, 1876-01-09
AN OLD LAWYERS STORY.

AN OLD LAWYERS STORY.
4 great many years ago, when WAS compara-
| tivsly young man. and still unmarried, re-
| sided in certain city in pennsylvauia. and Gu
joyed the reputation OF being tho clayeress law
| yer known there. It is not for mo to say the
praise WIS merised, but certainly found myself
able to discover loopholes OF escape for those
whom I defended which surprised s,ven my fel-
| low-iawyers. I possessed by nature those quail
ties which would hava made an excellent de-
| tectlye, and l was thorough student OF the
law. There WAS no mystery about it, but among
the most ignorant classes I gained reputation
! for more than human knowledge. Peraaps it
was not polite for them to say that tho devil
helped, but they did.
However began to tell you about Madame
Matteau. She was an old LADY, vino owned lit
tic house in the suburbs Of the city. She her
self uas OF American birth, but her husband had
been a Frepchalau, and go the title OF Madame
had been bestowed upon her. 6ho WAS widow,
and her daughter Gabriea and her son Henri
were her only Living relstiyes- Her income WAS
but small, and she eked il out by taking a few
boarders. generally steady old people who had
known her for years. These respected and
liked her; but the city generally had prejudice
against her. There had beea two sudden deaths
in her house. Each time the victim was 8
stranger WHO came st night, and was found dead
ia the morning. Each time tho jury was diVld-
ed; some believed that stzangulation was the
CAUSE Of death, some that the man had died in .
fit.
It was terrible thing that TWO such deaths
should have occurred beneath her roof Mad-
ame's friends pit1ei her, The rest OF the little
world hioted that these we're strangers, and
their trunks, which contained no ona kne" what
amount OF yaluable property, remained IN Mad
ames possession. No one said she was mur-
deress, but every one said it was ~ety ''stranse,
in 40 odd tone. aud no one slhGa that second
ieath had VISITED Madame Afattea1.
l myself-perhaps because I admired her
great deal, and her daughter much more-had
always 1usisted shat it was merely coincidence;
that, in world in which apoplexy aud heart
dtsease we1o SO common, it was nos such nar-
vel that two men shonll have met sudden deaths
in the same house. But MY faith in the theory
was shaken when, one morning. it was published
over the city that another transient boasder had
been found dead in Madame Matteaus house
and that she was atFes.ed on suspicion of having
murdered him, his watch and chalo having been
found in her possession.
Before had recovered from the shock Of this
terrible piece OF ia, mess enger came to me
from Madame, .ae des1red to see 1no. OF
course l vert to her ct onco.
Sne had been taken to prison and found her
in little loom with barred window, and al la-
sufficient fro upon the hearth. Tha logs had
burnt in two upon the audi1ons. aud the white
ashes were scattered over tho hearth. Almost
IN them sat Madame Aatt1au, III her widows
dress Of sombse hue.
Size was chilled with grisf aud excitement, and
had drawn her chair close T. foe lov fire.
She shook violently irur SAD to foot aol
her face was deadly pale II q turned it toward
mo and held out her hanlx
.0h thank heaven rou have come!" she
said; ~ know you can GAYS HE. Is !: not hor-
riblo? How could kill 3 man? Why should
I? Why 90 people come to my house to die ?
To die horribly, with black faces aud startling
eyes. Is II some one had chokcd them! Ugh!
and he was pretty young man the uient before.
Oh, good Heaven ho1 horsible!"
sat down beside her I took her hand.
"aadamo Matteau," SAID, be calm collect
yourself. As your lnwYer I must know all.
Tell me, from first to last, what haprened-what
was said what was DONE II yon--'
paused; her black eyes had flashed upon NO.
! could not ask her whether she h2d aug cou-
fession to make I SAN that she hat not, unless
sae was thu best ac:rsss vhe ever lived
Madame Mat:eau was incoccnt Of any crime.
III you hare any suspicious, added ''ten
them all to me-"
..There is no ono to suspect" aobbed the
poor woman. ain the house was Gabrielle, my
daughter, whom you bare eeen; old Hannah,
the cook Mr.. and Mrs. Beaucamp, f1iends OF
my poor, dear husband in bis poyhood--the
best. the kindest people; Mr.. Gray, very old |
man, too feeble to leave the house: poor, CO.
formed Miss Norman. aud tile hbrar1an Mr.
Bsasaford- Eoue OF these would murder 4
,nouso. See how kind they arc; they remain in
my house; they send me word that they Rave
no doubt OF me. On the CONTRARY. how"
"Ani tbia man who" begao-
s.Yes," said Madame Mat.eau. II will tell you;
he was fair, young, handsomely dressed young
man be asked Mt. BrAssford ut the depot it be
knew of any one who c,uld accommodate hin.
Mr. B1assford brought him homo. My only
empty room was the oue in which those TWO
esrargera died. / could not bear to put him in
there but Mr. DrassforG laughed at NE. It
was late when he retired,--iate for quiet
household. Hannah had made \ ire. She
camo and told US she h.d done SO. Uo said good
night
.After he hal gona va found ho had left hia
watch On tho table. He wore 1t only with q
bunch OF seals, and had been setting it by tho
clock. and showing it to us as something very
handsome. kaocked AZ his door to restore it
to him. He had left us but fifteen
minutes before; bus be must have been asleep
already, for be made no answer. So kept
it for tha night, and wore it down to break
fast the next morning. "A 7 came down
met gentleman io the hall. He inquired for
Mr. Glen. This was the uaw-comer's namB- I
sent Hannah to wake him. She could not do
so, and grew alarmed She had q key that would
open the door. and used 1t. The next thing I
know We were all in the room, and the windows
were wide open. and the doctor h3d been sent I
for and tho young man thxt had called was
screaming thai his brpthar bad been choked to
deash and then there WAS an inquest. aud thon |
they arrested me. The brother said the first |
watcn and seals. had forgotten it in my |