The Colored citizen., 1894-11-05
A FILTRATION.


now that business was beginning again
the incident would soon become thing
Of the past. He had got no work by re-
naming IN town, and he had been unut-
terably bored-that is TO say, at first.
Afterward he was not bored, but he was
not quite comfortable. He had met her
trst on the bridge In ST. James park. The
mltriness of that August night, the smoth-
tred quaCking Of sleepless duck, the
large raindrops, the hurried step behind
him, the small, pale face and large, blue
eyes, peCring an1iously into the darkness
overhead, the sudden flash, the little
scream and the long roll of thunder
these were their Introduction. She had
no umbrella, and she was really fright
ened. lie could not have done otherwise,
and was she to blame for being gratefulf
In the first instance he was not in fault.
In the course Of q perfectly natural con-
yersation lie he'd learned that every night
she walked home by the bridge. No one
was In town. IL was too hot for the pit
OF any theatcr, and it was impossible to
read at home There Is no pleasanter
place in London for a stroll than st.
James park, and the view from the bridge
at night recalls the calmest reaches Of the
Isis. She had never been on the Thames
and longed for an opportunity. He pitied
her and gave himself treat
He called her JEANNE, for he ever
knew her surname. 1t was not her won't
to talk about herself, and he rather pre-.
ferred not 10 learn the details of her par.
entage She had never mentioned her oc-
cupation, but tho simple tastefulness OF
her dress and the ease with which it fitted
her pretty figure loft little room for doubt
upon this head. She had told him her
birthday once, and he had not forgotten
1t. And when she timidly asked him to
enhance the value Of the looket by giving
her q lock Of his hair-the wig sat so light
ly OH his brow that the luxuriant growth
Of his dark tresses was still unimpaired-
he could not hurt her feelings by refusing.
Tho end Of the vacation had come at
last. Men were back at chambers, and
the friends with whom one dimes were
daily returning to town. Besides tho
weather was becoming decidedly unsuited
for evening promenades. But, rs we have
said, he did not feel quite comfortable
about the situation. 1t would be no doubt
the easiest thing in the world to drift
away from this benevolent Irritation, Just
US he had drifted into IL, but no did not
like TO behave unkindly. If she had grown
too fond of him, IL was not his fault,
though possibly natural result OF their
relations. IL might have been better IL
the incident had never occurred, but 1t was
clear that at its present stage he could not,
without meanness, bring tho acquaintance
TO an abrupt termination.
In ~ discontented frame OF mind he
walked down TO the temple one morn
ing At the door of his chambers his clerk
met him, with brief in his hand. IF
you please, sir, Mr.. Wilson would be glad
II you would look after this matter for
him today. He Is in the court of appeals
The case Is not likely to be reached, as
Jarndyce versus .Iarndyce, which has been
transferred from the chancery division, is
In front Of 1t. Anyhow you will not
have much TO do, as you have Mr.. Snuf1ler
to lead YOU" lie took up tho brief, and
had discovered little more than that he
was appearing for the defendant in
breach of promise case before 1t was time
for him to hurry across the Strand.
As he entered tho court he met a gen.
eral exodus of Q. G. Is, juniors and solicit
ors' clerks. Forcing his way to the 'front.'
he confronted an army Of barrlsters' clerks
stacking books and packing papers In
their bags He looked at the cause list on
the wall and found the name "Jarndyce
versus Jarndyce, part heard" erased.
The great case had been unexpectedly set
tied A junior engaged in the next case
was on his feet and was asking that, with
the consent Of his friend, ii should be al
lowed TO stand over. Mr.. Snufiler, lead
Ing counsel for the plaintiff, had been
taken suddenly i'll.
He had perused fully two-thirds of his
brief, when his attention was suddenly ar
rested by the words Robinson against
Virgins" His case was called Should
he follow the example of tho junior in the
preceding actioni No, no would not let
such an opportunity slip. Hewould fight
and win.
So the plaintiffs case was opened. She
was young lady named Jane Robinson
and aged 81. Straitened circumstances
had compelled her to supplement her par.
ents' means by taking employment In
millinery establishment. Tho defendant,
AlonzO Virgins, was the manager of the
business He had forced his attentions
upon her and had finally induced her to
consent to become his wife The engage
ment had lasted for some months when
the defendant broke il off without any
pretext, except that the plaintiff had found
IL impossible to walk with him every even.
Ing, and he now denied that he had ever
promised marriage.
The counsel for the defendant had been
watching the demeanor Of his client-a
large carroty headed man of 40-so closely
that he did not observe tho plaintiff until
she was in tho box. A soft, sweet voice
fell upon his ear with strange familiarity.
He looked up Gracious hcaycnsl
lie had scarcely collected his scattered
SENSES before the examination i'm chief had
concluded. As he rose to cross examine
his eyes met those of tho plaintiff, and a
rad smile passed across her face. lie put
IA few irrelevant questions and drew upon
himself sharp rcbuke from the bench.
Then Brown who was sitting by his side
taking notes for the st. James Gazette,
whispered 10 him: "!Stt down. You're all
right They've no corroborative evi.
dence." But at that moment he caught
sight Of the loukct, which he knew so
well, hanging from her neck So the poor
child had not quite forgotten him. For q
few seconds he was agitatcd by terrible
conflict between his zeal as an advocate
ard the dread Of personal consequences 70
himself Duty To ones client, however,
Il paramount and he proceeded;
'' AOtI ara i phsprVa NyaarinU m 1nckaf