Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-04-23
A LAWYERS STORY.
How He Managed to Keep the
Property for Polly.

when his wlndtall came|
"Inheritng his uncles property, do
you mean? 1t was just before left.
What a pompous old jackass he was, to
be sure, but his daughter was little
darling"
"You are right in both statements!
Take another cigar. Buff you thought
John Akin pompous when he was
schoolmaster at Eyreville you should
have seen him after he came into pos
session of ten thousand year and his
uncles splendid home. I've heard of
people you can't touch with forty-foot
pole, and he was surely one of them.
Airs! To see him riding about in his
open barouche and bowling to his neigh
bors, was study of condescension for
an Emperor. And pour little Polly had
hard time Of it,"
"When didn't she have hard
time of it? There wasn't a boy in
school who didn't pity Polly, if she was
the schoolmaster's daughter. When we
were all out shouting and playing, we
could see her, buried in a big check
apron, resting from Latin grammar and
Euclid by beating eggs for her fathers
puddings, or roasting herself over hot
fire cooking his chops. Why, he actual
" let that mite OF girl black his boots.
j have seen her do it,"
"You never would have imagined it,
however, if you mad met Miss Akin
for the first time at Akin Place. Akin
Place was what the ex-schoOlmaster
called his uncles house, as soon as it
became his own. And poor little Polly
cnOlyino hio
chops and backing his boots than she
had in acquiring the dignity he
considered proper in his daughters
position To see his frown when
she nodded to an old friend in
stead of sitting stiny erect and inclin-
ing her head half an inch, was to know
something of the child's daily martyr
dom. She must never walk in the roads
or lanes-Miss Atkins carriage was al
ways at her command, She must never
wear dress in which she could romp or
Pun-Miss Atkins wardrobe contained
the richest silks and velYets. She must
never run out to see an old friend or in
vite one to tea-Miss Akin made for
NAL calls and gave stately entertain
ments."
amusing to see the wee bright child try
ing to be grand lady"
John Akin allowed tho business of
the estate to remain in my hands, and
was a frequent visitor at the house.
But never did he come down OIL his
stills for me, or allow Polly to forget
one rufie of her new dignities Some
times, il she CHANGED to be alone, l
found tho bright. unaffected Polly we
all loved, but as soon as her father en-
tered the room she froze."
''She was always afraid Of him."
"And yet she did defy him at last.
You remember Will Marshall?"
"Welll And, bless me, he was Polly's
lover when she had not conquered the
alphabet"
''And remained her lover eyer after.
That was the trouble"
but what was the matter? He was
az fne a fellow as ever breathed, and
old Marshall was rich"
'Was rich, you SEQ, As long as Mr..
Marshall was one Of the richest men in
the State, Polly's love affairs ran on
smoothly. Wits horse was fastened al
the gate OF Akin Place every day, and
many an hour Polly and he spent riding
through the shady lanes about Eyre
Vile. Not one word of opposition was
made to their engagement, and If Polly
ever did have any natural free enjoy
ment it was when she was with
wiz, and away from her father
Her wedding cards were out,
and Mr.. Akin was preparing
TO astonish the country by the msgpifi
cence of the marriage festivities wheE
old Mr.. Marshall suddenly became bank
rupt and committed suicide. At tIrst II
was supposed that the wedding was
postponed out Of respect to the memory
of the bridegroom-elect's father, bu
that idea exploded very speedily. Mr.
Akin strutted about the village swell
ing with Indignation at the villainy tina
would have made his daughter the wife
of paupeE"
''Bless mel How long was this ate
ne ceased to be but q fow removes from
pauper himself?"
"About three years. Miss Akin. h'
boasted, could marry any body-the bes
in the land. But Polly did not want b
marry any body. Her ideas on that sub
3ect were very positive, and she wantet
20 marry win Marshall. There wer
terrible scenes, was confidential
friend of all the parties, and l wa
amazed TO see what courage an
spirit she, timid little Polly possessed
The war lasted several months, and MI
Akin pushed forward the claims c
other suitors with great energy an
perseverance. But Polly was as Fsse
Lutte as he was, and one morning too
the train to New York, met Will at tn
depot, and was married by noon. ha
the telegram announcing that fact, wit
the request To please tell papa.
There was lively scene then, / in
oUiua"
at was awful. have seen men
rage, plenty of them, but l never sa
such fury as John Atkins in my lif,
He was fairly livid."
81 hate white rage"
eft means mischief. John Aiki
cursed Polly in terms that made m
SILVER, old lawyer rs l am; he swoI
that not one cent of bis should go
Will Marshall if they both starved"
THAT was not likely. Will Marsha
was MOI a man to depend upon ric
father-in-law, were he ever so amiable
s.No, but still-but will tell you thu
afterwards. did not send back ii
telegram John AilttR wrote out, becau'
am not brute, but sent one of m
own telling Polly that her father Ne
very angry, and that there was no hoI
of present forgiveness. know sf
wrote several times, and her lettel
were tossed into the fire, unopenei
Then lost sight of her for sewers
years. In that time it became a sort I
grim joke to me to draw up John Akin
will two or three times year. and d
stroy it, to make a new one ! think