, 1876-10-20

60 and have my hair cut the very next
day. Ireplied:
II shall be very happy, Mr.. Ward.
Have you the particulars in writingY
well, not exactly" said Mr.. Ward,
depositing his bundle of papers in his
nat. II have few rough memoranda,
| but I'll tell YOU in half a dozen words
the state Of the case. The party rep
resent is a Mrs. Podgers, and l 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 the oil and color trade,
a man reputed to be worth a mint OF
money. When she married POdgers,
who was a pork butcher in q small way
of business, Podgers naturally wanted
to know what the old man would do for
them. A little ready money would have
been very acceptable, and as they knew
that Susan that's Mrs. Podgers) was
the only daughter, and would come in
for all the old mans money at his death,
they didn't see why he shouldn't give
'em a little at once, on account like.
But old Club wasn't to be had in that
way. No. he says; If you marry Su-
san, when die you'll have all I've got,
which may be ten thousand Or it may
be twenty; but I'm not a-going to un-
dress before go to bed, as the saying
is! 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-
kfa,,o DNIn,o,-o 70 in ohnrA
dow and starts pony-trap. Trade was
bad, and Podgers found himself out
running the constable a bit; but he
didn't mind, feeling sure it would be
all right when the old man went off the
hooks"
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 chance of impress
ing Mr.. Ward with my legal acumen.
Excuse my interrupting you one
moment, Mr.. Ward" and I rung the
bell. Blobbs entered.
"Blobbs, give me 'Chitty on Con-
tracts, and then go and ask Mr.. Cock
sure's clerk to oblige me with the loan
of the sixth volume of 'Meeson and
Welsby.' think can give you a case
just in point, Mr.. Ward" Blobbs
handed me "Chitty on Contracts, !"
which, in point of fact, was on the man
telpiece Immediately behind me, and
departed to execute the remainder of
my order. referred to the index, mur-
muring audibly: Consideration
good-valuable = marriage-page 49,"
then turned to the passage and silently
perused it with much attention. "Ah,
yes, thought soP'
Blobbs here returned with the bor-
rowed volume, with an air Of deep re-
Election, I turned to an imaginary au-
thority. ''No, that won't do, I had
forgotten for the moment that the case
was overruled by Jones uS. Robinson.
Pray proceed, Mr.. Ward"
Mr.. Ward had more than once at
tempted to continue his story, but, with
gentle ewave of the hand, had cour-
teously yet firmly deprecated Interrupt
ton. He resumed, apologetically:
"Tm afraid I'm giving you deal of
trouble, Mr.. Browne"
"NOt at all, Mr.. Ward, / assure you.
always like to make sure, from the
outset, as to the broad principles appi-
cable"
"Quite SO, sir; very true. But I am
afraid there Is a little misunderstand-
ing"
f'I think not. 1 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; B,
that's Club, you know, dies and he
does not leave the property to @, that's
Mrs. Podgers, but to somebody else.
Isn't that your case9" And leaned
back in my chair and eyed him with q
deny-that-if-you-can sort of expression.
Gust exactly. so, sir. If you'd been
one Of the family yourself, you couldn't
have got it more pat. They all went
on as comfortable as possible till, one
Sunday, the old gentleman dined with
the Podgerses, and he found caterpil-
lar in the vegetables. He would have
it that they didit onpurpose.3 He went
home at once, tore up his willard made
another, leaving every penny of his
money to the Asylum for incurable
Clearstarchers. The excitement brought
on an apoplectic fit. and he died the
very same night. Personality sworn
under 925, 600; and Podgers all but in
the Gazette" )"
1 began to fear that the case would
prove to be chancery matter, and that
my share in it would be limited to Civ
ing Mn Ward an elaborate opinion to
that effect. But it clearly would not do
to make any suggestions of the kind at
the present stage of the proceedings.
"Ah, just as thought, you see." 1
tried to look as if I had anticipated
every detail in the case, even TO the
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