The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1886-08-07
MIR. SMITHS WILL.

| Mr.. Augustus Nav was Such Snarl
yuung gentleman that his friends ex,
pected great things of him. There are
tsome persons who possess the knack OF
inspiring confidence without doing
lanything to warrant it. Augustus had
failed to distinguish himself during his
scholastic career, yet those who knew
him believed i'll him almost rs much
as he believed in himself. He was
a brisk bustiing little youth, with Il
high falsetio voice and Il consequential
manner. He had worn aD eye glass
and high shirt collars from an early
age, and at seventeen he would have
argued theology with an archbishop,
or discuss politics with prime minis
ter. When the time arrived for choos-
ing profession Augustus unhesitat-
ingiy decided in favor of the bar, He
had no prediction for the law, but
the career of u barrister had me great
attraction of leading to the woolsack.
| Augustus aimed high, hut his ambition
was not out of proportion to his opin-
| ion of his abilities. He WAS lured by
the prospect of becoming Lord Cham
ceIlor and Keeper OF the Queens Con-
science.
! Augustus had Inherited from his pa
| rents small fortune, which he would
De 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 coutided to the care
of Mr.. Retainer, the celebrated equity
draug htstnan and conv+yancer, whose
pupils, thuugh depressing in II social
SENSE, always learned ~ draw particu-
lar neat p'e'd'"ss, and 10 turn out
instruments calculated to- mysiify the
m">' 'nt' lhgen; luyuan,
After brief experiences, Augustus
begnn to have dim Iuen THAT til. goal
! OF his ambition was rather ulort diff.
cult TO reach. than he had anticip pated.
He realized that plodding hard work,
perse and ceaseless study were
essential ingredients to the success of
his scheme. Now, Augustus was one
OF those enterprising youtb-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 wooisack, 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
cuntending for, but he felt that, mean
While, it would be as we'll 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 a good many
Nlal # \,
revealed to him. He was naturally of
an inquisilive disposition, and he rev.
eled ia the surreptitious Knowledge he
acquired in this manner. Mr.. Retainer
had Il large couuectiou among solicitors
OF old standing with rich and aristo-
cratic clients, and, according to Gus
tom, ms pupils We're permitted to try
their prentice hands in preparing the
rough drafts of wills, marriage settle
uents and deeds Of various kinds. 1t
was quite tantaiIziug to Augustus 10
toe behind the scenes, AS it were, and
to observe the secret disposition of so
many thousands of pounds, without
protiting thereby. He did not see his
way. however, TO turn his experiences
to account, but the idea took possession
OF him that in this direction he might
one day make u discovery which he
could utilize to his advantage.
Meanwhile, he grew utterly sick and
tired of the law iong before the wished
for opportunity arrived. But at length
his dropping spirits were revived by
what seemed to be II genuine prospect
Of acquiring Il fortune. One day there
Was handed into the pupils room II
paper of instructions for the will of IA
MIR. John Smith, of Hildrop-crescent,
Camden Town, who was represented
Mr.. Smith appeared to be a gentleman
of considerable wealth, for he owned
WhUse terraces of houses in London,
broad acres III the country, and stock
exchange Investments galore. Angus
tus' attention was attracted by two
cIrcu INSTANCES, one OF which was that
this Mr.. John Smith was neig hbOr
of his uncie's, with whom he resided,
and the other that the testutOr had All
Cniy daughter, to whom ne hud be-
queathed nearly the whole of his
wealth. From the fact thst Mr.. JOnn
Smith resided in the uuassuming local
ity OF Camden Town, 1t seemed prOba>
bic that he was a person of quiet tastes
and habits, to whom it would bp easy
to obtain AN introduction. This done,
thought Augustus, nothing would be
simpler than TO ingratiate himself wit
the old gentleman, TO win the affections
of his daughter, and 10 gain both her
| \