Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-05-21

| N VA ! character.
| remember one
~ <stS case that, changing
the names, it will be
no particular breach of confidence tc
mention, and tell It the more frankly
because it is little against myself,
aud l must own that [ did not act
quite upon what is called the square.
In fact, l played part-a negative
kind of part I did nothing else
but hold my tongue. If l had spoken,
it would have been fifty thousand
pounds or so out of truly honest
man pocket;and into rogue's; SO,
somehow, l lei my feelings get the
better of my professional conscience,
aud l said not a word.
Twas old John Hendricks's solicitor,
and looked after his property, for !
had known him when he was strug-
Cling man and 1 was young lawyer
with none too much practice. Then
I lost sight of him for twenty years, al
the end of which time 1 was still
Flooding along respectfully, just hold,
ing my own and nothing more, when,
going into one of the city taverns for
my regular daily chop, which I ate at
the same table for so many years that
[ had become one of the institutions
OF the place, found myself opposite
to yellow-looking, thin. gray-haired
man, who kept ON looking mp from his
plate to stare at me very rudely
| thought.
I did not resent his stare at first,
but at last il became so unpleasant
that deter1linel to look him down,
aud i gazed firmly iato his eyes.
"Why, it isl he exclaimed. "Dick,
old boy, don't you know me?'
''That's Jack Hendricks voice."
exclaimed, nearly upsetting my plate
and the next moment we We're sitting
there, hand clasped in hand, aud with
the tears in our eyes, looking very
foolish and weak, dare say, to the
other occupants of the room; bat that
did not trouble us, for We had tou
much to say to each other.
John Hendricks told me that he had
been in the north of India, close to
Nepaul, for over twenty years. He
had gone out as factor to an indigo
grower, and had become a grower
himself
"And now," he said, II have come
to look after my dead sisters sons and
to de-"
"Well, oldfellow," I said, "the first
parts right enough. but Us to the dy-
ing, I think it's as we'll to leave that
alone. 1t will be all settleb for you
The only thing with respect to tina
speaking as a professional man, is to
make your will, if You have anything
to leave, aud then make the most OF
your span
"Have you made yours, Dick?" he
said sharply.
81? No. said laughing. "I've
nothing to leave, jack" and then we
went into mutual condolences; and
after I had told him of my own hard
working life, he gave me to under
stand that he had made very large
fortune in indigo, and spent very little
on himself.
"Mine's been too hard. working n
life, Dick" he said, ''for me to be
much of spender; but it will be a
fine thing for Jenny's two boys Tiff
I like them he added sharply. And
then, with quiet, subdued look.
"Poor Jenny! I should have liked to
see her again"
John Hendricks was fifteen years
my senior, but we became once more
the closest of friends, for he seemed
to resume his old protective way over
me, but trusting me most fully in
every point.
1t was all done in a quiet, unosten-
tatious way, but from the day of John
Hendricks's return the world began
to smile on me. had great deal of
professional business to do for him,
and as he had most extensive connec-
tions among old indigo planters, [
found them coming to me, right and
left, by his recommendation; so that
very soon, in place of finding it hard
work to keep one clerk, l had very
hard work for four, and big balance
Mt my bank.
But am getting on too fast.
Before long met the two nephews
at their uncle's quiet little house at
Chelsea, and as we sat Mt dinner I
could not help thinking how kindly
fortune was behaving to the young
men to place them in the way OF such
expectations; and before left it was
plain enough to me which was the un-
cle's favorite.
This was Philip, frank-fnced
young fellow of two OF three-and-
twenty, very gentlemanly in his ways,
and decidedly good-looking, while he
was full of aneclote, and, without
seeming to be toadying, full of atten-
ton to the old man, to the old man,
to whose dogmatic speeches he list
ened with the greatest Difference.
For old John had grown terribly
dogmatic. He had had the management
of hundreds of poor ryots for so many
years that he felt quite king in his
way, and would bully and snub every
one when his liver was a little worse
thar usual-everyone. that is, except
me, for whenever he was ont of tenn
per he never would speak to me, but
nod and shake his head, and smoke
his chillum till he felt more ut ease.
Samuel was the very opposite of his
brother, being a short, thick set,
plain fellow. with only one good fea-
ture-or ought that to be two?-in
his face, and that his eyes, which
were, for man, beautiful, and, best
of oil, i'll their steady, honest look,
which never seemed to blanch or
have anything to fear.
Time went on, and at John Hen.
dricks's wish took Philip as articled
clerk.
LET him he q lawyer sail my
old friend; mot barrister, but a
LAWYER n family solicitor who knnws