Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-06-12
HIS FIRST CLIENT.

CdplIll! Cipltul!I Salu Il chorus OIL
laughing voices, as Mr.. Stanmore, Q. c.,
finished a legal anecdote he had been tell
ing, and rounded it neatly off with the
rolling laugh of the professional raconteur.
There was no doubt that Mr.. Stanmore
was enjoying himself. He was an OVER
worked Observation-Disclosures usually are
~overworked unless they are starving; there
is apparently no middle course-and it was
extremely pleasant to him to come down
for an absolute change of scene and ideas
to Lady Dugdale's country house in Berk-
shire.
Most of the party had already heard the
story he had just told. In fact, if the truth
were known, it was rather a we'll worn
one, even to the extent of having appeared
in more than one legal biography, but it
was greeted with none the less hearty ap-
plause for all that. The listeners ut the
farther end of the room, who la not quite
caught the point, and some who had
caught the point without having heard the
beginning, laughed, as is the wont of those
deaf ones, still more s~trenuously than the
rest.
"What a delightful store of anecdotes
you must have, Mr.. Stanmore!" said the
hostess, smiling at him from behind her
silver tray.
"Oh no doubt I've come across many
queer things in my time" said Stanmore,
pouring cream into his tea with an air of
unctuous enjoyment.
"How l should like to hear some of
Them" said Mrs. Meredith, a young
widow who, although her intentions to-
ward Mr.. Stanmore were strictly platonfc,
was certainly making the most of the few
days she was passing in his agreeable So
,ciety.
"Oh they'll come out by degrees" said
MI. Stanmore; "you mustn't lave too
many of them at a time"
mo; we must be patient" said Lady
Dugdale. Don't let us run through all
property at once"
But you forget" said a youth, who was
standing with his back to the fireplace,
''that Mrs. Clanmorris is coming presently,
and after that we shall not be allowed to
listen to any festive stories-in the drawing
room, at any rate"
Mrs. Clanmorrisl Who is she?" said
Stanmore.
A chorus of various epithets answered
him. She is so very particular;" $50 very
tstraitlaced;" 80 intensely respectable;"
$50 extremely decorous."
"But still don't know" said Stanmore,
with a twinkle in his eye, "why you are as
Stunning that my stories are not likely to be
fit for the ears of the straitlaced and deco
rrous."
THAT'S true; | don't know why we
heed" said Lady Dugdale, laughing.
"Only that one imagines," said Mrs.
Meredith, that a barrister must be con.
9stantly listening to dark revelations of the
most hideous crimes"
"Hideous crimes!" said the young man
on the rug. Mrs. Clanmorris wouldn't
like that
"What time is she coming?' said an
other.
II suppose by the 5 o'clock %train," said
Lady Dugdale. "She promised to let me
know, but she has not done So"
Suppose in that case we were to adjourn
to the billiard room until it is time to dress
for dinner2" said one of the younger mem
jbers of the party, and they all trooped out,
filling the hall and passages with noise
and laughter as they passed along. Lady
fDugdale and Mrs. Meredith remained sit
ting over the fire with Stanmore, who was
much too comfortable to move.
At this moment a servant came in with
a telegram.
"Shall be with you by Sis %train," Lady
EDugdale read aloud. "Will take a fly from
station. Clanmorris."
"Eive-fifteen!' said Mrs. Meredith, as the
servant left the room.
Eyes, she will be here in a quarter of an
hour" said Lady Dugdale. $50 your
petite chronique scandaleuse," she added,
smiling at Stanmore, Twill nave to be of
the most rapid and sketchy description if
we are to enjoy any of it before her ar
rival"
But this is positively awful" said Stan
more, ITO be called upon for u story at the
swords point in this way! l feel as if I
were in the Arabian Nights and should
have my head cut off if I cannot produce
one."
Zone! You can surely tell us one," said
Mrs. Meredith imploringly. with a most
telling glance of entreaty.
"You need not tell us the names, you
know, so that it can't possibly matter to
any one," said Lady Dugdale. "Tell us
something thrilling that really happened
to yourself"
Mrs. Meredith went on, HAS some
.thickly yelled, mysterious lady never come
ito your chambers and told you some dark
story of crime9"
"Of course" said Lady Dugdale. II an
sure that must LAY happened often"
"Now you mention it," said Stanmore
laughing, IL mas happened TO me, DuI no.
quite so often as you seem to think, Lady
lDugdale-only once in my recollection"
"Onces But hat once is enough" criet
Mrs. Meredith. "Oh, quickly tell us about
it before those people come"
Eyes," said Lady Dugdale, II DOM
think Mrs. Clanmorris could bear to heal
of a lady thickly yelled. She wouldn'
think that at all nice. She would like t.
be told of a lady with a thin veil will
black spots'-
"Not large ones" interjected Mrs. Mere
sdith.
"No, small spots" said Lady Dugdale
between which her respectability could b
clearly seen-a black silk gown and a sol
iemn bonnet"
"Well, I believe she had a black sill
gown and a bonnet" said Stannore.
"She-who? Oh, how tantalizing 20,
Iarel' said Mrs. Meredith. do go OF
with it." ,
Eyes. Now, begin at the beginning ant
loo on to the end" said Lady Dugdale.
"Enda There is no end to it. dear ladies,