ISMAEL OR IN THE DEPTHS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 473, 21 May 1890, Page 6

ISMAEL OR IN THE DEPTHS.

BY P. 5 EMMA D. E. N. SOUTHWQRTH, '*«tlidr of "Solf'-Kr.iscd," "Fair Piny,” "Th* Uisfefnff fri-de," "A >ob’ro Lord," “ How Ho Won Her," "Tlio Prince of - .Darkness,” " Tried for Her Life.'’ Etc.. Etc. m* sc*

CHAPTER LIV. ISHMAEL AT THE BALL, Yes! Welcome, right welcome—and give us your hand,— , You shall not stand out in the cold I If newfriends are true friends, I can't understand Why hearts should hold out, till they re old; Then come with all welcome and fear not to fling Reserve to the winds and the wavc3, For thou never canst live, the cold-blooded Society makes of its slaves.—M. F. Tuiter. A very handsome young fellow was Ishmael Worth as he entered the drawing-room that evening. He had attained his full height, over six feet, and he had grown broadshouldered and full-chested, with the prospect of becoming the athletic man of majestic presence that he appeared in riper years. His hair and eyes were growing nauoh darker; yon might now call the first dark brown and the last dark grey. His face was somewhat fuller ; but his forehead was still high, broad and massive, and the lino of his profile wa3 clear-cut, distinct and classic; his lips were full and beautifully curved ; and, to sum up, he still retained the peculiar charm of his countenance—the habit of smiling only with his eyes. How intense is the light of a smile that is confined to the eyes only. His dress is not worth notice. All gentlemen dress alike for evening parties; all wear the stereotyped black dress coat, light kid gloves, etc., etc., etc., and he wore the uniform for Such cases made and provided. Only everything that Ishmael put on looked like the costume of a prince. He entered the lighted and crowded drawing-room very hesitatingly, looking over that splendid but confused assemblage until he caught the eye of Judge Merlin, who immediately came forward to meet fRm, saying in a low tone : * I am glad you changed your mind and decided to come down. You must become acquainted with some of my acquaintances. You must make friends, Ishmael, as well as gain knowledge, if you would advance yourself ! Come along !’ And the judge led him into the thick of the crowd. Little more than a year before the judge had said, in speaking of Ishmael — 1 Of course, owing to the circumstances of his birth, he never can hope bo attain the position of a gentleman, never.’ Bub the judge had forgotten all about that now. People usually did forget lshmael’s humble origin in his exalted presence, I use the word * exalted' with truth, as it applied to his air and manner. The judge certainly forgot that Ishmael was nob Society’s gentleman as well as ‘Nature’s nobleman,’when taking him through the crowd, he said : ‘I shall introduce you to some young ladies. The first one I present you to will be Miss Tourneysee, the daughter of General Tourneysee. You must immediately ask her to dance ; etiquette will reauire you to do so.’ ’ ‘Bub,’ smiled Ishmael, ‘ I am already engaged to dance the next with Bee.’ ‘ You verdant youth ! So, probably, is she— Miss Tourneysee, I mean—engaged ten sets deep. Ask her for the honour of her hand as soon as she is disengaged,’ replied the judge, who straightway led Ishmael up to a very pretty young girl, in blue crepe, to whom he presented the young man in due form. Ishmael bowed and offered his petition. case was nob so hopeless as the judge had represented it to be. Miss Tourneysee was engaged for the next three sets, but .would be happy to dance the fourth with Mr Worth. At that moment the partner to whom she was engaged for thequadrille, then forming, came np to claim her hand, and she arose and slightly curtsied to Judge Merlin and Ishmael Worth, and walked away with her companion. Ishmael looked around for his own lovely partner,and Bee, smiling at a little distance, caught his eye. He bowed to Judge Mer- . lin and went up to her and led her to the . head of one of the sets about to bo formed. In the meantime * Who is ho ?’ whispered many voices, while many eyes followed the stranger who had come among them. Among those who observed the entrance of Ishmael was the Viscount Vincent. Halfbending, in an elegant attitude, with his . white-gloved hand upon the arm of the sofa where Miss Merlin reclined, he watched the stranger. Presently he said ; ‘ Excuse me ; bub—who is that very dis- . tinguished-looking individual ?’ * Who ?’ inquired Claudia. She had not noticed the entrance of Ishmael. ‘Hewho ju3t now came in the room—with Judge Merlin, I think. There he is now standing up, with that pretty little creature in white with the golden ringlets.’ ‘ Oh,’ said Claudia, following his glance. ‘That “pretty little creature”.is my cousin, Miss Middleton.’ ‘I beg ten thousand pardons,’ said Vincent. ‘And her partner,’ continued Claudia, ‘is Mr Worth, a very promising young—’ (she could not say gentleman ; she would not say man ; so she hesitated a little while, and then said) —‘ He is a very talented young law student with my papa.’ ‘Ah ! —do you know that at first"" I really took him for an old friend of mine, an American gentleman from Maryland, I believe.’ ‘Mr Worth is from Maryland,’ said Claudia. ‘ Then he is probably a relative of the gentleman in question. Tho likeness is so very striking; indeed, if it were not that Mr—Worth, did you say his name was ? is a rather larger man, I should take him to be Mr Brudenell. I wonder whether they are related ?’ ‘ldo not know,’ said Claudia. And of course she did not know ; butnotwithstanding that, the hot blood rushed up to her face, flushing it with a deep blush, for she remembered the fatal words that had for ever affected Ishmael in her estimation. 'His mother was never married , and no one on earth knows who his Jather was. ’ The viscount looked at her; he was a man accustomed to read much in little ; but not always aright; he read a great deal, in Claudia’s deep blush and short reply, bub not the whole; he read that Claudia Merlin, the rich heiress, loved her father's poor young law student; bub no more ; and he resolved to make the acquaintance of the young fellow, who must be related to the Brudenells, he thought, so as to see for himself what there was in him, beside his handsome person, to attract the admiration of Chief Justice Merlin’s beautiful daughter.

