The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-07-22
3IR. BOLDON'S EXPEDIENT.

And truly Mr.. James Boldon's position
was not happy one. He was a young
man, lately admitted as a solicitor, and
he had spent all his little capital to nc
purpose in trying to make a practice
for himself in the town of Westborough
He was almost a stranger in the town.
and, although he had been there nearly
a year he had hardly succeeded in max
ing an acquaintance, much less in gain
ing clients. The report that there was
IAN opening" in the place, on the strength
of which he had come there, had proved
to be entirely fallacious. The town was
| just large enough to hide him. 1t was
in vain that he went regularly to st.
Augustine's Mission chapel, in the hope
of having his name put ON the building
| committee of the new church; in vain that
he frequented (at proper hours the
! billiard-room of the new Royal hotel;
in vain that he seduously attended the
county court and the police court with
a glazed black bag that held nothing
but newspaper and one or two law
! books. Business would not come to him.
! Nobody knew him, and nobody cared to
! know him.
There was, indeed, one man who knew
him-ono who might, if he had had any
! business whatever, have proved a useful
friend-AIr. Lionel Winn, editor of The
Westborough Independent. The young
lawyer had made the acquaintance of
Mr.. Winn over the billiard table. But of
what use was it to have the means of
getting a flattering notice in the news
paper when there was absolutely nothing
to notice?
1t was nearly 10 o'clock, Mr.. James
Boldon had been looking over his ledger,
and even his sanguine disposition failed
him, as he marked the state of things
| there disclosed. He rose from the table
with a groan, put on his hat, and, telling
his solitary Office boy (who was improv-
ing his time by boring holes in the lid of
his desl1) that he would not be in till
after lunch, he sailed forth into the
street.
Not having any particular object in
view, he thought he might as well go to
the railway station and get London
paper, and thither he directed his steps.
After buying his paper, Boldon OBJ
! served ON the platform the station-mas-
ter, whom he knew by sight, engaged in
an angry alteration with an elderly
man, who looked like farm laborer.
A little crowd surrounded the disputants,
and Boldon sauntered up to see what was
the matter.
"a tellee' ave COON from Lamborne,
an an pay no more" said the man.
"You must pay your fare from London
all the same" returned the station-mas-
ter angrily. Here's the bylaws, You
can read it for yourself-that is, if you
can read"
NAV, a CANT"
well, it says that any one travelling
without ticket must pay the fare from
the station at which the train started.
How am 1 to know you only got in
at Lamborne!"
The dispute went on, the station-mas-
ter, who had been a sergeant in the
guards and had great idea of the i'm
portance of his office and the necessity
Of enforcing the law, having evidently
the best of it. The young solicitor vent
ured to say something for the man, and
was roughly advised to mind his own
business. This rather nettled him; and,
as the poor man protested that he could
not pay the fare from London-7 shil-
lings and 10 pence-and there was every
prospect that he would be taken before
the magistrates, Boldon good-naturedly
paid the money for him, and the matter
was at an end.
Our hero walked abstractedly back to
his office, bordering over the hard case
of the poor man whom he had succored;
and his deliberations lasted for some
time.
On the following Saturday morning
Boldon omitted to shave, and stayed m
doors all day. After a substantial early
dinner he proceeded to make some
changes in his raiment. He put on an
old tweed suit considerably the worse
for wear, and pair of boots that had
seen better days. His hat he took from
a well-merited oblivion, and finally he
adorned his neck with a red and blue
wooden comforter. Thus equipped, he
set out for walk to Lamborne, small
town about ten miles off.
He reached his destination about Z
o'clock in the evening" and his first pro-
ceeding was to go to an inn and order
some tea. Having refreshed himself,
he left the inn, after exchanging few
words with the landlady, and visited
two or three shops. In each shop he
made one or two small purchases, di-
recting that the goods should be sent to
him at Westborough and in each case
he was careful to take receipt for the
money he paid. Then he went to the
railway station, at which he knew the
London train for Westborough and the
west would stop in few minutes, made
one or two trifing purchases at the book
stall, and managed to engage the man who
kept the stall in conversation for soma
time. The train came in as he was still
talking to the man at the bookstall, and
Boldon quietly took his seat in it, with
out having gone through the formality
of taking ticket
When the train arrived at Westbor-
ough, the young solicitor explained that
he had joined the train at Lamborne and
rendered the fare from that town. As
he expected, the money was refused, and
the full fare from London demanded.
This Mr.. Boldon positively refused to
pay, and accordingly he was detained
till the station-master was sent for.
That official, in all the majesty of gold
laced coat and tall hat, soon arrived,
much annoyed at being disturbed at his
evening meal.
what is all this about" he demanded
sternly, as he came upon the scene.
"They want to make me pay the fare
all the way from London, and I've only
come from .Lamborne," answered Boil
don in humble tone.
of course you must pay the whole
fare. There's a bylaw on purpose,
made and provided"
Mr.. Boldon mournfully shook his
head. "Oh, no, sir" he said meekly. Il
really can't do that"
You have to go to the lookup, them"
rejoined the station-master, roughly.
YOU'D best pay up"
Mr.. Boldon only shook his head again
and sighed heavily.
As the lawyer expected the official was
exasperated by his obstinacy and en-
cOuraged in his high-handed manner by
the meekness with which he was con-
fronted. None of the railway people re-
cognized in the shabbily- dressed, I'M
shaven individual before them the Spruce