The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-01-31
JOHNS OLD FIDDLE.

John Cadwalladcr was rapidly ac-
quiring the reputation Of being "a
dead one" For two years he had
chung to his almost mental position
in the law offices Of Burrell, Jones
4 Burrell without winning any laurels
or any considerable fees. He lived
like a hermit and worked like a slave.
but he didn't arrive to any purpose:
his clothes were getting frayed, and
his chances even a. "a possibility
were diminishing instead Of increas-
ing. lie slept in the office. doing
chores secretly in the early morning
hours. reading necessarily, wearing
collars on both sides and turning his
cuff. till the limits Of economy and
patience seemed to ha,ebeen reached.
lie kept his old fiddle under the
big book case in Jones Office. aud
played it surreptitiously at night,
when his eyes were tired OF the books
and hi. famished heart ycarncd for
companionship. Burrell senior
dropped in one night after the thea
ter. ard caugh, him playing some old
fuguc tina, sounded especially dreary
in the deserted offices.
you'd better put in your time
reading law" growlcd the head Of
the firm, .cowling at the young law
yer; you've been here over a year,
and you're not worth your salt yet.
Why in h don't YOU get a move on,
john
After that Cadwalladcr was the
butt OF all the office jokes. They
called him Fiddler John and cad
walladcr the Bard and the years Of
hi. faithful servitudc were swept away
in the light breeze Of laughter. But
he had the stubborn Scotch perseyer-
ance. and bore his martyrdom like a
stole. lie could stand the furiiyc
irony Of Burrcll senior and Of Jones,
but the quips Of young Burrcll en-
ragged him to sullen silence.
''Thc ass" thought John. as he
stitched another patch on his ragged
o%vercoat, "he'd stGrye too If his IA
Their didn't keep him up. II ] got
half the chances hes had I'd be a
member of the firm on my merits by
thi. time. And if they eve staryc nj
out. If they ever do. ! won't do I
thing 10 that feathcrhead.'
The most important case Of The
year was lIoxie VS. Deland. and thu
Burrells and Jones kept Cadwalladel
busy forweeks digging for precedent
and doing the drudgery in the cast
Sometimes he would get five dollar
all in a heap and sometime, n kline
word, but there was little chance fol
fame or profit in the grinding, stupe
fying routine ofhi, duties. Two day
before the ease was to be called Bur
rcll senior fell i'll, aud the next morn
ing Jones, who was handling il
rushed into the office tuning,
by the Lord, George" he roare6a
young Burrell, "here', a pretty mess
I've got to 90 to Omaha tonight
got to--do you hear: Your fathe
is sick. and Clifford, the old wolf, i
for lloxie in this case. 1t comes u
tomorrow morningand we must hay
a continuance. See:'
swell, well get a continuance
Well see Clifford and"
"See the d." bawled Jones, slam
ming a book against the wall, che
the meanest, orneriest, cussedest oil
coyote in Chicago, It'll tickle hil
TO death to get a chance TO refus.
We have no excuse, anyhow. 70
might as well ask a loan of a miser
And Jones paced the office like
Gagged lion. ".And I've got 10 go"
mused aloud, biting his lip, "Pye g
to. Its the Dillingham; case at ON