Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-02-18
Caught in His Own Trap.

Mr.. James Fox was the junior partner
In the firm of Plumley 6 Co., the princi-
pal solicitors in the somewhat dead-alive
old cathedral town of Scarborough. He
was smart, well-set-up young man Of
two or three and thirty, with carefully
trimmed black whiskers, silken man
ner, and an unlimited flow of more OF
less entertaining small talk. Hence ii
came to pass that he was an exceedingly
popular man among the ladies of Slum-
borough, both old and young, and had
his views lain in the direction of matri-
mony, he would have had small difficulty
IN inducing any damsel or 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 a
moderate income, and he had long ago
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..
Fox's attentions frequently fluttered a
bosom, he was careful not to commit him
self too far, and not even the local Cos
sips could fairly say of him that he had
knowingly raised false hopes There was,
indeed, one young lady who had made a
deep impression upon the solicitors
heart, but she was the daughter of a
country magnate with whom poor Mr..
Fox was not even on visiting terms. He
had met her at the annual hunt ball. and
she had danced twice with him, but her
mother had doubtless warned her against
him. Miss Laquerton, however, was
lovely and rich, and Mr.. Fox was not a
man to be easily discouraged. He knew
that if he could only afford to cut the
office and blossom into landed proprie
tor, ne would have just as good chance
with her as anybody else, so he watched
,r-4s.-.41-- = 4l.~- a--.~--z-e
ering the road which leads to fortune and
success.
The firm of Plumley 6 Fox was a
highly respectable and old-fashioned con-
cern, which avoided litigation, and kept
almost entirely to family business. Plum
ley was fairly good lawyer, but Fox's
legal knowledge was of the most limited
character, and he was much too lazy to
take the trouble to increase it. So il
came to be understood between them, that
while Plumley did the Office work, Fox
kept the clients in good humor by call
ing on them and amusing them with hi
jokes and stories. The business wa
technically termed keeping the connec-
ton together" and it suited Mr.. Fox
very well indeed It was while he was
thus keeping the connection together
that Mr.. Fox made the acquaintance of a
certain rich old widow lady, named Mrs.
johnson, and SO well did he play his
cards that before long Plumley s. Fox
became Mrs. Johnsons family solicitors,
land agents and confidential advisers.
The firm made pretty good thing out
OF Mrs. johnson. In accordance with
the usual arrangements Plumley trans
acted the business, and Fox became a
constant visitor at her house, and worked
his way into her good graces by his won
derful powers of amusing conversation.
There was yet another accomplishment
which stood our solicitor in very stead.
and this was an accurate knowledge Of
chemistry and medicine, which he had
picked up as a boy at the office of his
uncle, chemist The horrible smells
young Fox had created in his expert
ments, and the ugly stains he had made
on his hands, determined him to forsakt
medicine for law, but he never entirely
forgot his early experience. He could
talk fiuently about every known drug
and disease, and about greai
many which had not vet beer
discovered. He diagnosed Mrs. John
sons symptoms at least as well as Mac
Bolus, the Scotch doctor, and would ever
have prescribed for her had not the stall
wart Scot angrily threatened to kick hin
If he did so. But he retained a very
prominent place in the old lady's affec
tions, and it began to be whispered about
that he had an excellent chance of sue
ceeding to her very considerable prop
erty.
The disposal Of Mrs. Johnson's none,
was a matter which had long furnished
speculation Of unfailing interest to tn,
town of Scarborough, and filed many
yawning gap in conversation at after
noon teas. Mrs. johnson had but on,
relative in the world, Miss Lizzie Rob
crts, the daughter Of her late sister. Thi
young lady, however, it was agreed, hat
not the slightest chance Of being men
toned in her aunt's will a handsome
well-bred girl, she was left at her pa
rents death to make her own way in tn
world, inheriting nothing but the battl
Of life and the dislike Of Mrs. johnson
who had not seen the child since