Year: 1875

The recent revelations concerning
deed forgerics Mt criminal trial Mt
Chicago reminded me of an incident
that occurred few years ago in the
vicinity of st. Louis, which seemed
to mo worth relating


Clara and Mary Merwin, sisters
and orphans, were in the sitting
room Of their pleasant home, on tho
edge Of a village near the Missouri.
Their mother had been dead several
years their father had lately died,
leaving them an estate, rs they sup
posed, of the value Of some forty
thousand dollars, but they had learn
ed quite recently that the property
was encountered to such an extent
that they were likely to be deprived
of it all. This discovery, ~ may be
supposed, filed them with sadness
and anxiety, and they were seated in
silence, unable to read, to converse,
to work, to do anything but brood
over their great misfortune.


While they were thus occupied
with sumbre thoughts, buggy
drove up in front of the house, and
n man alightcd, and the buggy drove
away.


The man must have been little
on the shady side of fifty, to judge
from his gray hairs, although his
face was unwrinkled. Ho was dress
cd with remarkable neatness, and
his manners indicated briskncss as
well as precision. In one hand he
carried small valise, and in the
other an umbrella, an! he stepped
quickly to the door and rang the
bell. In n few minutes no was ush-
cred into tho presence OF tho young
ladies.


"Tm obliged to introduce myself,
no said, smiling and bowling in a
courtly manner-"Abner Pierce.
Here is my card-professional card.
You will perceive that | am lawyer
in st. Louis, and presumably re
spectacle man. Don't be afraid
am not here to hurt you, but to help
you. have the honor to call my
self friend of your family-that is
to say, although it is many years
since | have seen any member of said
family, l always had tho highest
possible regard for your now saintod
mother, and nothing would please
me better than to be of some service
to her children


ave ale happy to meet you,' MUIR
INJURED Clara.


"Thank you. happened to hear
no matter how-that you are in
trouble, and have come up here in
the belief that I can assist you. j
hope you will feel that you can trust
mo. | am actually an honest man,
although n lawyer, and I mean well
although l may express myself clum-
SLY


81 am free TO admit" said Clara
''that we need assistance and advice
and that we have not known to
whom to look for it,"


"Very well. 1t is good thing,
no doubt, that have come Now,
sit down and tell me all about it,"


Clara Merwin, who was the elder
OF tho orphans, and leader in every
thing. told how she and her sister
had taken out letters of administra
ton upon their fathers estate, wher
a man of whom they had never be
fore heard put in an appearance
and presented mortgage, with bone
included executed by the late Mr.
Merwin, upon his real estate, for tn.
sum Of forty thousand dollars. No
content with prohibiting them from
Attempting to sell anything, be hao
tied up their money in bank, leaving
them absolutely penniless. They hat
used their credit, but tradesmen wer,
becoming impatient, and some hat
refused to supply thom any further
without pay.


"That is bad case" said Mr.
Pierce. "You need money-that il
1.-The first thing to be attended To