* He ,; lie carries himself like jay friend Herman, also. I fancy they

must be nearly related,’ he continued, as he ] watched Ishmael going through the qua- j drille. ‘lam unable to inform you whether he is or not,’ answered Claudia. While they talked, the dance went on. Presently it was ended. ‘You must come up, now, and speak to Claudia. She is the queen of the evening, you know !’ said Ishmael’s gentle partner. ‘ I know it, dear Bee; and I am going to pay my respects ; but let me find you a seat first,’ replied the young man. ‘Ho, I will go with you ; I have not yet spoken to Claudia this evening,’ said Bee. Ishmael offered his arm and escorted her across the room to tho sofa that was doing duty as throne for ‘ the queen of the evening. ’ ‘ I am glad to see you looking so well, Bee ! Mr Worth, hope you are enjoying yourself,’ was the greeting of Miss Merlin, as they came up. Then, turning towards the viscount, she said : ‘ Beatrice, my dear, permit me—Lord Vin ent, my cousin. Miss Middleton.’ A low bow from tho gentleman, a slight curtsey from the lady, and that was over. ‘ Lord Vincent —Mr Worth,’ said Claudia. Two distant bows acknowledged this introduction so distant that Claudia felt herself called upon to mediate, which she did by saying : 4 Mr \Vorth, Lord Vincent has been particularly interested in you, eTer since you entered the room. He fancies a striking resemblance between yourself and a very dear friend of his own, who is also from your native country.’ Ishmael looked interested, and his smiling eyes burned from Claudia to Lord Vincent in good-humoured inquiry. ‘I allude to MrHeiman Brudenell, of Brudenell Hall, Maryland, who has been living in England lately. There is a very striking likeness between him and yourself; so striking that I might have mistaken one for the other ; but that you ar e larger, and, now that I see you closely, darker, than he is. Perhaps you are relatives,’ said Lord Vincent. ‘Oh, no ; not at all ; not the most distant. lam nob even acquainted with the gentleman ; never set eyes on him in my life !’ said Ishmael, smiling ingenuously ; for of course he thought he was speaking the exact truth. Bub oh, Herman ! oh, Nora ! if he from the nethermost parts of the earth—if she from the highest heaven could have heard that honest denial of his parentage from the truthful lips of their gifted son ! ‘ There is something incomprehensible in the caprices of Nature, in making people who are in no way related so strongly resemble each other,’ said Lord Vincent. ‘ There is,’ admitted Ishmael. At this moment the music ceased, the dancers left the floor, and there was a considerable movement of the company toward the back of the room. ‘ I think they are going to supper. Will you permit me to take you in, Miss Merlin ?’ said Lord Vincent, offering his arm. ‘lf you please,’said Claudia, rising to take it. ‘Shall I have the honour, dear Bee?’ inquired Ishmael. Beatrice answered by putting her hand within Ishmael’s arm. And they followed the company to the supper room—a scene of splendour, magnificence and luxury that baffles all description, except that of the reporter of the * Republican C'uirb Journal,’ who, in speaking of the sapper, said : * In all his former efforts, it was granted by everyone that Devizac surpassed all others; but in. this supper at Judge Merlin’s, Devizac surpassed himself!' After supper, Ishmael danced the last quadrille with Miss Tourneysee; and when that was over, the time-honoured old contra dance of Sir Richard de Coverly was called, in which nearly all the company took part—lshmael dancing with the daughter of a distinguished senator, and a certain Captain Todd dancing with Bee. When this last dance was over, the hour being two o’clock in the morning, the party separated, well pleased with their evening’s entertainment. Ishmael went up to his den, and retired to bod : but ah ! not to repose. The unusual excitement of the evening, the light, the splendour, the luxury, the guests, and among them all the figures of Claudia and the viscount, haunting memory and stimulating imagination, forbade repose. Ever, in the midst of all his busy, useful, aspiring life, he was conscious, deep in his heart, of a gnawing anguish, whose name was Claudia Merlin. .To-nighb this deep-seated anguish tortured him like the vulture of Prometheus. One vivid picture was always before his mind’s eye—the sofa, with the beautiful figure of Claudia reclining upon it, and the sturdy form of the viscount, leaning with deferential admiration over her. The viscount’s admiration of the beauty was patent; he did not attempt to conceal it. Claudia’s’ pride and pleasure in her couquesb were also undeniable ; she took no pains to veil them. And for this cause Ishmael could not sleep, but lay battling ali night with his agony. He arose the next morning pale and ill, from the restless bed and wretched night, but fully resolved to struggle witli and conquer his hopeless love. ‘I must nob, I will not let this passion enervate me ! I have work to do in this world, and I must do ic with all my strength !’ he said to himself, as he went into the library. Ishmael had gradually passed upward from his humble position of amanuensis to be the legal assistant and almost partner of tiie judge in his office business. In fact, Ishmael wa3 his partner in everything except a share in the profits; he received none of them ; he still worked for his small salary as amanuensis; not that the judge wilfully' availed himself of the young man’s valuable assistance, without giving him due remuneration; bub the change in Ishmael’s relations to his employer had come on so naturally and gradually, that at' no one time had the thought of raising the. young man’s salary to the same elevation of his position and services occurred to Judge Merlin.

It was ever by measuring himself with others that Ishmael proved hie own relative proportion of intellect, knowledge and power. He had been diligently studying law for more than two years. He had been attending the sessions of the courts of law both in the country and in the city. And he had been the confidential assistant of Judge Merlin for many months. In his attendance upon the sessions of the circuit courts in Washington, and in listening to the pleadings of the lawyers and the charges of the judges, and watching the results of the trials—he had made this discovery—namely, that he had attained as fair a knowledge of law as was possessed by many of the practising lawyers of these courts, and he resolved to consult his employer, JudgeMerlih, upon the expediency of his making application for admission to practiso at the Washington bar.

. CHAPTER XV. A STEP HIGHER. ' ' r He will not wait for chances, For luck Tie does not look;:; In faith his spirit glances ► *•'»* - At Providence, God’s Book ;H: And there discerning truly Ts

