The morning call., 1894-09-09

/
! prosperity, life ard death, actually beg
oing for an owner! Old Watson had
| avOwed that the sum did not belong to
| him: that it had been fairly forced into his
hands. and that he had taken the first D.
portunity to repudiate it. Counselor Jen-
kins had sworn that he had neither seen,
| heard of. smelt, tasted, nor touched the
accursed thing, and the synpathiZing Jury
had believed him. What should the Dis
trict Attorney do with II Not what
could he ? That was easy enough. with
another sigh-nO OF of relief-that learned Of
fetal turned the money over to the County
Treasurer as a special deposit, and there
il renamed until Time once more brought
lis DOten tialities into service.
Notwithstanding what he was pleased 10
term his vindicatiOn, there was an after
math of trouble to Eliphalet jenkins. The
directors of the "P. @. K. r. Co." dis
missed him from further duty. 1twas not
that he had been accused, alone, although
truly practical man never falls into the
passive form; but he had lost his case.
AS the president very properly said, "JeD-
klns must be getting fat-wltted not 10 know
that sensitive old idiot like Watson
couldn't be reasoned with" Then, too. the
board utterly repudiated a certain large
item in his bill of disbursements, and Jen-
klDs. from his naturally exaggerated view
OF his own reputation, couldn't quite see
bow he could enforce it. Besides, his one
moral force forbade him to try. That self
confidence which his assured self-adVsuce-
ment had bred prided itself on continuous
freedom from obligation. What he re-
celved he earned; il he made mistake he
would stand the consequences; favors were
supports which he would always disdain.
Mr.. Justice Stanley, too, was outspoken,
and IL the righteousness of his words was
lacking in strength, the influence of his
position made up for it, And, although
the DOpulace yielded a certain base glory,
this gradually worked its own revenge.
Cautious people, that is, people with
money, came TO deem the counselor shade
too sharp, trifle too clever TO be alto
gether safe. They laughed at his wit and
enjoyed the condolences of his lid and lip /;
but they took their cases elsewhere. In
fiduciary matters. a shake of the head will
exceed the resources of commercial
agencies.
Mr.. Jenkins retained his iaunty assur-
ance. but be perceived his espected clients
deserting him. He retained it, just as be
obtained Other business, for the one and
the other were essentials of his existence.
he required sdulation; he snon found
there was a class eager to yield it. One
bound 10 be king can always have king
dom II he will but change his subjects. He
now strOlled through the low streets and
chatted in bsrr0Oms as proudly as he
paced the avenues and had advised finan-
cial magnates. There was an abundance
Of business. oh, yes. Get Lawyer Jen-
kns" became the talsmAn for every rogue
In trouble.
AS the years rolled on the high places
that had known him knew him no more,
but In the police courts, in divorce cases,
In all those manifold shady proceedings
where dishonesty may lurk and escape, he
sun preserved the supremacy of lid and
I'D. But for every tat OF cnange there is
tit of cost From low associations jenkins
obtained an income. but also apDetItes that
consumed it. The consumption, however,
In lis turn yielded recompenee by eras-
ing anY faint trace Of sensibility and by
enlarglng his cOnceit. He thus ever saw
himself adrOit cunning, resourceful, the
nero OF scores of legal traditions and daily
inauRurating others.
AS the years rolled on-ah, how they do
roll for Que on the downward slope, and
how their progress sweeps such a one
along! Fifteen had Numbered by, each
one more irresistible than its redpcessor,
since the day when Lawyer Jenkins had
50 arrOganily pooh-pOObed old Watson's
accusation, and now he himself was more
tremulOus. more 81 AIKEN, more thoroughly
picked by the crows OF misfortune than
even that poor waif had been A wretched
hanger-oD about the lower courts he had
become. with his Office in his hat, and his
pleadiDgs dependent on stray scraps OF
memory and paper. And Yet, his sssoci-
ates slapped him on the back and called him
Squire" and boasted that "the old man
always kept his end up;" so he still found
consoling pride in his sufficlency, bracing
himself like gladiator abOH TO die-fOr
even serfs had their ignoble games-though
lip and lid were impOtent to his will.
Such a ruin, the n. had Time wrought,
and with shameless chisel. Perhaps the
beauty OF other work preserved the old
gods eouanimity. There was Lillian Wat
son, for instance: that same magic touch
hoA led hGr Int a nl of lon ali
ness. So young Herbert La Grange
thought; Tor. in beT presence Nature
seemed 10 be revealing the possibilities of
Eternity. She was so beautiful; she was
so good; he was almost abashed 10 recall
the marvels of her eye and cheek when he
remembered her pure, simple lie. her con
stant. unselfish devotion to her mother.
How could he hope to intrude his person
ailty on such a noble existence, and, in
deed, what benefit would his passion
prove? The WatsOns were poor enough,
surely-barely able TO piece into meager
support with tirelesS needles tiny In
come.
And what was he but penniless law
clerk. to whom the laDdladY of a cheap
boarding house was a hebdOmadal MinOs
and Rhodamanthus combined? But YET,
despite her goodness, Lillian was not an
angel, but the sweetest flesh and blood in
the most tempting. fascinating proDor-
tions. She herself would have laughed 10
scOrn any pretentions TO celestial qualities
And OIL how merry was that laugh. And
oh ! how joyous was it 10 be young and 10
love! Why should they not wander
through the sparkling fields while the sun
shone? Perhaps tie distant clouds of
doubt and prudence would break, not
gatherP Surely Judge Stanley, his en-
ployer, sometimes praised him, and al
ways showed such an interest that the
other young men called him "the favor
ite." and how ungrudgingly so, too! Come.
now, how many forensic heroes had risen
from lindsey-woolsey to the ermine! Even
the Judge himself had plodded to town n
barefooted boy. and surely not the most
fortunate one of them had struggled for
such priZel
The widow Watson and her daughter
Lillian lived in low, broad cottage on
the outskirts OF Aberdeen-the sole re-
naming piece of what had once been a
comfortable and commensurate to their
simple needs. In the sloping second story
were their sleeping apartments, on the
ground tioor were si,ting-room, dining
room, kitchen, and off. the sltting-rOom a
guest chambe reminiscent Of former sta
tton, aud, OF course, never used. One
night quite late this gentle, patient pair
were still busted with their sewing, when
family from down the street they heard
uneven steps and snatches of riotous song
These grew louder, as II the wayfarer
were approaching, and then abruptly
ceased, and silence was as profound as
was the surrounding darkness. After a
little Mrs. Watson spoke. II think hear
a groan." she said. Il am sure | do" re-
piled Lillian, and in fearsome glances