Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-17
A legal Courtship.

Counselor at Law.
Such was the information yolun
teered by a black and gilt sign at the
foot of flight of stairs on Monroe
street. Grand Rapids, and a gilt hanC
pointing up the stairs intimated to al
inquirng public that the person desig
mated might be found by ascending te
the precincts above. An anxious
looking man in gray suit and soft
hat, having read this sign through
three times and finally having alb
Sorbed it's contents, slowly mounted
the stairs and knocked at a door on
the landing.
The man has been at length ad-
mitted by the clerk. From his air of
lofty cOndescenSion the stranger at
first mistakes the clerk for IT, bead
of the firm, and removing the soft nat,
he says, alphabetically:
Il have very important matter, sir,
which | would like" But the clerk
waves him aside.
Il have nothing to do with that, sir.
Mr.. Dunbar will attend to your case
and he ushers him through the glass
door.
The lawyer becoming aware of an
others presence, rises, shakes hands
graciously and says:
"Glad to see you, sir. Be seated. If
you please" The strangers timidity
his perceptibly increased since the
glass door closed upon him. He looks
at the inkstand, and begins, hesitat-
ingly:
Il have a brother, sir and paused
yes" says Mr.. Dunbar, encourag-
ingly. eyes, sir. Well?"
"WeD, as | was saying. I have a
brother, and he has got into no end
of trouble. Been accused of forging a
note"
The lawyers eyes glistened. A
forgery case! He hadn't dared to hope
as much But he assumed an express
sion of sympathetic grief and pro-
ceeded to draw the facts in the case
out of the afflicted brother.
They talked long and earnestly, and
when the man had departed Mr. Dun
bar again relapsed into thought, but
this time With a more hopeful coun-
tenance.
his clerk in calling him handsome.
and with his TALL 1.-THE figure and dark
hair and eyes, he was, to say the
least, good looking.
The truth is he is desperately in love
with Kittie MACPHERSON, for such is
the young ladys name, and it is only
because he is to "confoundedly poor"
as he puts it, that he is prevented from
seeking to win her for his own. For
it takes a young lawyer some time to
gain the confidence Of the public, and
Mr.. Dunbar being a stranger in Grand
Rapids, has found clients almost as
scarce as angels, and has come to re-
gard board bills as the natural enc
mics of mankind.
The sound of the clock striking four
aroused him from his reverie. At the
same moment the vision across the
street of the blue dress re-entering the
phaeton caused him to congra tulate
himself that it was his dinner hour
and, hastily Selling his nat, he de-
scended the stairs. Miss MACPHERSON
received him graciously, as he paused
TO exchange word of greeting, and
said as she happened to be going his
way shed take him home if he'd like
a ride
All too soon they reached Dunbar's
destination and he alighted with out
ward alacrty but inward reluctance.
"Now, remember" said Miss Mac
Pherson, leaning from the carriage for
a postscript to their talk, you're to
be on hand for the dramacics next
week"
REALLY, Miss Kittie," he apologized,
you'll have to excuse me this once.
1 am horribly busy just now on an i'm
portant case. That Will Nevins in at
Smiths is up for forgery"
eyes, know. Isn't it dreadful? And
are you going to convict the poor fel
lowT'
"No; I'm for the defence and | shall
try hard to clear him. I am very am
bilious to win this case. But, OF
course, you are not interested in my
business affairs"
Eyes, indeed 1 am" declared Kittie
land l want you to succeed. There's
nothing 1 so much admire in man a:
success"
And Mr.. Dunbar gravely replied
Miss Kittie, the world has ever beer
of your opinion"
That night until long after midn1gh
the light still burned brightly in thu
northwest corner, second story, O
Mrs. Ranney's boarding house, ant
within, Mr. Allen Dunbar, with
flushed and eager face, excited.
paced the floor. Could it be, he aske'
himself again and again, that this va
the opportunity so anXiously longet
for, that should prove the stepping
stone to his reputation as lawyer
He quickend his pace at the thought
and with each circuit of his apart
ments, he saw more clearly the resolv
that had been formulating itself in hi
mind Yes, if it was possible he woul
win the case and cover himself wit
glory, and then, perhaps, even Kittie'
crusty old father could not pronounc
him an ineligible sutton.
If he won there was Kittie and SUI
cess. If he lost-but he couldn't los
and he abruptly closed the argumen
And shortly thereafter the corner Wa
shrouded in darkness, to the inters
relief of his worthy landlady, to whol
Mr.. Dunbar's prodigal use of gas We
a constant thorn in the flesh to such a