away with an air
of great contentment.
81 can think better when ! SMOKE"
he said. ''Did you have any legal
advice in the matter of that mort
gage, Miss Merwin Z"
eyes, sir" replied Clara. "Our
lawyer said that it was plain case
against us, although it was strange
that we had never heard Of the
mortgage before"
"Very strange. What is the name
of the man who holds itf'
"Alexander Campbell.'
"Hum. A good name, but a bad
man, I am afraid. When and where
can l see him."
"He will be here this afternoon"
answered Clara. "He proposes, if
We will make him deed of the real
estate, to give up the bond and
leaving our money in bank
and the rest of the personal proper
ty."
Every liberal. Introduce mo to
him, when he comes, as an old friend
If the family, and not as a lawyer"
Mr.. Alexander Campbell called in
he course of the afternoon, and
vas made acquainted with Abner
Pierce, at whom he looked suspi-
'iously but his eyes fell when he
net the old gentlemen's intent and
'iercing gaze. Mr.. Pierce glanced
mt slightly at the deed that was
ffered for the consideration of the
aides, being occupied in studying
he countenance of the man in
those favor it was drawn.
~ can't decide upon it, just now,"
o said, at last. GAS the friend of {
hese young Understanding, a. 1
lay say, in loco parentis-I must
lake q few inquiries concerning the :
alue Of the property. Suppose
OIL come up after supper, Mr..
ampbell, and suppose you ring I