That right is might at length, He dares go for ward duly In quietness and strength, Unflinching and unfearing. The flatterer of none, And in good courage wearing The honours he has won. M. F. Topper. Ishmael took an early opportunity of speaking to the judge of his projects. It was one day when they had gob through the morning’s work and were seated in the library together, enjoying a desultory chat before it was time to go to court, that Ishmael said : * Judge Merlin, I am about to make an application to be admitted to practise at the Washington bar.’ The judge looked up in surprise. * Why, Ishmael, yon have nob graduated at any law-school! You have not even had one berm of instruction at any such school.’ ‘ I know that I have not enjoyed such advantages, sir; bub I have read law very diligently for the last three years, and with what memory and understanding I possess, I have profited by my reading.’ ‘Bub that is nob like a regular course of study at a law-school.’ * Perhaps nob, sir ; but in addition to my reading, I have had considerable experience while acting as your clerk.’ * So you have ; and you have profited by all the’exporience you have gained while with me. I have seen that; you have acquitted yourself unusually well, and been of very great service to me ; but sbill I insist that law-office business and law-book knowledge is not everything; there is more required to make a good lawyer.’ * ‘ 1 know there is, sir; very much more, and I have taken steps to acquire it. For nearly two years I have regularly attended the sessions of the courts, both in St. Mary's county and here in this city, and in that time have learned something of the practice of law,’ persisted Ishmael. ‘ All very well, so far as it goes, young man ; bub it would have been better if you had graduated at some first-class law school,’ insisted tho old-fashioned conservative judge. ‘Excuse me, sir, if I venture to differ with you so far as to say that I do nob think a degree absolutely necessary to success, or, indeed, of much consequence one way or the other,’ modestly replied Ishmael. The judge opened his conservative eyes to their widest extent. ‘ What reason have you for such an opinion as that, Ishmael ?’ he inquired. ‘ Observation, sir. In my attendance upon the sessions of the courts, I have obserbed some gentlemen of the legal profession who were graduates of distinguished law-schools, but yet made very poor barristers. I have noticed others who never saw the inside of a law-school, but yet who made very able barristers.’ ‘ But with all this you must admit that the great majority of distinguished lawyers have been graduates of first-class lawschools.’

‘ Oh, yes, sir; I admit that. I admit also—for who, in his senses, could deny them? the very great advantages of these schools as facilities; I only contend that they cannot insure success to any law-student who has not talent, industry, perseverance, and a taste for the profession ; and that to one who has all these elements of success, a diploma from the schools is not necessary. I think it is the same in every branch of human usefulness. Look at the science of war. Remember the Revolutionary times. Were the great generals of that epoch graduates of any military academy ? No, they came from the plough, the workshop, and the counting-house. No doubt it would have been highly advantageous to them had they been graduates of some first-class military academy ; I only say it was found not to be absolutely necessary to their success as great generals ; and in our later wars, we have nob found the graduates of West Point, who had a great theoretic knowledge of the science of war, more successful in action than the volunteers, whose only school was actual practice in the field. And look at our Senate and House of Representatives, sir ; are the most distinguished statesmen there graduates of colleges ? Quite the reverse. 'I do nob wish to be so irreverent as to disparage schools and colleges, sir. I only wish to be so just as to exalt talent, industry, and perseverance to their proper level,’ said Ishmael, warmly. ‘ Special pleading, my boy,’ said the judge. ‘Yes, sir, I acknowledge that it is very special pleading. I have made up my mind to be a candidate for admission to the Washington bar ; and having done so, I would like to get your approbation.’ * What do you want with my approbation, boy ? With or without it. you will get on.’ ‘ Bub more pleasantly with it, sir,’ smiled Ishmael.’

‘Ve>ry well! very well! take it then ! Go ahead ! . I wish you success ! Butwhat is the use of telling you to go ahead, when you will go ahead anyhow, in spite of fate ? Or why should I wish you success, when I know you will command success ? Ah, Ishmael, you can do without me, but how shall I ever bo able to do without you ?’ inquired the judge, with an odd expression between a smile and a sigh. ‘My friend and patron, I must be admitted to practice at the Washington bar; but I . will not upon that account leave your service while I can be of use to you,’ said Ishmael, with earnestness; for next to adoring Claudia, he loved best for her sake to honour her father. * That’s a good lad ! Be sure you keep your promise,' said the judge, smiling, and laying his hand caressingly on Ishmael’s head. And then, as it was time for tho judge to go to tho Supreme Court, he arose and departed, leaving Ishmael to write out a number of legal documents. Ishmael lost no time in carrying his reso lution into effect. He passed a very successful examination and was duly admitted to practise in the Washington courts of law.

