Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-02-01
A Lawyer and
A Simpleton
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.
BY M. QUAD

died he left his son. Peter. twenty-five
Years old The wife and mother had
been dead for many years. Old John
was not exactly a miser. but he was
known as a money saver. From the
age OF ten. when he met with an accl-
dent, Peter was the simpleton of the
village and a butt of ridicuie, though
he had been known as u bright cnld
for the first few years. The doctors
said there was something pressing IN
the brain and that an operation wouldN(
fix things all right, but the father
baked at the cost, and so Peter re
manned a simpleton. 1t was only
when the old man came to die that
he regretted his StingineSS and neglect
and said to the lawyer who drew the
will:
"~Everything goes to Peter. He's
simple minded. but he will get along.
| want you to advise him and be a
sort of father. People think I've got
a lot of money. but that's all non
sense. You can tell Peter, however,
that there's something hidden away in
IN Jus lhdi liz II NOHS oNAOD 1O
day and appreciate"
Lawyers are entirely human outside
of a courtroom. That hidden treasure
had the same effect on Attorney Hen
derson as it would have had on a
plumber or blacksmith. Just where in
the house was it concealed? Was it
in gold or g~reenbacks? Was it S10,-
GOO or double the sum? And wasn't
it a shame that it should go to a sim
pletOn, whose wants were already sup
piled?
The more the lawyer argued and rea-
soned with himself the more reason
able it looked that he should come into
possession of that treasure. He felt
that he could ever convince a judge
, and jury of the fact. Within three
months he was scheming. He called
at the house now and then to see Peter.
The young man seldom left the prem
ises. He made garden. chored about
the place and went to bed with the
hens. 1t was easy to make an excuse
: to get him out of the house for an hour
or. two. Then the lawyer instituted a
} search. He made three of them and
found nothing-not that the treasure
' wasn't there. but because there are
scores and scores of hiding places in
. any house. These vain searches con-
WINGED Mr.. Henderson that he should
come into legal possession of the house,
r so that he might pull it to pieces il
necessary.
e In selling it there would be work
provided for the simpletOn. The law
V yer would give him a certain sum OF
S money and a gravel pit to boot. The
money would draw interest and every
load of gravel dug out would bring
II Peter u cents. Killing two birds, with
one stone, you see. Attorney Hender-
If son ever got the credit of being a
IT Dhilanthropist and humanitarian.
10 OF course the simpleton was clay in
b the hands of the potter. He went tc
a. live with a family at so much per year
j. and he went to work in the gravel pit
ID The awyer didn't rush things in max
if ing other searches. He waited fol
e. weeks. Then at odd times he system
lie atiZed his work
~ Twas a queer thing that happened
after awhile. Attorney Henderson rea'
I'd q treasure story in a magazine. LII ha'
many points similar TO his. The heir
IT. tore an Old house down piece by plec
to in search of a miser'S loot n the
ed found it in the old clock on the mar
lie tel. The idea took root None or tn
old furniture had been removed I'll
searcher went at it TO inspect an
overhaul. 1t took three more Searche
N to bring success. Under the ragge
nc cover of an old lounge on which Pete
of had sat and slept for years was foun
W. a tintype of the young mans mothe
ro IT was in a cardboard box. and in tn
,s handwriting of the father were a fe'
lines explaining the identity Of the pi
cd ture and adding that it was a trea!
he ure to be valued more than none,
of After reading the lines the lawye
y could not doubt that the find was whs
ad the old man referred to when on b
r." dying bed.
+ :, There was no one present to liste
re- to Attorney Henderson's plea" whe
he decided that he had been sold an
as that he alone was responsible for I'll
m selling. 1t was doubtless a strong an
he able effort. He had paid full value fl
property he did not want. and the onl
Mt consolation be had was in feeling tn:
the gravel pit was more or less of
fraud. %Simpleton Pete had plugge
away at getting out gravel. but ha
met with loan and sand instead b
Mt was about to abandon his labors whe
oc- the irony of fate showed its hand. I'll
on whole village was jumped out of i
or boots one afternoon when he rushe
along the main street swinging b
net hat and shouting. AS he rushed bac
again he was followed by a crowd. 3
on led it to the gravel pit and to a sma
itv stout box he had unearthed. VIII
af- the box was broken open it was foun