The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-31

Judges and to bully jurors could scarcely
help from retaining such evidences. L
his cOuntenance was SNUG and his form
squatty, why, atfable clients and long hour
at his desk were compensating causes.
Yes, Reuben Oatheld, Esq, though
well OF himself, So well that he deemed
that the earth and the fullness thereo
were barely within his deserts. He had ;
shrewd idea, too, whence he might receive
these scant dues. Was not Elijah Manley
his client and his old friend? Did he no
posses sufficient to make Thousand mel
rich, and, therefore, sufficient for Il MAJ
among a thousand like himself? Of course
the daughter might have a mind OF he
own-if SO, SO much the better The
more intellectual her judgment, the more
certain his chance Of winning her approval
Such thoughts as these engaged keuber
Oatfeld's s attention, as, on New Year
Eve, he wended his way to take dinner
with the ManleyS. Success had made hin
as particular in the choice of his reverie.
as he was of his cases, but these ht
greeted and cherished as worthy ever
of his deliberate consideration. 1t was
all so seemly, so reasonable. The
father respected his opinions, the mother
revered his abilities; why should not theil
only child combine such respect and reyer.
ence into what would nicely meet his con-
ception of wifely love?
Do,Io, n,tEol1 than mn, not Of oI
disturbed because Clara was Indifferent and
silent during the dinner She was young
and strange, and unconscious of her charm
WE'LL let her remain in such secure ig-
norance until he should be pleased to mod
erately instruct her. Meanwhile, since
his host and hostess were such open-eyed
and eager listeners, the least he could do
was to falkland talk he did of matters
and things in general but all converging to
one important particular, himself. And
Clara hearkened as one may hearken to the
tempest, thankful to be out Of it, until
something was dashed against the window
of her heart demanding anxious and tre-
mulous attention.
"Oh, yes,' her father was saying.
"You lawyers do work hard, and no mis-
take. Digging you call it? Well I've
been some on digging myself. But you
don't ever run risks that [ can see
There a retainer always to the fore, and
costs come dangling after, ha, ha ! You
never strike blind lead, nor water, nor
fire damp, nor cavings-in-"
eve are liable, though, to fortuitous
and vexations happenings Interrupted
Oatfeld, loftily. And, Of course, when
such do occur, the consequence are most
farreaching and deleterious. Why, this
very current month, papers of vital i'm
portance, abstracts, original affdavits,
documentary exhibits, and my own draft
of brief, were destroyed through the
criminal carelessness, to speak mildly, of a
young man whom |. trusted. -. And Mr..
Oatfeld sighed.
Then it was that the window Of Clara s
heart was stricken, and her intense impulses
aroused. She rose from the table and
dragging her chair after her, came close to
the lawyers side She leant her head ON
her hand, and looked up into his face
"How Interestingly she murmured.
Tell me all about it, do!'
Mr. Oatfeld hemmed and hawed, and
puffed out his stocky chest, and stroked
his demure whiskers. Verify, any labor
ON his part would be supererogation-a
title on which he was considered an au-
thority by the way. He had but to whis-
tie, and this maid would come to him, and
how bravely he could whistle on his own
familiar plantation
my dear young lady, he began.
"Nothing could afford me greater pleasure
l regard your interest in the law as-er-
ha-an omen of auspiciousness. You
must know, then, that for year or more,
this Howard Brummell has been my clerk,
one of them, | mean, and very ordinary
one, too. But have kept him along out
of charity, [ may say. Such considera-
tions, however, may become so exaggerat-
ed as to be positively dangerous to the
common veal. A fortnight since, [ was
forced to discard him, bag and baggage,
and | guess he is still looking for storage
he, he | had sent him with those papers
to which | have referred to certain attorn-
eys who had intervined in the matter,
whose interests are not adverse to those
which | represent. Indeed, if my theory
of the case shall prove authoritative, they
must share in my success. Well, in an
lo,,,, 90, I,o ro+,,rnad Ev;I nf countanonco
disordered of garb, bewildered of mind.
| will not say that he had been drinking,
for | could not detect Mr.. Oatfeld
slipped his wine-''but there are other al
lurring poisons, and he was not himself.
Those invaluable papers were gone From
his incoherence, | could only gleam one
fact clearly-that they were destroyed.
He mumbled something about accident,
and an injury to himself; but his story was
a palpable absurdity. Hurt on the ele-
waited railway Who ever heard of such
a thing? Inever was, nor you, Mr.. Man
ley, nor you, my good lady, I'll be bound.
''The fact is that public safety is so
guarded by the company that it and danger
are two parallel lines that never meet,
(Mr. Oatfeld sometimes represented the
corporation professionally, and had used
this metaphor effectatively.) At all events
Mr.. Howard Brummell had done all the
damage 1 could stand so dismissed him,
much to his discomft, imagine, for men
who have rooms in the fremont Building
need pretty liberal employers, I'm afraid
he Il find this winter very cold one, Miss
Clara, but what else could 1 do? I'm a
patient man, but when once put my foot
it immovable -
''What did you say was the title Of that
case p asked Clara quietly.
''Ah no wonder you ask. It's cause
celebre assure you. Teteltas VS.. Byers' is
the title 1t has been in the courts for the
ten past years, and is good for ten years
more Now my dear young lady, don't you
think
ssThink - repeated Clara. springing to