The Ottawa free trader., 1882-01-07
A Young Lawyers Adventure.
aCan / SIT with you ?"
Certainly, sir"
"Nice weathet.' .

drops growing hnCiy ...t
"Yes couldn't do better" f
was sitting In passenger coach, on a WIS
consin railroad, one day years ago, when
good-looking, ,pleasant-spoken man came along,
stopped at my seat, and the above conversa-
tion took place, the latter part OF it after had
given HIM part of my seat.
Now am regarded as a social man. | like
Joke good Bit and think sour, morose
man, who uses his tongue only when obliged
10, is bound to die of some terrible disease,
and go to some place Of red.hot punishment
On entering railroad car | always look
about for u laxative man, ana then get as
close to him as possible and drain him dry,
if the journey is long enough. ~
And want to state one thing more. Lett
an orphan before | could realize the event
which had made me one, got kicked here
and cufled there, and grew up between folks"
rs they say ought to have had, at the time
of which write, pretty thorough knowledge
of human nature, and have been enabled to
read in mans face If he intended me evil.
did not pride myself on being over fine or eX'
ira sharp but the knocking around among
strangers ought to give one good experience
Well, the stranger and | fell INTO an easy
train OF conversation as we rode on together,
and in ten minutes began to enjoy his com
pany. He was a well made fellow, finely dress
diamond ring. never saw IA man who could
talk SO easily and so pleasantly. 1t seemed
that he had but to open his mouth aud the
words fell right out.
had travelled IN the South so hau he. | had
heard the loud roar o the Pacific; he knew
all about IT. had been up in a balloon, down
IN a mine; been blown up, smashed up, and
repaired again; my new friend had eXperenc-
cd all these things, and was waiting for some
thing to tnrn up of more startling nature.
We agreed on politics. and had never met
such Il railroad companion.
Did you ever meet a man who, though
stranger to You ten minutes before, could wrest
from you secrets which you'd sworn to your
self not to revealy Well, he was just such u
man. II was not long before he commenced
asking me questions. He did not seem 10 be
trying to quiz or draw me out but he asked
me questions in such a sly, roundabout way
that before knew it | was giving him my
history
was Just at that time on the point of beng
admitted to the bar of Wisconsin as a student
of Law * Law, OF Brlerville.
The firm were old lawyers. with Il lucrative
practice, and it had been talked over that in
about month was TO become the "Co" of
the firm. A year before an old farmer named
Preston, down about four miles from Grafton,
had died and his matters had been put INTO
the hands of Law IL Law for settlement Pres.
ton had died rich. He had money in the
bank, railroad stocks, mortgages, etc, and
everything was settled up To the satisfaction OF
the rcict and the falherless. 3 as
About a year before his death, being short OF
money, and not wishing to sell anything at a
sacrifice, Preston had given mortgage on his
farm for $4,000. While the papers read zone
year from date,' there was a verbal agreement
.Iot tg DO Tod
desired. A month after when, having the
money, he desired to clear of the paper the
old money bags holding 1t refused to disgorge,
wishing TO secure his interest for year.
was on my way to ascertain the date of eX-
piratiOn. a fire among our Office papers had
destroyed the memoranda, aud must go down
and get the date from old Scrip, who lives
south of Grafton about five miles. The stran-
ger had pumped all this out of me in about
ten minutes; and yet never once suspected
that he was receiving information.
81 am not positive" added "but am pref.
ty sure the time IS the l3th--which would be
Tuesday"
"And then your folks will send down the
money and discharge the mortgage, most Ger.
taInly:" he inquired
"Oh, yes. shall most likely bring it down
70 him." replied, and il never occurred 10 me
how imprudent | was.
He turned the conversation into other chan
nels and did not once attempt to pump me
further We got TO Grafton at half past ten,
and to my surprise be announced that he was
10 stop IN the town on business for a few days
had not asked his name or vocation, while
he knew everything about me.
We went to the hotel, had dinner, and then
l secured lively team and drove out getting
through with the business SO that ] was back
TO take the halfpast two express east. My
friend was on the porch of the hotel as drove
up, carrying that same honest, dignified face
well. did you find outf" he Inquired, in
his pleasant way.
"It's on the 18th, just as | expected re.
piled.
We had lunch together, and when we shook
hands and parted had no more idea of seeing
him again than have OF seeing you. Atpart
ing he gave me his card. u was modest