The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-03
$ Clerk.
LUDED)

hero going thr' ugl
of eading on be
yman in court OF
e altered since then
cred with them. Clint
row old stairs leading up I.
- "a, -lnuers where We first made the 20
auainlaiice of our young barrister. We knock
at his inor; there is no response fom with
ia. AS our eyes grow accustomed to th'
seini-i4rkness, we direct our gaze again t.
the '-sporied oak" of the barr ster's cham
beers. and SEE pinned close under the knoci
ssr very small card with very small nam
printed ON IL. HMr. Francis Julian" IL
the corner are these words written in pc
Gil: ''Out of town at present attending jail
deliveries .
So we descend the rckety, dry-rotted
stairs again. satisfied that our friend is u"
L., he found in London. and hoping that h.
is rraping rich harvest from his presen
occupation of Jail delivering-a process witt
which we NAV. without showing great lgno
rance. confess ourselves TO be unfamiliar.
Now hat we have discovered where Mr.
Francis Julian is not, this pleasant day al
eariv Summer, let us fnd out where he is
Fly with me, re tder, few short miles I'll
we reach the beautiful rolling Surrey hill
aud are quite free from the clamor OF Lou
don and ''the spreading of the hideous
town. we al9uJ db idSlf anu Wdh"Ciiii-
along a winding lane, green with its nntrln
msd hem of grass and flowers, and overshad
owed by leafy arms of meeting trees. W.
Gene In sight of all old church, with mass
square tower aud ivy covered portal, ano
the clustering grave stones all gathered
round lis walls. A little further, and W.
catch A glimpse of old gables peeping through
trees: we see meadow edged with tall elm ,
in which the ronks keep up perpetual win
dy cawing; aud we arrive at length In front
of the mansion itself, and the beautifui
wapon which its antique windows look
ID
There are two chairs on the lawn. One
is tenanted by fair girl of some eighteen To
twenty wears, who is dangling in her hand a
RACQUET" with which she is evidently just
been playing at lawn-tennis. Her cheeks
are flushed with the exercise, and her who'll.
figure is full of graceful health. This is
Mss Edith Julian. cousin of the rising legal
star, If the same name of whom we have
heard something. In the other chair, in an
attitude of complete and uninitigated con
tenlment, sits the legal star in QUESTION, VII
has chosen this peculhly easy method OF
.saisepding Jail deliveries"
"WeIl, YOU see." be is remarking to his
cousin, at isn't untrue l really am attend
ing Jail deliveries. Doesn't every barrislef
find his chamber IN London every bit as bad
as a iail, and can any one deny that am de
liv red from them at present? Y s. and pre-
cious glad am at the deiveranceP
WHAT eplies his cousin; you don
surely mean to say you pre- er lawn-lennls L
law cnnrls? Aud whel you are getting on S
mnch better than you were, according to
your own account! | wonder you havn't
more ambition. am sure you're realty
iousing tn be- back anon. your musty Oil
honks Nav. confess, Frank?''
by Jnv.W was Julian's reply, half ris
i4ig from his chair and lopkiug at his CON
pa in. What fool | have been, vast
ing my days in town when [ might hay
i.-.i d avn here all the time-with you
indeed | shall have Id Confess
he very ilneieaIly, un easonabls
49, lily broke off anu stopped
- laughed the mischievoEs Nj =
I'm waiting to hear your confes
4on. Go on"
.-Do yon really want to know what it
would b-?" ask Julian.
.-Of course do she answered, "if IL
nothing. very terrible"
Very we'll. then; you've brought it az
yourself. mind. whalev g may say. | war
going 10 remark that was so far from long
lug 10 b. back amoug INV nusty old books.
as you call them, that should b. quite con
tented to burn every volume, and never ST..
one of them again, if could be sure OF
having your face to look at instead" A d
Julian fell back in his easy chair. feelin
like prisoner in the dock who has just
pleaded guilty.
And she, 10 whom this fattering speech is
addressed does she seem startled at this
declaration? By her answer you would think
she regarded il as quite matter of indiffer
ence. She merely laughs, and says:
"On! | knew that before" Then for
Oh, .Ir..r strv oh h.
subject.
"But tell me all about these new briefs
that you have been getting lately, and the
trial you told me about, and the little boy,
and everything | am very interested in it. -
Julian goes through the incidents of the
scene in the Old Bailey Court, which ae
know already, CHANGING lightly at his own
performance, a d making much of the little
pathetic incident between the prisoner and
the boy he claimed as his son.
But we will tell his story without all the
additions, explanations, and Interruptions
to which it was unavoidabIy subjected when
told BY an enthusiastic you G barrister to a
sympathetic little ignoramus of a cousin.
When the sentence of a years imprisen-
ment was pronounced, the boy, who hal
tried 10 save his father from punishm er t.
quite broke down. He sobbed so bitterly
that Julian had to take him out of courl
himself. But when he had got him out OF
court, what on earth was he to do with him?
So there the i experienced young counsel
was left ''alone in London" with a home
less and friendless outcast of boy. At las
he remembered he had promised him din
per; SO he straightway kept his word by TAX
ing the lad into the nearest clearinghouse
and insisting on his forgetting his sorrows
sufficiently to do justice to the unaccustomed
fare.
After that, being still quite ignorant what
to do with the boy, Julian took him home
to his own lodgings in Piccadilly, and told
the people of the house to give him bed
somewhere and he would settle about him
the next day.
As often happens, he was saved the
trouble of deciding what was to be done by
something turning up which he never had
expected. You remember, dare say, my
speaking of an Anticipated clerk of his, by
name Peters. The very next day after
Julian had taken the boy he went down as
usual TO his chambers, and was sitti in
his customary armchair, revolving many
memories and wondering if that chance
got brief of his for the unhappy burglar
would be the last he should ever have, when
there was light tap at the door, ana the
face of the clerk appeared. looking more ca
dav-rous and even less attractive than
usual.
he wanted 20 "speak a few words to his
master. These few words contained an in
timaiion that he wished to leave his masters
service, owing to the lack of work and con
sequent lack of fees. He drew brief bul
suggestive comparison betw Ell the cham
beers of Mr.. Francis Julian and the chambers
of Mr.. Higgings, queens counsel, whose
clerk be had beeu before, as seen from the
point Of view of the person who pockets hall
a crown on every guinea paid to his master;
and ne. hardly say that he obtained from
his present master leave to take himself off
that very day, if he chose.
L must ne confessed that Julian did no.
Ike being deserted, and felt somewhat biz er
against the world in general and the sue
cessful Mr.. Higgins in particular. Its 4
clear case of the rats and tn hiking Ship
l- said to himself But, luckily. he was
sv-ntrd from further melancholy musino
sudden thought which occurred To him
few moments hesitation, aud he hal Il :
rInin-d on an ex eriment as bold as il
was original.
In a word the next day saw Julian's
young protege installed as the barristers
clerk The mercenarv Mr. Peters had sue