Thomas County cat., 1886-08-26
MIR. SMITHS WILL:
And How His Daughter Happened
to Get Married.

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
scholaristic 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 a high
falsetto voice and a aconsegue ntial 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 or dis
cussed politics with a Prime Minister
When the time arrived for choosing a
profession Augustus unhesitatingly de-
cided in favor of the bar. He had no
predilection for the law. but the career
of barrister had the great attraction
ofleading 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 a 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 confided to the care
of Mr. Retainer. the celebrated equity
draughtSman and coDyeyancer, 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 4 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-
severence and ceaseless study were es-
sential ingredients to the success of his
scheme. Now. Augustus was one of
those cnterprising yOuths-there are
many of them about-who are in too
great a hurry to make Il 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 DE as well not to lose
any opportunity of advancement in
other directions.
Augustus had been very much struck
by the fact that, in the course of busi-
ness, the private affairs of good many
revealed. He was naturally of an in
quisitive disposition, and he. reveled in
the surreptitious knowledge he acquired
in this manner. Mr.. Retainer had
large connection among solicitors of
old standing with rich and aristocratic
clients, and, according to custom. his
pupils were permitted to try their prem
ticed hands in preparing the rough
drafts of wills, marriage-settlemen
and deeds of various kinds. 1t was
quite tantalizingto Augustus to be be-
hind the scenes. as it were, and to observe
the secret disposition of so many thou
sands of pounds without profiting
thereby. He did not see his way, how
ever. to turn his experience to ac-
count; but the idea took possession of
him that in this direction he might one
day make discovery which he could
utilize to his advantage.
Meanwhile. he grew utterly sick and
tired of the law long before the wished
for opportunity arrived. But at length
his dropping spirits were revived by
what seemed to be a geauine prospect
of acquiring fortune. One day there
was handed into the pupils room
paper of written instructions for the
will of a Mr.. John Smith. of Hilldrop-
crescent, Camden town, who was rep
resented by wcll-known firm of
solicitors. Mr.. Smith appeared to be
gentleman of considerable wealth. for
he owned whole terraces of hovses in
London, broad acres in the country.
and Stock Exchange investments
galore. Augustus attention was at
tracted by two circumstances-one of
which was, that this Mr.. John Smith
was a neighbor of his uncle's with
whom he resided; and the other, that
the testator had an only daughter, 10
whom he had bequeathed nearly the