The Sunday herald., 1886-08-29
MY ECCENTRIC CLIENT.

Although IL was yet early In winter, the
season Of social gayety in Washington had
already begun. Congress- was In session,
brilliant receptions were Of almost daily 90
and never had the Capital been
more fascinating or delightful. Among the
great many visitors-strsugers, many OF
Them from remote States there was the
usual contingent Of inventors and others in
lsrested in patents, which constitute the
specially Of the firm OF Lispenard h jackson,
attorneys, of which was then the junior, as
l now am, by virtue Of honorable succession,
the senior practicing member.
Inventions are moro or less OF q lottery, in
which possibly one Ia . hundred draws
prize. Among our more fortunate clients
was Mr.. Clayton, Of Nevada, who had won
an enviable success by his quartz crushing
aud ore.ssparating machines. Like many
others Of our patrons We had never even
seen hun, but he had now written that he
was coming East.
He arrived in January.
John Clayton was man who would have
been conspicuous anywhere. There was
q natural grace about him and wholesome
lack Of conve entionalism; his free swinging
gait made him appear considerably taller
than his six feet, and he possessed what men
envy, deep, resonant voice, with . laugh
hi iden away down in Il somsw where-when
II was not tender or sad.
We were thrown together a good deal, as
II happened. My business compelled me TO
make frsquent visits to the Patent Office,
and OH several OF these occasions l encOunt-
cred my new acquaintance. These calls
would, on my part, be brief enough, gen
orally an inquiry or two as TO the title or
date Of cavsat, whils his-well, II seemed
as though he had made up his mind to study
the whole range Of invention from colonial
days down to our own times. Hs
fairly dsvorred with his eyes the models OF
machinery, and the more intricate they
were the ksensr his enjoyment appeared.
lie seemed to glOst over piece OF mechanism
that looked for all the world like an inter
lninable mazs Of tiny eccentrics, spider like
wheels, and miniature shafts. What enjoy
inent he derived from it all was puzzle to
me. But then never was much Of me-
chauican myself, having been In law ever
since was in anything, and finding 1t far
from being an exact science, but rather the
contrary.
At such encounters we would pass each
other, merely exchanging mods or grunting
by way of salutation. l don't know who in
vented the grunt as courteous masculine
form Of greeting,or whether, as Charles Lamb
averred about roast pig, II was natural
discovery; but II is quite safe to say that
more than half the men use it when greeting
Well, Clayton and l grunt.d at each other
in the usual way one particularly sunny
forenoon in February. was passing along
when his muscular fingers grasped me by
the coat sleeve and pulled me aside in the
shadow of a huge case Of marine models, In
which half-scOre different species of torpedo
boats, gunhoats, and similar marine devices
of destruction might be seen.
"Lispenard," said he, when he had SO
cured an additional leverage by hooking the
forefnger of his disengaged hand in but
tonhols Of my overooat; "Lispenard, want
your ad dvice-as friend, yOu understand"
Now, when a man tells me he wants my
advice "as friend" it usually indicates q
case of no fee, and We lawyers fight shy ol
such people. But, although such was my
frat impulse. 1 refrained from leaving. ln
deed, doubt whether l would have been
permitted to go just then. Besides, l had
already had considerable business frou
Clayton, and therefore regarded him in the
light of privileged client, 80 put good
face ON Il.
"Mr. Clayton" said, "I shall be glad te
serve you, as between friends; but this Is
hardly the place
"You'rs right" he interrupted. "Coms
let's go TO your Office. want to get away
from here; hate the sight of these things
now. And yet keep coming right along
as II nothing had happened"
''IIappensd!" l calculated. "Why,
trust nothing serious has occurred to dis
compose you.''
He looked at me with o quzzical expires
sion In his gray eyes.
"Lispenard," hs asked, as he drew {
quick, sharp breath that seemed to shake
his big frame, 'were you sver In lOvsi Bu
of cOurss yOu have bsen. You're married
and settled down, while I-well, Pm thirty
Ave, bachelor, aud now I'm over my head
aud all because OF the sweetest little woman
in Washington" And he gritted his tsstl
in q faahion that seemed extraordinary II
one who had been seized by the tender pas
sion. But 1t affects different persons vari
ously, and imagined from his generally In
coherent style that therr must bs tinge o
jealousy somewhere.
"Wsll," said l, "thsrs certainly Is moth
ing Surprising in that, my dear fellow
Washington is full of charming women, es
pecially 1T this season, and a Wssternsr VIII
ia we'll introduced and can point to soil
bank account Is at liberty to choose anon
ths sligiblss for himself, you know"
But" rstOrted Clayton, ssizing my arr
with such vigor that WINGED under his pow
erful fingers, "yOu don't comprehend. Yo
make mistake. She Ii not" and h
hssitatsd aud stopped abruptly.
"Not SO young as she might bs 2" Ven
tured. "Is that what yOu would say
Pshawl few years makes little diffsrsnc'
and, besides, you are man Of the world
and woman who, in addition TO beauty
possesses accomplishments aud sxpsrieno'
IL certainly preferable, to my way Of thinl
ing. Is that allr'
"No, no." he replied In low voice thi
betrayed excitement, as VIZ entered my pr
vate room In the Offices OF Lispsnsrd Il Jaol
son. turned TO Clayton In some surpris
"Not alli What then 2"
"Shs's married !" hs almost gaspsd, an
dropped into chair like q man 10 faint.
rose and closed the door.
We we're very quiet for the next five mil
utes. | was puzzled TO understand what
man Of ClaytOn's age and evident expsrisn
meant by falling In love with another man
wife. What perplsxsd me still more vi
the thought that he might, by inadvertenc
involve me In aIdisagrssabls case. Ws
the mental problem quickly solved itse
would act cautiously, and as for my proi
ise to advise, why that referred TO lsgitima
business alona and not 10 affairs Of the heal
We lawyers have little patience with sen
ment, as ruls, finding much OF 1t contr
baud; aud certainly | had no sympath
at the moment, with what | judged
be an unfortunate passion on the part Of II
friend.
But-the awful thought flashed upon
like an Inspiration what IL he hal fall
into the tolls Of au adventures, ono Of 1
numerous class OF clever, fascinating, al
unscrupulous schemsrs who are constant
lying in wait at the Capital for men wi
sensitive hearts and big pocketbooks
"You were saying" began. breaki
the silence, which began TO bs opprsssi'
''you were remarking as We came In
"Yss," hs inter- jsctsd, observing my he
tation, ~ said the lady was a MARI
woman, aud so she Ia Aud he pulled q
his cigar case and cooly lighted . weed
always dstested tobacco) aud began
smoke, just as though he had not prsviou
been excited bit.
81 trust you are not compromised In l
unfortunate Atari" l intsrrogated,
as indifferent tone as was capable OF assu
ing.
Compounded Z" cried Clayton. open
wide those big eyes Of his that fairly sssn
to leap out at one; rubbish Of cou