Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-09-09

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may be twenty; but I'm not agoing to
undress before l go to bed, as the say
ing is 7 So upon that, and quite relying
that the old man would keep his word,
Podgers goes and marries. They all
knew the old man couldn't last very
long, so on the strength of his expecta-
tions Podgers puts in a new shop win
dow and starts pony trap. Trade was
bad and Podgers found himself outrun-
ming the constable bit; but he didn't
mind, feeling sure it would be all right
when the old man went off the hooks"
1 began to see my way. Podgers had
married on the strength of the old gen
tleman's promise, and the old gentle
man had subsequently changed his
mind. Here was an opportunity of i'm
pressing Mr.. Ward with my legal acu-
men.
"Excuse my interrupting you one
moment, Mr.. Ward" and l rupg the
bell. Bobbs entered. "Blobbs, give
me 'Chitty on Contracts, and then go
and ask Mr.. Cocksure's clerk to oblige
me with the loan of the sixth volume of
'Meeson and Welsby.' 1 think I can
give you case just in point, Mr..
Ward" Blobbs handed me "Chitty on
Contracts" which in point of fact was
on the mantelpiece Immediately behind
me, and departed to execute the re.
mainder of my order. referred to the
index, murmuring audibly econ
ideration-good- valuable-marriage
page IS. Then turned to the passage
and silently perused it with much atten-
tion. "Ah, yes, thought so |"
Blobbs here returned with the bor-
rowed volume, in which, with an air of
deep reflection, turned to an imag-
mary authority. "No, that won't do.
1 had forgotten for the moment that
that case was overruled by Jones VS..
Robinson. Pray proceed, Mr.. Ward"
Mr. Ward had more than once at
tempted to continue his story, but, with
gentle wave of the hand, I had cour-
teously yet firmly deprecated Interrupt
ton. He resumed apologetically
"I'm afraid I'm giving you a deal Of
trouble, Mr.. Browne"
" Not at all, Mr.. Ward, I assure you.
[ always like to make sure, from the
outset, as to the broad principles appli-
cable"
"Quite so, sir; very true. But am
afraid there is little misunderstood
ing"
81 think not l have followed you
with great attention. A married BIS
daughter G on the faith of an under
taking by b that he will, on his death,
leave g the whole of his property; Is
Chats Glubb, you know dies, and he
does not leave the property to @ Chats
Mrs. Podgers), but to somebody else.
Isn't that your case2" And LEANED back
in my chair and eyed him witha deny that
if-you- can sort of expression.
"Just exactly SO, sir. If you'd been
one of the family yourself you couldn't
have got it more pat. They all went OH
as comfortable as possible till one Sun
day the old gentleman dined with the
Podgerses, and he found o caterpillar in
the vegetables. He would have it they
did it on purpose. He went home at
once, tore up his will and made anoth-
er, leaving every penny of his money to
the asylum for lncurable clearstarchers.
The excitement brought on an apoplec-
tic fit, and he died the very same night
Personally sworn under EOS, 900; and
Podgers all but in the Gazette"
begun to fear that the case would
prove to be Chancery matter, and that
my share in it would. be limited to Civ
ing Mr.. Ward an elaborate opinion to
that effect. But it clearly would not do
to make any suggestion of the kind at
the present stage of the proceedings.
"Ah, just as thought, you see." L
tried to look as if L had anticipated
every detail of the case, even to the cat
erpillar. "Well, now the question is,
what evidence have we, first of dis
tinct agreement on the part of B (other-
wise Glubb) to leave all his property to
his daughter, and, secondly, that A
otherwise Podgers) married on the
faith of that promise. You hear what
Chitty says: "A valuable consideration
is such as money, marriage, or the like,
which the law esteems an equivalent
given for the grant, and is therefore
founded on motives of Justice That's
the law; but how about the facts. Mere
assertion won't do, you know; we must
have evidence.
"Well. as to the evidence I'm afraid
there isn't much in legal sense. Mr..
Cocksure has advised upon the case, and
i he says that we haven't any evidence;
in fact that we haven't leg to stand
upon"
1t was fattering and at the same timo
little alarming to be consulted in a
case in which Mr.. Cocksure had already
expressed an adverse opinion. If Mr..
Cocksure was timid L had better be at
least cautious.
"You will have uphill work before
! you, I'm afraid, and I should recommend
you, Mr.. Ward, as a man of business
Chat is, of course, between ourselves)
to see your way very clear as to your
costs out of pocket. The incurable
} clearstarchers will fight hard, sir, you
may depend on it,
"Oh, dear, yes, sir; no doubt they
: would. But we've quite made up our
minds not to go to law about the mat
ter. 1t would only be throwing good
money after bad; leastways it would il
, we had any to throw; but we haven't.
/ Podgers ran away to America last Mon
day, and his poor wife and five young
children are this moment living in two
pair back in Camden Town, sustaining
a miserable existence on the scanty re.
) mains of the stock in trade"
A horrible misgiving crossed my mind,
) and 1 shut up Chitty.
f. "I thought mean to say supposed
( 7 really don't quite see, then, in what
1 way 1 can be of service in the case, Mr..
4 Ward"
| "Well, you see, Mr.. Wiggins told me
4 as you was an uncommon kind hearted
t gentleman, SO made bold to call and
ask if you wouldn'tput down your name
Y for trifle for the widow and orphans
! not that Mrs. L. is precisely widow