A few evenings after this, as Ishmael was still busy in the little library, trying to finish a certain task before the last beams of the sun had faded away, the judge entered, smiling, holding in his hand a formidable-looking document and a handful of gold coin. ' There, Ishmael,’ he said, laying the document and the gold on the table before the young man ; ‘ there is your first brief and your first fee 1 Let me tell you it is a very unusual windfall for an unfledged lawyer like you.’ ‘ I suppose I owe this to-yourself, sir,’ said Ishmael, looking up gratefully. . ‘ You owe it to your own merits, my lad 1 I will tell you all i about it. To-day I met in the court an old acquaintance of mine— Mr Ralph Walsh. He has been separated from his wife for some time past,, living in the South ; but he has recently returned to the city, and has sought a reconciliation with her, which,-for some reason, or other, she has refused. He next tried to get possession of their children, in order to coerce her through her ■■ affection for them ;< but she suspected his design and frustrated it by removing the children to a place of secrecy. All this

Walsh told me this morning, in the court, where he had come bo get tho habeas corpus served upon the woman ordering her to produce the children in court. It will be granted, of course, and he will sue for the possession of the children, and his wife will contest the suit; she will contest it in vain, of course, for the law always gives the father possession of the children, unless he is morally, mentally or physically incapable of taking care of them : which in not the case with Walsh ; he is sound in mind, body and reputation ; there is nothing to be said against him in either respect.’ * What then divided him from his family?’ inquired Ishmael, doubtfully. * Oh, I don’t know ; he had a wandoring turn of mind, and loved to travel a great deal;. he has been all over the civilised and uncivilised world, too, I believe.’ * And what did she do in the meantime ?’ inquired Ishmael, still more doubtfully. ‘ She ? Oh, she kept a little day-school.’ ‘ What, was that necessary ?’ *1 suppose so, else she would not have kept it.’ ‘ Bub did he nob contribute to the support of the family ?’ ‘ I—don’t know ; J fear not.’ ‘ There wa9 nothing against the wife’s character ?’

‘ Nob a breath ! How should there be when she keep 3 a respectable school, and when ho himself wishes in getting possession of the children, only to compel her through her love for them to come to’him ?’ ‘ Seething the kid in its mother’s milk, or something quite as cruel, 1 murmured Ishmael to himself. The judge, who did not know what ho was muttering to himself, continued : * Woll, there is the case, as Walsh delivered it to me. If there is anything else of importance connected with the case, you will doubtless find it in the brief. He actually offered the brief to me at first. He has been so long away that he did not knowmy present position, and thatlhad long since ceased to practice. So when he met me in the court-room to-day, he greeted me as an old friend, told me his business at the court, said that ho considered the meeting providential and offered me his brief. I explained bo him the impossibility of my taking it, and then he begged mo to recommend some lawyer. I named you to him without hesitation, giving you what I considered only your just meed of praise. He immediately asked me to take charge of the brief and the retaining fee and offer both to you in his name, and say to you that he should call early to-morrow morning to consult with you.’ ‘I am very grateful to jou, Judge Merlin, for your kind interest in my welfare,’ said Ishmael, warmly. * Nob at all, my lad ! for I owe you much, Ishmael. You have been an invaluable assistant to me, doing a great deal more for me than the letter of your duty required.’ 