The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-01-26
AAfsce1l amenns.
The FIRST CLIENT.

HIT FlISb SllChbs
Several summers ago happened to spend
| q few weeks in Concord New Hampshire
My home for the time being, was in quiet
family who took into their home several
members of the State Legislature as boarders.
| Among these people there was very talent
ed young lawyer and his pretty wife. They
| were bright, witty, sensible couple dressed
| well, and | looked upon them as fortunes IA
vorites, and wondered if the passing years
| would fling any shadows in their pathway, or
| if they had known care or sorrow. The
young wife was sweet singer and many an
evening passed very pleasantly in listening
| to the piano touched by her practiced fingers,
and her songs were like the bird music in early
spring time. Her gay laugh would ring out
upon the air unmingled by q single note of
sadness. The manly husband seemed devo-
ted to his accomplished wife, finding his chief
| happiness in her society," and as | saw them
| daily was reminded of Whittier's beautiful
poem, "The Wife," and fancied too, she was
some city's "fair pale daughter" who had
| found her husband among the New IIamp-
shire hills. The lines would come to mind
I'VE send the squire to general court,
He takes his young wife thither
No happier man election day,
Rides through the sweet June weather"
This made me interested in this happy pair
| yet weeks glded away and learned nothing
definitely of their history during my sojourn
| in the city But another summer came, and
the same errand took me again to Concord
and occupied the same old quarters. There
were many new faces around the table, but
| the young lawyer and his wife were in their
| old seats, and apparently as happy as ever
| We met as old acquaintance this time, and
one evening we were all out upon the piazza
| watching the sunset and the crowds of people
that promeEaded at this hour, or rode leisure
| ly past in their handsome carriages.
The conversation turned upon the struggles
| of young men of limited means in acquiring
an education and profession, and then a
foothold in this busy, grasping world.
81 know all about it," exclaimed Mr.. Yves
ton, my young lawyer friend, 81 had time
of it to get started, and if the Lord ever gives
me plenty of money, | shall use little of il
in helping others"
"Tell me something of your history if you
please" asked, II have had all manner ofcon
lectures in regard to it, and now my curiosity
must be satisfied"
| "You may not care much for it," he re
piled, smiling, but l think | will tell yor
about my first client. To me, certainly, il
was an interesting case"
Here his wife slipped her little hand out o
his and went quietly into the house, and ther
l knew she was in some way connected will
the story
"Well, to begin, was early left an orphan
with only sixpence in my pocket, and jack
knife to white with. believe had goot
share of energy, or pluck, as they say, for
went through college, and studied law, sup
porting myself and owing no man a dollar
But the tug of war came when | went to til,
little village of W., where l now live, ant
hung out my single, expecting that bushes
would come of course. But weeks dragged
into months, and no work came.
Sometimes l would get a little writing t.
do, but the older lawyers took all the import
ant cases, and l hardly earned enough t,
pay my board bills. Every morning l aros
very early and took long walk, then care
fully swept my office and arranged my book
SO that if business did come | could be read,
for it, But the months glided away and still
had nothing to do. Finally began to ge
little discouraged, and wondered if ha,
not mistaken my calling / sometime
wished myself in Birmah, teaching the heath
en-, or anywhere else than in that quiet vii
lage. At length, one day in fit of despera
ton looked over my affairs, took an inven
tory of my possessions; which consisted of
few law books and two seedy suits of cloth
ing, and asked myself what had better
done; l could endure this waiting no Longer
TRY your luck somewhere else, john
said to myself, these old staid New Englan
villages went to seed thirty years ago G
to Kansas and start afresh That is jus
what I'll do if no work comes this week.
But, at the close of that evening there cam
low knock at my Office door, / knew ths
it was not any of the fellows who sometime
came in to chat awhile, and l threw down m
newspaper and arose and opened the door,
There stood very handsome young lad,
, dressed in mourning, and was little frigh
, ened and awkward, but | asked her to com
in and take seat
"Mr. Weston, believe" she asked
eyes, at your service"
II am Minnie Ellery, she said, in lo'
musical voice, land came to consult you o
business"
, 81 shall be happy to hear your story"
, answered, las happen to have little leisul
: just now"
was in flutter of delight that Miss Eller
had chosen to consult me on business, yet
believe l distinctly heard all that she tol
me.
1t seems that she was an adopted child
the rich Mr.. Ellery, who had recently d
ceased. The old gentleman had never Ina
| OBui pupCls vi uuoptiOh hiuoC ouI hC ht
not regarded 1t as necessary, as the child hs
been given to his care by her mother ON h
r death bed" He had given her happy HON
: and carefully educated her as his own daug
. ter. Several years previously he had mat
a will, in which he had given her the bulk
! his property, after providing handsomely fl
} his wife during her lifetime. But now tv
brothers of the deceased came boldly forwa
and claimed the property, and the will cou
not be found.
"The will must be found" exclaimed
. my excitement, "you must look again"
She shook her head In sadness. II ha'
looked over every scrap of paper in paps
writing desk, and safe and library and mar
+ ma has helped me, but the will cannot
a found"
y "Have you any suspicion that either
these uncles have privately obtained posse
;. sion of the missing will ?" l asked.
l "None at ALL" she frankly answered.