Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-08-25
Little Stories.
Mas Old Beau.

that occurred few years ago, IN the
vicinity CT St. Louis, which seems to
me- 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
mother had been dead several years
their father had lately died, leaving
them an estate, as they supposed, at
the value of some forty thousand dol
lars, but they had learned quite recent
ly that the property was encumbered
to such an extent that they were likely
to be deprived of it all This discov-
cry 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
somber thoughts, a buggy drove up
in front Of the house, and man
alighted, and the buggy drove away.
The man must have been on the
shady side of fifty, to judge from his
grey hairs, although his face was fresh
and unwrinkled He was dressed with
remarkable neatness, and his manners
indicated briskness as well as precis-
ion. In one hand he carried a smal;
valist, and in the other an umbrella.
and he stepped quickly to the door and
rang the bell. In a few minutes he
was ushered into the presence of the
young ladies.
I'm obliged to introduce myself
he said, smiling and bowing in
courlly manner - "Abner Pierce
Here is my card-profts,ional card
You will perceive | am lawyer in St.
Louis, and presumably a respectable
man Don't be afraid am not here
to hurt you, but to help you. I have
the honor to cal myself friend to
your famil y-that is to say, although
it is many years since have seen
any member OF said family. | always
had the highest possible regard for
your now sainted mother, and nothing
would pie Use me better than to be of
some service to her children"
ave 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 /
may express myself clumsily."
Il am free to admit" said Clara,
"that we need assistance, and that we
have not known to whom to look for
it."
every well. Ii is "a good thing, no
doubt, that have come. Now sit
down and tell me all about it.
Cara Mervin, 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 bonds included, exc
cuted by the late Mr.. Merwin, up
On all his real estate, for the sum of
forty thousand collars. Not content
with prohibiting them from attempt
ing to sell anything, he had tied up
their money in a bank, leaving them
absolutely penniless. They had used
their credit, but tradesmen were be-
coming impatient, and some had re-
fused to supply them any further with
out pay.
"This is bad case, said Mr.. Pierce.
"You need money-that is the first
thing to attend to. You must let me
act as your banker until | get you out
of this scrape, and lha. won't lie long,
| hope. How much do you owe?"
"More than one hundred dollars
answered Clara.
The old gentleman counted out two
hundred dollars from 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 way that
she could not help taking it. lie then
accepted the young ladys invitation
TO make their house hiA home during
his stay. and went into dinner with
them.
"ls there any place where I can
smoke ?" he asked, when they had re-
turned to the siitingroom.
"You can smoke herp,' said the i'm
pulsiye Mary. "Pa always smoked
here, and we are used to it.
So he took NEE .'schaum and some
tobacco from his valise, and was soon
putting away with an air of great con
tentment.
81 can think better when l smoke" ="
he said. 'Did you have any legal ad-
vice in the matter of that mortgage,
Miss MerwiE 2"
''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 mort.
gage before"
Every strange. what is the name
of the man who holds it ?"
"AlexandHr Campbell"
Hum. A good name, but a bad
,,,on M, ofro;1 NVho, ,nl ,,.b,ro