New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-05-05
MR.. BoLD0N's EXPEDIENT.

II am fairly dlshed-ruined-dO
for. I had better order my coffin
while can pay for it" This was the
sad soliloquy OF Mr.. James Boldon,
solicitor and notary public, as he sat
alone in his office in High-st., West
borough, one October morning.
And truly Mr.. James Boldon's po-
sltion was not happy one. He was
a young man, lately admitted as a
solicitor, and he had spent all his
little capital to no purpose in trying
to make a practice for himself in the
town OF Westborough.
7 He was almost a stranger in the
town, and, although he had been there
nearly year, he had hardly succeeded
in making an acquaintance, much less
in gaining clients. The report that
there was Gan opening" in the place,
on the strength OF which he had come
there, had proved to be entirely fall
lacious. The town was Just large
enough to hide him. 1t was in vain
that he went regularly to st. Angus
tines Mission Chapel, in the hope OF
having his name put on the building
committee of the new church; in vain
that he frequented lat proper hours)
the billiard-room of the new Royal
Hotel; in vain that he sedulously at
tended the county court and the police
court with a glazed black bag which
held nothing but a 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-one who might, if he had
had any business whatever, have
proved g. useful friend-Mr. Lionel
Vim, editor OF The Marlborough In
dependent. The young lawyer had
made the acquaintance of Mr.. VIM
over the billiard table. But of what
use was it to have the means of get
ting fattering notice in the newspa-
per, when there was absolutely moth
ing to notice?
1t was nearly IL o'clock. Mr. James
Boldon had been looking over his ledg-
er and even his sangulne 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 ofice-boy (who
was improving his time by boring
holes in the lid of his desk) that he
would not be in till after lunch, .he
sailed forth into the street.
Not having any particular object in
viou hG +ho,7rb4 bo ,o,;ph% n 1Do1J ~ ~
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
master, whom he knew by sight, en-
gagged in all angry alteration with an
elderly man, who looked like a farm
laborer. A little crowd surrounded
the disputants, and Boldon sauntered
up to see what was the matter.
"a tell zee ave COON from Lamborne,
an all pay no MORE" said the man.
"You must pay the fare from Lon
tion-master, angrily. "Here's the by
law. You can read it for yourself
that is, if you can read"
Nav, a caan't."
'Well, it says that any one travel
ing without ticket must pay thefar
from the station at which the train
started. How am to know you only
got on at Lamborne?"
| The dispute went on, the station
master, who had been a sergeant in
the guards and had a, great idea of the
Importance OF his Office and the neces-
sity of enforcing the law, having evil
IDENTIFY the best Of it. The young sole.
itor ventured 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-seven shillings and ten pence
and there was every prospect that
he would be taken before the magis-
trates, Bolden 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
Bolden omitted to shave, and stayed
indoors all day. After 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 q pair of boots
that had seen better days. His hat
he took from a well-merited oblivion
and finally adorned his neck with q
red and blue wooden comforter. Thus
equipped, he set out for a walk to Lam
borne, a small town about ten miles
off.
He reached his destination about
O'Clock in the evening, and his first
proceeding was togo to an inn and or
der some tea. Having refreshed him
self he left the inn after exchanging {
few words with the landlady, and Wis
tied two orthree shops. Ineach sho1
]. he made one or two small purchases
directing that the goods should be sen
J. to him at Marlborough; and in eacl
case he was careful to take receip
for the money he paid. Then he wen
= to the railway station. at which h