Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-03-20
Caught i'll His Own Trap.

Caught i'll Ills Own Trap.
Mr.. james Fox was the junior
partner in the firm of Plumley 6
Co.. the principal solicitors in the
somewhat dead alive old cathedral
town Of Scarborough. He was a
smart, well set.np, with carefully
trimmed black whiskerS, q silke1
manner, and an unlimited flow Of
more or less entertaining small talk.
Hence it came to pass that he WIS
an exceedingly popular man among
the ladies of Scarborough, both old
and young, and had his views lain
in the direction of matrimony, lie
would have had small difficulty in
inducing any damsel or widow to
share his lot. But the handsome
solicitor was ambitious; his share
in the business did not at present
bring HIM IN more than a moder-
ate income, and lie had long ago
that when he married
he must consider not only beauty
but NOR solid advantages.
Heiresses, however, were not
plentiful in Scarborough, and so,
Mr.. FoX'S attentions fire.
quently tluttercd Il bosom, he was
careful not to commit himself too
far, and not even the local gossh)s
could fairly say of him that lie had
knowingly raised false hopes
There was. indeed, one young lady
who had made u deep impression
upon tile solicitors heart, but she
was the daughter of a country
with whom poor Mr.. Fox
WAS not even on visiting terms.-
He had met her at the annual hunt
bail, and she had dancedtwice with
him, but her mother had doubtless
warned her against him. Miss La.
qucrton, however, WAS lovely and
rich, and Mir. Fox wilS not u manto
be easily discouraged. He knew
that if hccouldsonly afford taeasat
the office and blossom into land
I'd proprietor, he would have just
as good a chance with her as any
body else, so he watched patiently
i'll the hopes Of one day discover
ing the road which leads to for
tune and success.
Tie firm of Plnmley & Fox was
a highly respectable and old fash.
toned concern, which avoided llti
CATION, and kept almost entirely to
family business. Plumley was Il
fairly good lawyer, but Fox's legal
knowledge was of the most limited
character, and he was much too
lazy to take the trouble to increase
it. So it came to be understood
between them, that while Plumley
did the Office work, Fox kept the
clients in good hnmor by calling on
them and amusing them with his
Jokes and stories. The business
was technically termed excepting
the connection together and it
suited Mr.. Fox very we'll indeed
1t was while he was thus keeping
tine connection together that Mr..
Fox made the acquaintance of a
certain rich old widow lady, named
Mrs. johnson, and so we'll did he
play lis cards that before long
Plumley & Fox became Mrs. John.
sons family solicitors, land agents
and confidential advisers. The
firm made a pretty good thing out
of Mrs. Johnson. In accordance
with the usual arrangements Plum-
ley transacted the business, and
Fox became d constant visitor at
her house, and worked his WAY in
to her good graces by his wonder
full powers of amusing conversation.
There was yet another accomplish
mcnt Which stood our solicitor in
very stead, and this was all accu.
rate knowledge Of chemistry and
medicine, which he had picked up
as boy at the Office of his uncle,
a chemist. The horrible smells
young Fox had created in his eX.
nprimeutS and the ugly stains he
hat. made OIL his hands, determined
lin to torsake medicine for law,
but he never entirely forgot his
early experience. He could talk
hucntly about every known drug
and disease, and about great
many which had not yet been dis
covered. He diagnosed Mrs.
Johnson's symptoms at least as
vel us MacBo!uS, the Scotch doc
tor, and would even have prescribed
for her had not The stalwart Scot
angl1Iy threatened to kick him if
lie did so. But he retained very
prominent place in the old lady's
affections, and it began to be Wills
pered about that he had an excellent
chance OF succeeding to her very
considerable property.
The disposal of Mrs. Johnson'S
money WAS a matter which had
long furnished speculation of IN
failing interestto the town of Stun,
borough, aud filled many IL yawn
ing gap i'll conversation at after
noon teas. Mrs. johnson had but
one relative in the world, Miss Liz
zie Roberts, the daughter of hel
late sister. This young lady, how
ever, it was agreed, had not the
Slightestchance Of being mentioned
in her aunt'S will. A handsome
well.bre'l girl, she was left at hel
patents death to make her OWL