Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-08

d
neighborhood OF st. James, where rakes
| spendthrifts, prodfgals and gamesters most
| ~ have their lodgings. the mans face was
familiar. much more so than 1t would be in
| the city. Those who saw that face remem-
| bered certain terrifying tap on the
| shoulder, more dreaded than the cannon's
mouth; they recalled the slip of paper, the
exhibition OF the kings crown in brass sur
mounting the SHORT rod of office. These
| things are suggested by the sour visage of
| the functionary who followed close at OIL
yers heels !. and "a gave those who observed It
the suspicion that this lawyer had been rap
| ped on the shoulder, had seen the slip of
| paper the catchpole and would shortly be
| on his way to sponging house-dreadful
porch of the debtors prison
"My friend said oliver. when thew ar
| rived at the grapes tavern, you will re-
main outside. Walk up and down. If I
want you l VIII bring out your man, whom
| want you I will come out alone"
| The man nodded and proceeded to obev
Instructions. He stationed himself at the
| door of the tavern and walked backward
| and forward, never more than a few feet
| from the portals, in case of an attempt to
escape. The few customers-gentlem of
the worsted epaulette-who came to the
house as usual for their morning draft,
turned away at sight of this Cerberus. for
| the catchpoie respects not any person. not
even footman. Perhaps it was Mr. Pinder
| h1mself, the landlord whom he wanted: no
| one knows what accidents may happen.
| even to substantial men like mine host of
the Grapes. Perhaps it was one of their
own company-who could it he .? PerIan nc the
sheriff's officer waited for the observer
himself-who can tell what old things NAV
| pe revived, what new things may be re-
veaied' what plots may be invented? So the
| early customer turned and fed in haste
going elsewhere for the morning draft
meantime Oilver proceeded with his bust
ness which was one of mercy. He desired
| to remove the man Fulton from a place
where he might do mischief and might he
persuaded to cause scandal True, he was
drunk nearly the whole day; drunk and in
| capable of articulate speech or coIIectine
| and marshaling his thoughts, if he had an1
left; but sot has sometimes lucid mo-
| ments, just as on a day Of gloom and h1acl
clouds the sun VIII sometimes emerge for a
few moments; the danger lay in the chance
| Of these lucid moments which occur &c
every one knows. in these days of drinking
even when the man has become a mere cask
Oh mixed liquors, and his brain, to outward
| seeming, has been overshadoWed by the
| vapors of punch and port rum and strong
ale, small beer and early purl. Oliver found
ms man already dressed: sitting in the par
lor' no one else was there; the windows
| We're shut, and the place still reeked with
the fumes of tobacco punch beer and ali
the drinks of the tavern and of crowded
| company. The man sat crouched together
| in an elbow chair, a prey to the deiection
| which always possessed him in the morn
ing: He had called for his tankard, but it
haa NOT YET oeen brought His bloodshot
| eyes glanced uneasily about the room as If
| he expected to see things. He had already
| seen rats where he knew that no rats
couid be; perhaps he expected to see them
| in the parlor.
Without the summer morning was fresh
and clear; the sunshine was bright; the air
was cool. Strange that men should prefer
| the sinking parlor of tavern to the fresh
| air of the morning.
Oliver wheeled round his chair and sat
| down before the man. Sir he said. 81
would have little discourse with YOU
| Mr.. Fulton raised his head and looked at
| him with little languid curiosity. Sir
he said, you are a lawyer 1 love not law
yers l have had enough of lawyers. What
| 40 You want with me? Charles-Charles,"
he cried, pettishly. my ale. Bring me nv
| tankard."
81 am not come with any hostile intent,
| lieve?" r.!
Il was. I was. Mine, sir, was a bank
| ruptcy worth remembering. I'm not afraid
| Of YOU AS to my debts. the creditors were
| content to leave me my liberty"
| 80 have heard"
''They took all my worldly goods, sir-the
| stock Of my shop, worth many thousands:
| the good will of my business, worth as
| much again; my furniture and silver plate,
| alone worth many hundreds; my valuable
| books and pedigrees and furniture, heir
| looms, str-they took all. Their rapacity
was beyond belief. Let me tell you, sir,
| that no bankruptcy in the city ever excited
| more interest For weeks there was moth
| ing talked about on change A noble fail
ur e.. Charles ar. my tankard. my tankardH
/
| OF your failure. 1t will be well for you to
| reserve these imaginary allegations for the
| tavern company. The amount for which
| you failed was under $500 Your stock was
| plate, but took your meals off pewter. Your
books consisted of FoX's Book of Martyrs
| Molls geography, ready reckoner, book
| or common prayer and Bakers history
| AS for your pictures and furniture the less
| said the better. Indeed, Mr.. Fulton, your
bankruptcy was remarkable for nothing
else than the fact that few citizens in bust
| ness, supposed to be substantial, have ever
| failed for so trifing sum"
| Inc tankard was brought. Mr.. Fulton
took long pull and sat upright with a sigh
| of relief.
Il suppose you know better than my
| SELF he said. Pray, sir have you come
here to set me right on my own private
taken the first steps Of bankruptcy, being
| forced thereto by your creditors, you be-
| thought yourself of a certain lady who was
| indebted to you in the sum of something
| ike tlOO, be the amount more or less"
| she was 1t was this woman who drove
| H,200.'
| Eta, ia, ia, Mr.. Fulton. am a lawyer
| and ] know the facts. 1t was less than
Zoo. The debt was not due for two months
| to come. You concealed the debt from your
| creditors; you removed the entry from your
books. 1t was a fraudulent act. Mr. Full
ton, fraudulent act" Oliver shook his
forefnger in the others face. Mr. Fulton
| buried his nose again in the tankard. you
resolved on getting this money for yourself
and thereby defrauding your creditors"
Mr.: Fulton felt encouraged by the beer.
Sir he said, Il don't know who you are
but let me tell you sir, that you lie. All
lawyers are liars. That is all have to say.
You lie''
Mr.. Fulton If you give me the lie you
VIII provoke me to take steps which will
give you great pain. Do not be afraid for
the man held the tankard before his face
| as If for protection, 81 am not going to pull
your nose. My proceedings will be of a
| more legal character-and much more last
ing in their effects"
What do you come here for, them"
| Il come to demonstrate with you and to
protect lady-none other than the lady
| whom you drove by your pretenses and
threats to take certain decisive steps, other
wise not to be recommended, for her own
safety"
why, she defrauded met the man
shrieked ''She defrauded me, 1 say. WHAT
do you mean by your cock and a bull?
What do you know about it? She defraud-
ed me-"
'.You have been placed in this house in
| IA