Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-26
MR.. SMITHS WILL:
And How His Daughter Happened
to Get Married.

Auo IloW his daughter happened
to Get Married.
Mr.. Augustus Nav was such smart
young gentleman that his friends ex-
pected great things of him. There are
some persons who possess the knack of
inspiring confidence without doing any
thing to warrant it. Augustus had
failed to distinguish himself during his
SCHOLARSHIP career, yet those who knew
him believed in him almost as much as
he believed in himself. He was a
brisk, bustling little youth, with high
falsetto voice and aconseque initial man.
ner. He had worn an eye-glass and
high shirt-collar from an early age, and
at seventeen he would have argued
theology with an Archbishop OF dis
cussed politics with Prime Minister
When the time arrived for choosing a
profession Augustus unhesitatingly de-
cided in favor of the bar. He had no
prediction for the law. but the career
of barrster had the great attraction
OF leading to the Woolsack. Augustus
aimed high, but his ambition was not
out of proportion to his opinion of his
abilities. He was allured by the pros
pect of becoming Lord Chancellor and
Keeper of the Queens Conscience.
Augustus had inherited from his par
ents small fortune, which he would
be entitled to receive upon attaining
twenty-five. There was no difficulty,
therefore, about raising the premium
which was necessary to enable him to
have the run of the chambers OF some
successful counsel. Accordingly the
aspiring youth was contided to the care
of Mr.. Retainer, the celebrated equity
draughtsman and conveyancer, whose
pupils, though depressing in social
sense, always learned to draw particu
larly neat pleadings and to turn out
legal instruments calculated to mystify
the most intelligent layman.
After brief experience Augustus
began to have dim idea that the goal
of his ambition was rather more diff
cult to reach than he anticipated. He
realized that plodding, hard work, per.
severance and ceaseless study were es.
sential ingredients to the success of his
scheme. Now, Augustus was one OF
those enterprising youths-there are
many of them about-who are in toe
great hurry to make fortune to be
able to give time to honest drudgery.
He did not exactly abandon the hope
of reaching the Woolsack, but he re.
solved not to fritter away his abilities
in striving too much for it. He would
keep it in view as something worth
contending for, but he felt that mean.
while it would be as we'll not to lose
any opportunity of advancement in
other directions.
Augustus had been very much struck
by the fact that, in the course of bust
ness, the private affairs of good many
people of wealth and distinction were
revealed. He was naturally of an in
quisitive disposition, and he reveled il
the surreptitious knowledge he acquired
in this manner. Mr.. Retainer had ;
large connection among solicitors O
old standing with rich and arstocratit
clients, and, according to custom, hi
pupils were permitted to try their prem
ticed hands in preparing the rougl
drafts of wills, marriage-settleme
and deeds of various kinds. 1t wa
quite tantal;zingto Augustus to be be
hind the scenes, as it were, and TO obSery,
the secret disposition of so many thou
sands of pounds without proiitins
thereby. He did not see his way, how
ever, to turn his experience to &C
count; but the idea took possession o
him shat in this direction he might on
day make a discovery which he coul,
utilize to his advantage.
Meanwhile, he grew utterly sick AM
tired of the law long before the wished
for opportunity arrived. But at lengt
his dropping spirits were revived b
what seemed to be genuine prospec
of acquiring a fortune. One day ther
was handed into the pupils room
paper of written instructions for tn
will of Mr.. John Smith, of Hilldror
crescent, Camden town. who was reI
resented by well-known firm 9
solicitors Mr.. Smith appeared to be
gentleman of considerable wealth, fo
he owned whole terraces of houses i
London, broad acres in the country
and Stock Exchange Investment
galore. Augustus attention was a
tracted by two circumstances {
which was, that this Mr.. John Smit
was neighbor of his uncle's wit
whom he resided; and the other, tn,
the testator had an only daughter, /
whom he had bequeathed nearly I'll
whole of his wealth. From the ia,
that Mr.. John Smith resided in the III
assuming locality of Camden town
seemed probable that he was perso
of quiet lasts and habits, to whom
would be easy to obtain an introdu
ton. This done. thought Augusta
nothing would be simpler than to il
gratiate himself with the old gentl
man, to win the affections of
daughter and to gain both her han
and her fortune.
To tell the truth, this was not Il
first time that Augustus had cherishe
designs Of marrying heiresses who.
prospects he mad learned in simil;
manner. Unfortunately, in previol