The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-08-06
MAS OLD BEAU,


The recent revelations cOncernirp
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, were in the sitting room of
their pleasant home on the edge of
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 encumbered to such an
extent that they were likely to be de-
pTived 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 a man alighted,
and the buggy drove away.
The man must have been a little on
the shady side of fifty, to Judge from
his gay hairs, although his face was
fresh and unwrinkled. He was dressed
with a remarkable neatness, and his
manners indicated briskness as we'll as
precision. In one hand he carried a
smallvalise and in the other an umbrella,
and he stepped. quickly to the door and
rang the bell. In few minutes he was
ushered into the presence of the young
ladies.
"Im obliged to introduce myself, ="
he said, smiling and bowling in a courtiy
manner" Abner Pierce. Here is nv
card-professiOnal card. You will per
celve that l am a lawyer in st. Louis,
and presumably a respectable man.
Don't be afraid; am not here to hurt
you, 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 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 arc in trouble.
and have come up here in the belief
that / can assist you. hope you will
feel that You can trust me. l am actu-
ally an honest man, although a lawyer,
and l. mean well, although l may express
myself clumsily."
am free to admit" said Clara,
that we need assistance and advice.
and that we have not known to whom
to look for it..
" Very well. 1t is a 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, AMI leader in everything,
told how she and her sister had taken
ont letters OF administration upon their
fathers estate, when a man of whom
they had never before heard put in an
appearance and presented a 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 10 sell ANYTHING
he had tied up their money in the bank.
leaving them Absolutely penniless,
They had used their credit, but trades
men were becoming impatient, and some
Had refused to supply them any further,
without pay.
That is a bad case" said Mr..
Pierce. "You need money-that isthe
first thing to be attended to. You must
let me act as your banker until l get
you out of this sclape, 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 we'll. filled
pOcket-bOOk, and handed it to her.
For yOur mothers sake" he said
when she refused to receive it, and he
forced 1t upon her in such a way that
she could not help taking it. He &C
cepted 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 can
smoke ?" he asked when they had re-
turned to the sitting groom.
You can smoke here" said the i'm |
pulsive Mary. "Pa always smoked |
here, and we are used to it. ="
30 he took a meerschaum and some |
tobacco from his valise, and was soon |
putting away with an air of great con-
tentment.
g can think better when l smoke"
he said, Did you have any legal adj |
vice in the matter of that mortgage.
Miss Merwin ?"
Yes, sir" replied Clara. "Our
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 the man who holds it ?"
Alexander Campbell"
Inv !
man, L am afraid, When and where
can i see him ?"
I" He will he here this afternoon "
answered Clara. He proposes, if we
will make him a deed Of the real estate
TO give up the bond and mortgage
leaving our money in bank, and the rest
OF the personal property"
Every liberal. Introduce me to him.
when he comes, as an old friend of the
family, and not as a lawyer"
Mr.. Alexander Campbell called in the
course of the afternoon. and was made
with Abner Pierce. at whom
be looked suspiciously; but his eyes
fell when he met the old gentleman's
intent gaze. Mr.. Pierce glanced but
slightly at the deed that was offered for
of the ladies, being occu-
pied in studying th5 countenance of the
nan in whose favor it was drawn.
81 can't decide upon it just now" he l
aid, at last. Gas a friend of these l
-oung ladies-standing as l may say,
n loco paTeRtis-I must make a few ;
Inquiries concerning the value of this
Suppose you come after sup !
,er, Mr.. Campbell, and suppose you !
ring that mortgage with you, have l
10 doubt it is all correct, but would I
Ike to see it..
Mr.. Campbell assented to this and J