The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-04-15
selett storp.
A LAWYERS SECRET.
ny G. uAxvrLLE PENN

Curious eases in my profession? O, yes.
plenty. | often smile to myself when |
find the novelis,s taking up old family in
eidents and working them up into stories;
and then | think Of what plots | could
have furnished if they had not been family
secrets of private and thoroughly c,ni-
Dental character.
Wills, now, for instance. What favor
iie stock subject they form with writers,
bath for books and plays, and | don't won
der at it, for if there Is anything tha, cx-
cites peoples curiosity it is the question of
how some rich mans money Is TO be dis
tributed
remember one ease that, changing the
names. it viii b. no particular breach Of
confidence To mention, and tell il the more
frankly because il i little against myself
for must owa that | did M, act quite
upon what j. called the square In fact. |
PLAYED part-a negative kind Of part---iar
| did nothing else but hold nav tongae If
| had spoken. j, wouid have been 500, 900
or ~ oat of truly honest mans pocket
and into rogues; 50. somehow. let my
feelings ga the better Of my professional
conscience. and | said not word
was old John Hendricks solicisoF, and
looked after his property, f0T | had known
him when he was struggling man and |
vas young lawyer with none too much
practice Then loSt sight Of him for
twenty years. as then end Of which time |
w4s still pledding along nspeetably. Just
holding my own and nothing more, when.
gging into one of the city savsrns fer my
regular daily chop, which ate at the same
table for - many years that had become
one of the institutions of the place, found
myself opposite 20 4 yellow boxing. thin,
gray haired man, who kept on looking up
fr0m his rlxte to stare ss me very radcly.
| thoughf.
did not rsseni bis stare Al first. hus st
hst Il became 10 unpleasant that | deter.
mined 10 lcok him down and gaEsd frnly
into bis eyes.
Why, IL is n he hecxclaiHssd. .'Dick, old
boy, don't you know me p
That's Jack Hendricks voice. | ex-
claimed nearly upsesting ms plate; aud the
next moment we were sitting there. hand
elaSped in hand. and with tears in our eyes,
looking very foolish and weak, dare sa5
10 the other occupants Of the rcona: but
thar did nus trouble us, for we had To-, much
10 say 10 each other
John Hendricks told me that he had
bscn in the north Of India, elosc TO Neganl.
for over twenty years He had gone Out
as a factor to an indigo grewer. and had
become grower himself
And nov, he sid. Il have come to
look after my dead sisters sons and--tO
die.
well, old fellow, said, the tirst part ;
right enough, hut a 10 the dying | think
ii A. well to leave that alone IL viii be
al settled for YOU. The only thing with
respect 20 that, speaking as professional
man, Is 10 make your viii, ii you have any
thing 10 leave. and then make the most Of
your span John Hendricks was fifleen
years my senior. bat we became once more
the closest Of friends, for he seemed TO re-
sumo his old protective way over me, but
trusting me most fully in every respect.
Ii was all done in most transformations
way. but from the day Of John Hendricks
return the world began To smile ON me |
had great deal Of professional business To
do for him. and as he had most extensive
connections among old indigo planters, |
found them coming 10 me right and left,
by his recommendation, 50 that very soon
in place Of finding it hard work 10 keep
one clerk. | had very hard work for four.
and big balance at my bank.
But | am getting on too fast.
Before long met the two nephews at
their uncle's quiet little house at Chelsea.
and a. We SAT- at dinner could not help
thinking how kindly fortune was behaving
to the young men 10 plaee them in the way
Of such expectations, and before left i
was plain enough to me which was the un-
clc's favorife
This was Philip, frank-faeed young
fellow of two or thres and twenty, very
gentlemanly in his ways, and decidedly
good booking, while he was full of anecdote,
and, without seeming to be toadying, full
of attention to the old man, TO whose dog
matte speeches he listened with the great
est Difference.
For old John had grown terribly dog
matte. /, He had the management of hun
dreds of poor ryots for 50 many years that
he felt quite 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 whenever he was out
of temper he never would speak to me, but
nod and shake his head, and smoke his
ehillnm till he felt more at ease.
Samuel was the very opposite of his
brother, being short, thick-set, plain fel-
1 low, with only one good feature-or ought
i that to be two-in his face, and that his
eyes, which were, for man, beautiful, and
best of all, in their steady, honest look
which never seemed to blanch or have any
thing to fear
/ Time went on, and at John Hendricks
wish took Philip as articled clerk
-.And how about Sam?' | said, in my
gruff and repellant way.
4 "Let him stop where he is and sell tea
and tea-dust, and make his money out Of
the chests, he said, in hard, harsh manner
/ that did not like.
'But you'll leave him as much as you
leave his brother?' | said.
That | won't, Dick He's my sister
/ boy, but don't ike him. He's his father
over again-the father who behaved badly
to poor Jenny and broke her heart. He
was gambler and thought only of himself
Poor girl, she made sad mistake, but let
that rest