The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-04-10

Barclay WINS deep
in the intricacies of will case. The
boys said il he had come into the
world aud not found some kind of
law case ready for him to plunge into,
and poky one at that, he would i'm
mediately have left it in disgust.
They also held, with that intolerance
of dulness that is characteristic of
brilliant youth, that il would have
been no special disadvantage if he had.
'1f must have been born an oyster,
said Lance, 81 should prefer to be of
the edible variety, that I might get
rid OF myself in some way, we're it
only by being eaten"
Elsie Fame came in to see Mr.. Clegg.
He was an old friend of her father,
end she was privileged to come when
ever she liked. Now that the Mesa
land case was on she found it agree
able to come with soma frequency.
Should the Mesa case be lost Will
Arden would have to begin the world
again with no more money in his
pocket and far less hope in his heart
than when he started out ten wears
ago to make his fortune. Then Elsie
would go on dancing at charity balls
and seaside hops with partners she
hated until she had grown too old to
dance even at Mrs. Frump's poky Eat
homes" and then she would settle
down as a spinster aunt and devote tho
rest of her life to hearing her hresh6fs 3
children say the multiplication table
and giving them Cruel when they were
i'll. She wondered if she would ever
learn to administer Cruel otherwise
than externally. The last time she
had experimental with her youngest
sister that small rebel had sienitied
her preference for clear water for
bathing purposes.
Sometimes in her moments Of most
concentrated woe she fancied some-
thing yet worse. She might marry
Mr.. Grumple. Mr.. Grumple wore a
wig and had rheumatism when il
rained 1t rained quite often. Mr..
Grumple could not waltz even when
he had not otrheumatism. How divinely
Will waltzedl The children might
grow out of the Cruel and multiplica-
tion-table stage, but Mr.. Grumple
would never grow out of rheumatism
and wigs.
When she came in the clerks rose
and bowed with what was intended
for exceeding grace, and each was glad
that he did not simper as absurdly as
his neighbor.
Barclay looked up. She smiled when
she saw him and disappeared beyond
the inner door which concealed that
vast repository of legal lore, Clegg,
from profane view. Smiled on Bar
clay Was there ever anything so pre-
posterous?
The summer day drowsed on until it
fell fast asleep. Barclay folded his
papers IN his methodical way and put
them into the fileholder. Lance said
if the building should catch fire Bar
clay would not approach the door un-
til the papers had been folded in their
usual creases and put away, earliest
date on top, and fastened up. Then
he locked the door and went away.
Lance had speculated upon the posi-
bility of Clegg's ever being opened or
closed again if Barclay should happen
to die. Any one Watching him-only
that no one ever did watch him what
would have been the use, when there
were 80 many more interesting people
in the world to look after?-would
have thought what a plodding fellow
he was. Why was he so devoid of
that electric energy which is the only
thing that can transform existence
into life?
He turned off the main street into
a wide avenue bordered with naples
and rang the bell of handsome stone
house. When the door opened he
entered and passed through hall
which led to a spacious library pan
ell d in oak and filled with that mag.
netio charm which only the presence
of books can give.
Elsie Fame came out from cur
tanned window where she had been
reaning.
81 am glad you have come" she
said.