4 1 do not think so, sir ; but lam very glad to have your approbation.’ ‘Thank you, boy ! but now, Ishmael, to business! You cannot do better than to take this brief. It is tho very neatest little ca c e that ever a lawyer had : all the plain law on your side ! a dash of the sentimental too in the injured father’s affection for the children that have been born from him, the injured husband for the wife that repudiates him ! Now you are good at law, but you are great at sentiment, Ishmael, and between having law on your side and sentiment at your tongue’s end, you will be sure to succeed and come off with flying colours ! And such success in his first case is of the utmost importance to a young lawyer. It is in fact the making of his fortune. You will havo a shower of briefs follow this success.’ ‘ I do not know that I shall take the brief, sir,’ said Ishmael, thoughtfully. ‘Not take the brief? Are you mad? Who ever heard of a young lawyer refusing to take such a brief as that ?—-accompanied by such a retaining fee as that? —the brief the neatest and safest little case that ever came before a court! the retaining fee a hundred dollars ! and no doubt he will hand you double that sum when you get your decision ! —for whatever his fortune has been in _ times past, he is rich now, this Walsh !’ said the judge, vehemently ‘Who is the counsel for the other side?’ asked Ishmael, reflectively. ‘ Ha, ha, ha ! there's where the shoe hurts, is it ? there's where the pony halts ? that’s what’s the matter ? You are afraid of encountering Borne of the great guns of the law, are you? Don’t bo alarmed. The school-mistress 'is too poor to pay distinguished legal talent. She may get some briefless pettifogger to appear for her; a man set up for you to knock down. Your case is just what the first case of a young lawyer should be, plain sailing, law distinctly on your side, dash of sentiment, domestic affections, and all that, and certain success at the end; Your victory will be as easy as it will be complete.’ ‘Boor thing,’ murmured Ishmael —‘ too poor to employ talent for the defence of her possession of her own children !’ ‘ Gome, my lad ! pocket your fee and take up your brief!’ said the judge. ‘ I would rather not, sir; I do not like to appear against a woman —• a mother defending her right to her own children. It appears to me to be cruel bo wish to deprive her of them,’ said the gentle-spirited young lawyer, ‘Cruel! it is merciful rather. No one wishes really to deprive her of them, bub to give them to their father, that she may be drawn through her love for them to live with him.’ ‘No woman should be so coerced, sir; no man should wish her to be.’ ‘ But I tell you it is for her good to be reunited to her husband.’ ‘ Her own heart, taught by her own instincts and experiences, is the best judge of that.’ ‘ Ishmael! don’t be Quixotic : if you do, you will never succeed in the legal profession. In this case the law is on the father's side, and you should be on tho law’s.’ * The law is the minister of injustice, and shall never in my hands become the accomplice of injustice ! The law may be on the father’s side; bub that remains to be proved when both sides shall be heard ; bub it appears to me that justice and mercy are on the mother’s side.’ ‘ That remains to be proved. Come, boy, don’t be so mad as to refuse this golden opening to fame and fortune! Pocket your fee and take up your brief.’ ‘Judge Merlin! I thank you from the depths of my heart for your great goodness in procuring this chance for me; and I beg that you will pardon me for what I am about to say—bub 1 cannot touch either: fee or brief. The case is a case of cruelty, sir, and I cannot have anything to do with it. I cannot make my debut in a court of law against a poor woman—a poor mother —to tear from her the babes she is clasping to her bosom.’

