The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-09-07

gested our allowing ourselves just one
cigarette after breakfast while he will
have it that the thin end of the wedge
was introduced by my surreptitiously
reading an occasional French novel IN
der cover of s'Coke on Littleton.
However this May be, we had speedily
fallen away from our original high stand
ard. Not having been troubled with
that frantic rush of clients which we had
originally expected, we had become
much less particular in our
habits. The large law-books were
left unopened, the hour of
breakfast had become gradually later and
later, and short pipes and tweed jackets
had become the order Of the day until
luncheon, and, sometimes, / fear, even
till dinner-time. In our earlier days, we
had made it a point of honor that one or
other of us should always remain IN
chambers, SO as to be ready for anything
that might turn up, but, now, we made
nothing, of putting up the delusive no
tice, "Return in five minutes, and de-
parting together for the rest Of the day.
In order, however, to keep up the pleas
ant fiction that we still expected to have
clients, some day, we had made a bet.
Each of us had backed himself for 95 to
get the first brief, with the proviso that
(if ever the bet should be decided the
winner was to stand a dinner to the loser,
In order to commemorate the event.
| Imagine our emotion, therefore, when,
on the morning Of my story, soon after
10, heavy step was heard to ascend the
staircase and pause at our door; and
when Blobbs (who had been, according
to his usual habit, settling little diff
Guilty with Cocksure's boy upon the
landing) rushed I'D, and, in a hoarse
whisper said, frantic with excitement ::
GA gentleman for Mister Browne! And
he've cot a bundle o. papers," I must
say that Armitage's behavior did him
credit Ny landing the first prize must
naturally have been disappointment to
him; but in the most magnanimous way
he exclaimed:
"Good for you, old man Go in and
win. I'll hook it into the next room,
and leave the coast clear for you.
| And he bolted accordingly into his
bedroom. 1 would have given much to
have been able to assume more dig
nifed attire, and to straighten things
generally, before the entrance of my
client, but it was out of the question. I
had only just time to pitch the end of
my cigar in the fire, open one of the big
law-books upside down, as / afterward
discovered), and to compose my features
into the most professional expression
compatible with flannel jacket and
carpet slippers, when the visitor en-
tered. He was short, puffy little man,
middle-aged, and of a naturally
unintellectual cast Of countenance. He
wore shabby white hat and greasy
black gloves, and his trousers were
shorter and his umbrella fatter than is
generally considered desirable in those
articles; but, Notwithstanding, there
was an air of snug responsibility about
him, and the bundle of papers, tied
with red tape, which he carried, had an
eminently business-ike appearance. He
began:
E'I must apologize for disturbing you
at this early hour, Mr. Browne" Che was
evidently not high practitioner); "but
the fact is, I have come to beg your as
sistance in q very urgent case.
/ tried to look as If very urgent cases
were matters of the most ordinary oc-
currence in my professional experience.
"Ah," I said, "Quite SO. Take seat,
Mr.. -"
"Ward, sir; Gibbins & Ward, OF
High street, Bloomsbury. You have
heard the name, I dare say. Gibbins is
dead-has been dead some years, Ia fact );
but We keep up the old name, you
know"
didn't know in the least. I had
never to my knowledge heard of Gibbins
& Ward, but it would not do to admit
the fact. Not to know Gibbins & Ward
would clearly be to argue myself I'M
known. I took my cue accordingly.
"Oh, yes Gibbins & Ward, most
eminent firm am delighted to have
the pleasure of making your acquain-
lance, Mr.. Ward"
"You are very kind, sir. Well, sir,
as I was saying, or rather as was about
to say, I have become connected with a
case. very peculiar case-indeed, a
most peculiar case and, hearing of you
from my old friend Mr.. Virgins, I
thought that, though am stranger to
you myself, / might venture to call and
ask you to assist me in it,
"Dear me, I thodgbt, "whoever
would have thought of old Virgins (nny
hairdresser) sending me q client y And,
on the principle that one good turn de-
serves another, I mentally resolved to go
and have my hair cut the very next day.
I replied
"I shall be very happy, Mr.. Ward.
Have you the particulars in writing 2"
"Well, not exactly" said Mr.. Ward,
depositing his bundle of papers in his
| hat 60 have a favU 7<rh memoranda
but I'll tell you in half dozen words
the state of the case. The party rep
resent is . Mrs. Podgers, and think
you will agree with me that she has been
very badly used. The fact is, she was
the daughter of an old fellow named
Club, IN TIE oil and color trade, man
reputed 10 be worth a mint of money.
When she married Podgers, who was a