Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-05-13
A AWYER'S SECRET.
Ely G. MANyILLE PENN.

self when | find the novelists taking
up old family incidents and working
them into stories; and then | think
of what plots l could have furnished
if they had not been family secrets
of private and thoroughly nf-
Dental character.
Well, now for instance. What q
favorite stock subject they form
with writer's, both for books and
plays; and l don't wonder at it, for
if there is anything that excites peo-
pies curiosity it is the question of
how some rich mans money is to be
distributed.
l remember one case. that, chang
ing tie names,it will not be breach
of confidence to mention, and | tell
it the more frankly because it is a
little against myself, for | must own
that / did not act quite upon what
is called the square. In fact,
played part-a negative kind of
negative part-for | did nothing else
but hold my tongue. If | had spok-
en- it would have taken ESQ, 900 out of
an honest mans pocket and into a
rogue's; so, somehow, | let my feel
ings get the better of my profession
al conscience and / said not word,
| was John Hendricks solicitor
and locke after his prop erty, for /
had known him when he was
struggling man and ! was a young
lawyer with none too much practice,
Then / lost sight of him for twenty
years, at the end of which time /
was still plodding along respectfully,
just holding my own and nothing
more, when, going into one of the
city tavernS for my daily chop, which
/ ate at the same table for so many
long years, that | had become one of
the institutions of the place, [ found
myself opposite to q yellow looking,
thin, gray haired man, who kept
looking up from his plate to stare at
me very rudely, | thought.
| did not resent his stare at first,
but at last it became so unpleasant
that / determined to look him down
and l glared firmly into his eyes.
"Why, it is !" ne exclaimed,
"Dicks old boy, don't you know
me %
"That's Jack Hendricks voice." j
said, nearly upsetting my plate, and
the next moment we were sitting
there, hand clasped in hand, and
with tears in our eyes, looking very
foolish and weak, | dare say, to the
other occupants of the room; but
that did not trouble us, for we had
too much to say to each other.
John Hendricks told me that he
had been in the north of India, close
to Nepaul, for over twenty years.
He had gone out as factor to an in
digo grower, and had become II
grower himself.
"And noW," he said,"I have come
to look after my dead sisters sons,
and-tO die"
"Weu, old fellow,"I said, "the
first part is right enough, but as to
the dying | think it's as well to
leave that alone. Ii will be settled
for you. The only thing with re-
spect to that, speaking as a profess
slOnal man, is to make your will, if
you have anything to leave, and then
make the most OF your span" John
Hendricks was fifteen years older
than /, but we became once more
the closest of friends, for he seemed
to resume his old protective ways
over me, but trusting me most fully
IN every respect.
1t was all in a most unOStentatiouS
way, but from the day of John Hen
bricks return, the world seemed to
smile ON me. | had a great deal of
professional business to do for him,
and as he had a most extensive con-
nection, among old indigo planters,
| found them coming to me right
and left, by his recommendation; so
that very soon in place of finding it
hard work to keep one clerk, | had
very hard work for four, and big
balance at my bank.
But | am getting too fast.
Before long | met the two nephews
at their uncle's quiet little house at
Chelsea, and as we sat at dinner, |
could not help thinking how kindly
fortune was behaving to the young
men TO place them in such eXpecta-
tiOns, and before | left it was plain
enough to me which was the uncle's
favorite.
This was Philip, frank-faced
young fellow of two or three and
twenty, very gentlemanly in his
ways, and decidedly good looking,
while he was full of anecdote, and,
without seeming to be toadying, full
of attention to the old man, to whose
dogmatic speeches he listened with
the greatest Difference.
For old John had grown terribly
dogmatic. He had the manage
ment of hundreds of poor ryots for
so many years that he felt quite a
king in his way, and would bully
and snub every one when his liver
was little worse than usual-every
one that is, excepting me, for when
ever he was out of temper he never
would speak to me, but nod and