‘lshmael, if those are the sentiments and principles under which you mean to act, you \vill never attain the fame to which your.,talonts- might otherwise lead you—never }’• . - ~ ~ , i; i

No—never,’ said Ishmael, fervently—‘never, if-to reach it I have to step upon a woman’s heart—a mother’s heart! No 1 by the sacred grave of-my own-dear mother, I never will!’ And the face of Nora’s son

glowed with an oarnesb, fervent, holy love. ‘ Be a poet, Ishmael, you will never be a lawyer.' * Never—if to be a lawyer I have to cease to be a man! But it is as God wills.’ - The ringing of the tea-bell broke up the conference, and they went down into the parlour, where, beside the family, they found Viscount Vincent. And Ishmael Worth, the weaver’s son, had the honour of sitting down to tea with a live lord. The viscount spent the evening, and retired late. As Ishmael bade the family good-night, the judge said to him : ‘ My young friend, consult your pillow. 1 always do when I can, before making any important decision. Think over the matter well, my lad, and defer your final decision about the brief until you see Walsh to-morrow.’ * ‘ You aro very, very kind to me, sir. I will follow your advice as far as I may do so,’ replied Ishmael. That night, lying upon his bed, Ishmacrs soul was assailed with temptation. He knew that in accepting the brief offered to him, in such flattering terms, he should in the first place very much please his iriend, Judgo Merlin—who, though he did not give his young assistant anything like a fair salary for his services, yet took almost a fatherly interest in bis welfare ; he knew a'so, in the second place, that he might — nay, would—open his way to a speedy success and a brilliant professional career, which would, in a reasonable space of time, place him in' a position oven to aspire to the hand of Claudia Merlin ! Oh, moßt beautiful of temptations that! To refuse the brief he knew would be to displease Judge Merlin, and to defer his own professional success for an indefinite length of time.

