Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-16
GaIfs aIlo Sketfkes.
fHE GENTLEMAN BEGGAR.
An ATTORNEYS STORY.
Continued from Yesterday. !

llDtD 1cetrIbdysJ
to you, Mr.. Diseount-the law is open,
and man of your talent will know how
to use it."
Then, Mr.. Leasem, You mean that |
must, in order to right this starving man
file bill of discovery to extract from you
the particulars of his rights. You have
the marriage settlement and all the infor-
nation, and YOU decline to allow pen
sion or afford any information: the man
is to starve or 90 to the work-house.
"Why, Mr.. d, Won are so quick and
violent, il really is not professional but you
see there a subdued smile OF triumph) ii
has been decided that solicitor is not
bound to afford such information as you
ask, TO the injury Of his client"
Then You mean that this poor Molinos
NAV rot and starve. while you keep the
secret from him. at his wife's request, OF
his title to an income, and that the Court
ofChaDcery will back you in this iniqulty"
kept repeating the word ''starve," be-
cause I saw that it made my respectable
opponent vince.
.Well. then, Just listen to me. know
that in the happy state of your equity law.
chancerv can't help my client, but have
another plan will go TO my office. issue
a writ, take YOUR clients husband into ex-
ecution: as soon az he is lodged in Jail ]
shall file his schedule in the lnsOlveDt
Court, and when he comes up for his dis
charge, | shall put you in the witness box
and examine you on oath, touching prop
erty of which you know the insolvent TO
be possessed and where will be your
privileged communication then ?'
The respectable Leasem's face length
ened in a twinkling, his comfortable. con-
fident air vanished. he ceased twlddilng
his gold chain. and at length, he muttered ::
Suppose we pay the debt ?"
why, then, I'll arrest him the day after
for another
But. nv dear Mr.. Discount. surely
such conduct would not be quite respecta-
ble."
That's my business; my client has
been wronged, am determined toJight
him, and when the aristocratic firm OF
Leasem IL Fashum take refuge. according
to the custom of respectable regulators,
in the cool arbors of the Court OF Cbancery,
whv, mere bill discounting attorney like
David Discount need not hesitate about
cutting bludgeon out Of the insolvent
court
well. well. Mr.. d.. you are so warm
so fiery. We must deliberate we must
consult. You will give me until the day
after tomorrow. and then we'll write you
our final determination. In the meantime
send us a copy of your authority to act for
Mr.. Molinos Fitz Roy
OF course lost no time in getting the
gentleman beggar to sign proper letter.
On the appointed day came IA commu-
nication with l.. q F. seal. which opened
not without unprofesSional eagerness. 1t
was as follows
"In re Molinos Fitz Roy and another.
'SIR In answer to your application
on behalf of Mr. Molinos Fitz Roy. we beg
to inform you that under the administra-
ton of paternal aunt who died interstate,
YOU client il entitled to E2j00 IS Cd, )
per cents, CISCO l9s Id 3 per cents.
Reduced, fl00 long annuities, 600 bank
stock, f3500 India stock, besides other
securities, making up about fl0.000,
which we are prepared to transfer over to
Mr.. Molnos Fitz- Rows direction forth
with
Here was windiall. 1t quite took
away my breath.
At dusk came my gentlemen beggar,
and what puzzled me was, how to break
the news to him. Being very much over
whelmed with business that day, had
not much time for consideration. He
came in rather better dressed than when
| first saw him. with only weeks beard
on his chin, but. as usual. not quite sober.
Six weeks had elapsed since our first in
terview. lie was still the humble. trem-
bling, low-voice creature | first knew
him.
After prelude, said Il find. Mr..
F.. you are entitled to something. Pray.
what do you mean to give me in addition
TO my bill for obtaining ?' He an
swered rapidly "Oh, take half. If
there is fl00. take halt il there is $500,
take half"
mo. no. Mr. F.. don't do business in
that way | shall be satisfied with 10 per
cent
1t was so settled. then led him out
into the street, impelled to tell him
the news yet dreading the effect not dar-
ing to make the revelation in my office.
for fear OF n scene.
began hesitatingly, "Mr. Fitz Roy
am happy to say that find you are en-
titled to s'fl0. 900"
"Ten thousand pounds" he echoed /;
"fi0,oo0"' he shrieked; "fl0. O00," he
yelled, Selling my arm violently. You
are brick. Here. cab. cab" Several
drove up-the shout might have been
heard a mile of. He jumped in the first
where TOP" said the driver
ITO a tailor's. YOU rascal"
Ten thousand pounds; ha, ha. ha.' he
repeated Historically when in the cab, and
every moment grasping my arm. Pres
emily he subsidized. looked me straight in
the face. and muttered with agonizng
ievor:
What a jolly brick you are!"
The tailor. the hosier. the bootmaker,
the hair dresser. were in turn visited by
the poor pagan of eNternals. AS by de-
grees. under their hands. he emerged
from the beggar to the gentleman. his
spirits rose his eyes frightened: he walk
ed erect, but always nervously grasping
my arm; fearing apparently. to lose sight
of me for n moment. lest his fortune
should vanish with me. The impatient
pride with which he gave his orders to
the astonished tradesman for She finest
and best of everything, and the amazed
air of the fashionable hair dresser when
he presented his matted locks and stubble
chin. to be ''cut and shaved" may be act
edit cannot be described.