The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-10-29
A DECISION.


To hear Judge Holbrook speaking
thus one might have supposed that he
was beginning an address to jury as
counsel for the claimants to a considera-
BILE fortune; but, in fact, he was in his
library, in his own home, alone with his
books and his learning. Far from being
an advocate in the case at hand, he was
the presiding justice.
He had been listening patiently all
day to the best eloquence that Calhoun
county could furnish. A half-dozen
lawyers on each side had faced him for
eight hours, and all through that time
somebody had been talking to him, some
lawyer had been endeavoring to con-
vince him as to the proper disposition OF
josiah Teliafer's enormous fortune.
1t was now evening. Judge Hol-
brook had dined leisurely after the long
session and then had taken up the briefs,
with their hundred references, for
conscientious, personal study of the
points involved. 1t never for moment
panied him to render a decision against
a perfectly prepared case. He wor-
SHIPPED the law, and it nay be he ex-
perieuced an added pleasure in finding
that the statutes were proofs against the
cleverest attacks of the advocates.
He took up the case in hand with as
much spirit as if he had not listened to
it all day. 1t was his habit to begin the
consideration of fine problems by speak
ing hisviews aloud, for he had been ia
nous pleader in his younger days and
be found that it helped him to concen-
trate his attention on his work to argue
the matter as if he was trying to con-
vince third party.
Here is a widow, most estimable
lady, whose life must pass in abject pow
erty if the law does not sustain her
claims. Associated with her on the same
side and similarly circumstance are
several young people and two very old
ones. And there is the lass, Effie. The
loss of this suit means the ruin of her
only romance. All, well, all these are
good people, good, modest, generous,
and yet so situated that a trick of the
law may make them miserable for life.
/ cannot help feeling sorry for them"
The judge paused and glanced admir-
ingly at the pages of the brief. Judge
Holbrook's eyes twinkled with pleasure
q he came to a sentence OF remarkable
brevity and more remarkable lucidity.
The window curtain rustled, but the
breeze failed to arouse a whisper from
the leaves of the trees of the great
oleanders growing on the lawn. The
Judge turned over page of the brief
with cracking sound of stiff paper,
and the curtain shook with the-was it
the breeze?
"A genuine lawyer, Routledge Hamp-
den" exclaimed the judge, smiling.
IPiS, ,hyief has put the claimants case
He sat down in his big 9RlXlfr that ut It
turned over the pages of musty vol
Ume in search of some of the refer
ences in Lawyer Hampden's brief
The curtains at his back stirred again
they parted slightly-a little wider.
A mans face appears there, eager, sus-
picious, cruel, repulsive. The cur
tains fall again together with a culver,
and the tree tops can just whisper
timOrously together under the influ-
ence of Whit of air that does not stir
the oleanders near the ground.
And to think" resumed the Judge.
putting Hampden's brief aside and TAX
ing up another. "of the personality in
terested on the other side. No Grim
inal ever glared at me from the dock
with more vicious. vindictive eyes than
Roanoke Walton, old Teliafer's nephew
IA nan of evil propensities. selfish.
hard-Fearted. to whom the possession
of fortune could confer no good but
the cultivation of his bad nature. His
claim N natural equity could not stand
for one instant before that of the
Others"
The curtains divided again. and the
same face, intensely hateful and pas
sionats, peered for an instant at the
Judge. Even as it was looking. the
judge began again, IN half-declama-
tory tone:
That the sublime fabric of the law
should uphold the claims of such
monster is-is-unfortunate
Judge Holbrook could not go farther
than this criticism of the law. But if
it proves that the law upholds his
claim, he must be supported by the
bench"
For several minutes the judge busted
himself over the defendants brief,
analysing the sentences, consulting
references and jotting down notes.
Presently the judge rose to his feet.
There is another point!" he en-
claimed. I'm tombstone versus Hayne
recall that a similar situation was dis
closed, and, on my word. do believe
that Routledge Hampden failed to see
the bearing on this case. 1t will tend
strongly in his favor if my memory of
the decision is correct. How pleasant
1T would be in this case to find the
law on the side of the Innocent"
he found the volume of reports in
which tombstone versus Hayne was
recorded, and read the points and de-
cision with evident satisfaction. The
man on the veranda is greatly excited.
The suspicion in his face had become
desperation.
Softly he pulled the curtains aside
and stepped into the room. The Judge.
STOPPING over the lamp and volume in
the alcove, neither saw nor heard him.
Rapidly and noiselessly the intruder