The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-06-03
IN HIS OWN TRAP.

in the firm of Plumley s. Fox, the prinei-
pal solicitors in the somewhat dead-alive |
old Cathedral town of Scarborough. lie |
was a smart well set-up young man, OF |
two or three-and-thirty, with carefully |
trimmed black whlskers, a silken manner,
and nm unlimited flow of more or less en-
Pertaining small talk. Hence 1t came to
pass that he was an exceedingly popular
man among the ladies OF Scarborough,
both old and young and, had his views
lain IN the direction OF matrimony, be
would have had small difficulty in induc-
ing any bashful damsel or frlslky widow to
share his lot. But the handsome solicitor
was ambitious his share in the business
did not at present bring him in more than
q moderate income, and he had long age
determined that when he married he must
consider not only beauty, but more solid
advantages.
Heiresses, however, were not plentiful
in Scarborough, and so, although Mr.
Foxs attentions frequently iluttered
virgin bosom, he was careful not to COM
NIT himself too far, and not even the local
gossips could fairly say Of him that he had
compromised a reputation or knowingly
raised false hopes. There was, indeed,
one young lady who had made deep inn
pression upon the solicitors heart, but
she was the daughter of a county magnate
with whom poor Mr.. Fox was not even on
visiting terms He had met her at the
annual hunt ball, she had danced twice
with him, for Mr.. Fox was an excellent
waltZer: but her mother had doubtless
warned her against him, for when they
met, some six weeks afterward, Miss La
auerton passed the unfortunate man with
out SO much as bow. Miss LGquerton,
however, was lovely and rich, and MIR. Fox
was not man TO be easily discouraged.
He knew that If he could only afford to
cut the Office and blossom into a landed
PROPRIETOR, he would have Just rs good
chance with her as anybody else; 30 he
waited patiently in the hopes of one day
discovering the road which leads TO for
tune and success
The firm OF Plumley g. Fox was high
" respectable and old.fashioned concern
which avoided litigation, and kept almost
entirely to family business. Plumley was
fairly good lawyer, but Fox's legal
knowledge was Of the most limited char
acter. and he was much too lazy to take
The trouble to increase IT, So 1t came to
be understood between them that while
Plumlcy did the office work. Fox kept the
clients in good humor by calling OH them
apropos Of nothing, and amusing them
with his Jokes and stories. This business
was technically termed keeping the con
nd 4 AMI fa1
very well indeed. 1t was while he was
thus keeping the connection together that
Mr.. Fox made the acquaintance OF ceI-
tain rich old widow lady, named Mrs.
johnson, and so well did he play his
cards that before long Plumley & Fox
became Mrs. Johnson's family solicitors.
land agents and confidential advisers.
The firm made pretty good thing out OF
Mrs. johnson. In accordance with the
usual arrangement Flumley transacted
the business. and FOX became u con 'tant
visitor at her house, and worked his way
into her good graces by his wonderful
powers of amusing conversation. There
was yet another accomplishment which
stood our solicitor in very good stead, and
this WINS an nccurate knowledge OF chcni-
istry and medicine, which he had picked
up as boy in the shop OF his uncle, the
chemist. The horrible smells young Fox
had created In his experiments and the
uQly stains he had made on his hands de-
termined him to forsake medicine for the
law. but he never entirely forgot his early
experiences. Hecould talk iiuently about
every known drug and disease, and about
a great many which had not yet been dis
covered; he diagnosed Mrs. Johnson's
symptoms at least as accurately as Mac.
Bolus. the Scotch doctor, and would even
n bod for har
wart Scot angrily threatened to kick him
II he did So But he retained very prom.
inent place in the old lady's affections. and
it began to be whispered about that he
had an excellent chance OF succeeding 10
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 hlled many u
yawning gap in conversation at afternoon
tens. Mrs. johnson had but one rsati, e
in the world, Miss Lizzie Roberts, the
daughter OF her late sister. This young
lady. however, 1t was agreed, had not the
slightest chance Of being mentioned In her
aunt's will. A handsome, wellbred girl,
she was left at her parents death TO make
her own way in The world, inhtritng
nothing but the battle OF life and the dis
like OF Mrs. johnson, who had not seen
the child since itquitted It's baby clothes.
This strange antipathy was tratea5le, Us
some people said, to times long gone by,
when Mr.. Roberts, l,iZZie's father, then
renowned for his manly beauty, Lad been
an assiduOus visitor ut the house Ot Mrs.
Johnson's parents. she being the elder
daughter, and taking all his attentions for
herself, had felt II keenly as n personal In
snlt when her sister dared I" to snatch lin
away - and even later on. after having
made much more brilliant mnteh her
self, she never could forgive this early de-
feat. Death even had not buried the
Crudge which not unnaturally pissed
from mother TO child.
How far this saying may have been true
or not, one thing was certain; poor Lizzie
Roberts had not the ghost OF n chance OF
ever seeing single penny from her aunt's
money-box her claims were clearly quite
out OF the Question. There remained
then, only Miss Nellie Brown, Mrs. John
sons lady companion, and Mr.. james
Fox.
Mr.. James Fox knew from his partner
who had cautioned him In friendly way
that Mrs. johnson was not going 10 divide
her fortune, but would leave the whole Of
IL TO her "truest friend" though she had
not yet made her mind up rs to who de
served that title More than once hat
Mr.. Plumley been suddenly summoned Il
draw up q new will 30 slight an annoy
ance as n cold cup Of tea having caused
her to destroy the one In Miss Nelly'i
favor. Then two days neglect on the par
Of Mr.. Fox, and constant supply OF no
tea at the hands Of Miss Nelly, again rein
stated this lady in Mrs Johnson's goo,
Qraces. Mr.. Fox therefore had good caus