South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-06-29

H"S oS"Soo t1lIsaSe sDop,
with all it contained, was ,burped.@
Ana while attempting to extipguish
the flames, the deacon hiiassif. wis
severely injured. There was a chance
Ter his lite. the doctor said, but his
physical labors coulJ never be re-.
sumed. 9 ~
Mistortnnes never come sing.y.-,
Before Mr.. Washburn was able TO,
leave the house q former, resident of
the town put in, an app earanee, de.
c!arng that the, .Wasfburn cottaSe.
and the valuable cultivated ground
belonging to the, estate, were held by
spurious title : IN OTHER words, that
Deacon Washburn, did not own them
at an. :.
This was a startling discovery to
the unfortunate man. The claimant
OF the estate brought proofs which on.
~ long aud expensive suit could Sc,
aside. :,
Sorry to turn you from your home
which you have paid for fair enough
sald Mr.. Hoskins, dandy. But it
isn't my fault that the person who
gave you the title 10 this property has
no right TO do so. Indeed you were
IN fault for not learning the irrespon.
ability of the party when you made
the purchase. l shall not force yen
to move away until you have suffi.
GENTLY recovered to do so. / am a
kind man at heart, you zee, Mr. Wash
burn
The 'kind-hearted IIoskins smirk.
cd and bowed, and left the cottage.
The deacon was halt.crazed by the
situation. lie could not afford to car.
~ on an expensive legal suit, with
the probability of being defeated in
the end.
There seemed to be no alternative.
They must give up their home and go
Whittier
A week dragged away.
Then q letter came to Deacon
Washburn, written il. Il scrawlv bus
mess hand. 1t was pithy affair,
and as follows:
read in newspaper that one AL.
bert lloskins disputed the legality Of
Joseph Washburn's title 10 the house
aud land which the latter was suppos-
ed to own. Knowing Mr.. IIoskins to
be an INSCRIPTIONS villain | will
come to Centerville and legally OPP.
poac his claims in your behalf.
Respectfully, etc,
LANSING, Attorney at Law.
a sort of joy choIcd the voice Of
Petronlila as she read the singular
cpist!c aloud to Mr.. Washburn.
But who is this Lansing? Another
fraud, it is likely exclaimed the old
man, not daring to believe u turn in
fortunes 10 be possible.
Perhaps not, uncle Joe; we mustn't
give up in that way, for L do not be-
lievc God has forsakeE US exclaimed
Pet. stroking the. silver gray locas of
her benetactor.
That's SO, child. At any rate this
Lansing can't do any worse by US
than IIoskins will and we might as
we'll accept his aid, if he has any to
offer
80 IL was settled.
Within q week civil suit in the
courts began, when Deacon Wash
burn was unable to attend.
But he learned that Lansing, the
lawyer who had volunteered his aid,
was a brilliant young man, and that
Albert Uosllins dared not push his
claims after the attorney had present
ed the other side of the case.
The claimant seemed to stand
greatly in fear OF his opponent, and q
rumor was circulated that Hoskins
was guilty of numerous sactions
of which the young lawyer threatened
to convict him.
So, after a single days trial, the
case was decided, aud Deacon Wash
burns title to his hard earnad ross
essions pronounced genuine.
Early in the evening after the trial,
a knock sounded upon the door of the
Washburn cottage,
Pet answered tine summons, fling.
ing the door wide open:
She uttered little gasp, her cheeks
flashed slightly, and then becoming
white rs death
1t is-lIarryr she managed to ar
ticulate.
Yes, Pet. So you had not quite
forgotten the face OF the black Sheep
returned his deep, musical tones.
forgotten you ! terminating her
exclamation with little scream of
JOY. Then adding, in bcwiIdered
sort of way
But IsuPposed you were dead, and
We have been mourning for you all
these years. 1t is really true, our
Harry
The young man laughed, softly.
NO, did not perish i'm the great
disaster upon the Hudson, though il
was by almost a miracle that | escap-
cd. The report of my death was con.
tradicted afterward, and had I not
supposed that you read ii | should
nQun - 70.