Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-09-18

between them that Thlle Plumley
did the Office work, Fox kept the
clients in good humor by calling ON
them aprOpos of nothing, ana
amusing them with his jokes and
stories. This busineS was technic-
ally termed keeping the connec-
ton together aud it suited Mr..
Fox very well indeed. 1t was while
he was thus keeping the connec-
ton together that Mr.. Fox made
the acquaintance of a certain rich
old lady named Mrs. johnson, and
SO we'll did he play his cards that
before long Plumley q Fox became
Mrs. Johnsou's family solicitors,
land agents and confidential ad-
yisers. The firm made pretty
good thing out of Mrs. Johnson. In
accordance with the usual arrange
ments, lumley transacted the bust
ness, and Fox became constant
visitor at her house, and worked
his way into her good grace by his
wonderful powers of amusing con
versation. There was yet another
accomplishment which stood our
solicitor in very good stead, and
this was an accurate knowledge OF
chemistry and medicine, which he
had picked up as boy in the shop
of his uncle, the chemist. The hor-
rible smells young Fox had created
in his experiments and the ugly
stains he had made on his hands
determined him to fofsake medicine
for the law, but The never entirely for
got his early experiences. lie could
talk fluently about every known
drug and disease, and about
great many which had not yet been
discovered. He diagnosed Mrs.
JOhnsOn's symptoms at least as ac-
curately as MacBolus, the Scotch
doctor, and would even have pre-
scribed for her had not the stalwart
Scot aDgrily threatened to kick him
if he did so. But he maintained q
very prominent place in the old
lady's affections, and it began to be
whispered about that he had an ex-
cellent chance of succeeding to her
very considerable property.
The disposal of Mrs. Johnson's
money was matter which had long
furnished speculation of unfailing
interest to the town of Scarborough
and filed many a yawning gap in
conversation at afternoon teas.
Mrs. johnson had but one relative
in the world, Miss Lizzie Roberts,
the daughter Of her late sister.
This young lady, however, it was
agreed, had no: the slightest chance
of being mentioned in her aunts
will. Handsome, well-bred girl,
she was left at her parents death
to make her own way in the world,
inheriting nothing but the baltic
of life, and the dislike Of Mrs. John
son, who had not seen the child
since it quilted its baby clothes.
This strange antipathy was trace
able, as some people said, to times
long gone by, when Mr. Roberts,
Lizzie's father, then renowned for
bis manly beauty, had been an as
siduous visitor at the house of Mrs.
Johnson's parents. She being the
elder daughter, and taking all his
attentions for herself, had felt it
keenly as a personal insult when
her sister dared "to snatch him
away" and even later on, after
having made a much more brilliant
match herself, she never could for
give this early defeat. Death even
had not buried the grudge, which
not unnaturally passed from moth
er to child.
How tar this saying may have
been true or not, one thing was
certain poor Lizzie Roberts had
not the ghost of chance of ever
seeing a penny from her aunts
money-bOx; her claims were clear
! ly out of the question. There re-
mained, then, only Miss Nelly
Brown, Mr.. JOhnsOn's lady com.
paniOn, and Mr.. James Fox.
Mr.. James Fox knew from his
partner, who had cautioned him III
a friendly way, that Mrs. johnson
was not going to divide her for
tune, but would leave all Of it to hel
"truest friend" though she had moi
yet made up her mind as to who
deserved that title. More than once
had Mr.. Plumlcy been suddenly
summoned to draw up a new will
80 slight an annoyahce as a cold
cup of tea having caused her tC
r destroy the one in Miss Nelly.
3 favor. Then two days neglect OF
the part of Mr.. Fox, and supply
of hot tea at the hands Of Miss
Nelly again, reinstated this lady il
Mrs. JOhnson's good graccs. Mr.
Fox, therefore, had good cause fol
r anxiety as to what would be th'
! exact state of affairs when the old
lady was finally called upon to
join the majority.
r "With such an old woman," ht
said to himself, "who was ready
, to make new will any day anC
burn it the next there is no depend
! ence, ones future hangs upon
whim; remedy must be found
, The safest thing would, of course