All night long Ishmael struggled with the tempter. In the morning he arose from his sleepless pillow unrofreshed and fevered. He bathed his burning head, made his morning toilet, and sat down to read a portion of his Scripture, as was his morning custom, before beginning the business of the day. The portion selected this morning was the fourth chapter of Matthew, describing the fast and the temptation of our Saviour, Ishmael had read this portion of Scripture many times before, but never with such deep interest as now, when it seemed to answer so well his own spirit’s need. With the deepest reverence he read the words: ‘ When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards an hungered. ‘ The devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of tho world and the glory of them ; ‘And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 1 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan : for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. ‘ Then the Devil leaveth Him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.’ Ishmael closed the book and bowed his head in serious thought. ‘Yes,’ he said to himself—‘l suppose it must be so. The servant is not greater than the Master. He was tempted in the very opening of His ministry ; and I suppose that every follower of Him must be tempted in like manner in the beginning of his life. I, also, here in the commencement of my professional career, am subjected to a great temptation, that must decide, once for all, whether I will serve God or Satan. I, too, have had a long, long fast—a fast from all the pleasant things of this world, and I am an hungered —all, very much hungered for some joys! I, too, am offered success and honour and glory if I will but fall down and worship Satan in the form of a golden fee and the cruel brief held out to me ! But I will not! Ob, Heaven helping me, I wil be true to my highest conviction of duty ! Yes—come weal or come woe, 1 will be true to God ! I will be a faithful steward of the talents He lias intrusted to me !’ And with this resolution in his heart, Ishmael went down into the library, and commenced his usual morning’s work of answering letters and writing out law documents. Ho found an unusual.number of letters to write, and they occupied him until the breakfast bell rang. After breakfast Ishmael returned to the library and resumed his work, and was busily engaged in engrossing a deed of conveyance, when the door opened, and Judge Merlin entered, accompanied by a tall, dark-haired, handsome, and rather prepossessing looking man, of about fifty yoars of age, whom he introduced as Mr Walsh. Ismael arose to receive tho visitor and offer him a chair, which he took. The judge declined the seat that Ishmael placed for him, and said : ‘ No, I will leave you with your client, Ishmael, that he may explain his business at full length. I have an engagement at the State Department,', and L swill go to keep it.’ ■ si aboi ai.i? n\ ■;?

And the judge bowed and loft the room. As soon as they were left alone, Mr Wa'sh began to explain his business, first saying that he presumed Judge Merlin had handed him the retaining fee and the brief. ‘Yes; you will find both there on the table beside you, untouched,’ answered Ishmael, gravely. ‘ Ah—you have not had time yet to look at the brief 1 No matter; we can go over it together,’ said Mr Walsh, taking up the document in question, and beginning to unfold it. ‘ I beg you will excuse me, sir ; I would rather not look at the brief, as I cannot take the case,’ said Ishmael. * You cannob take the case? Why, I understood from Judge Merlin that your time was not quite filled up; that you were not overwhelmed with cases, and that you could very well find time to conduct mine. Can you not do so ?’ ‘lt is not a question of time or the pressure of business. I have abundance of the first and very little of the last. In fact, sir, I have been but very recently admitted to the bar, and have not yet been favoured with a single case ; I am as yet a briefless lawyer.’

* Not briefless if you take my brief ; for the judge Bp'eaks in the highest berms of your talents; and I know that a young barrister always bestows great care upon his first case,’ said Mr Walsh, pleasantly, ‘ Pray excuse me, sir; but I decline the case.’

* But upon what grounds ?’ ‘Upon the ground of principle, sir. I cannot array myself against a mother, who is defending her right to the possession of her own babes,’ said Ishmael gravely. ‘Oh, l.see! chivalric ? Well, "that is very becoming in a young man. But, bless you, my dear sir, you are mistaken in your premises. Ido not really wish to part the mother and children. Jf you will give me your attention, I will explain—’ began the would-be client. ‘ I beg that you will not, sir ; excuse me, I pray you; but as I really cannot take the case, I ought not to hear your statement.’

‘ Oh, nonsense, my young friend! I know what is the ' matter with you ; but when you Have heard my statement, you will accept my brief, ’ said Walsh, pleasantly, for, according to a well-known prin-

ciple in human nature, he grew anxious to secure the services of the young barrister just in proportion to the difficulty of getting them. And so, notwithstanding the courteous remonstrances of Ishmael, he commenced and told bis story. It was the story of an egotist so intensely egotistical as to be quite unconscious of his egotism ; for ever thinking of himseif—for ever oblivious of others except as they ministered to his self-interest; filled up to the lips with the feeling of his rights and privileges; bub entirely empty of any notion of his duties and responsibilities. With him it was always * I,’ ‘ mine.’ ‘me never ‘ we,’ ‘ ours,’ * us.’ Ishmael listened under protest to this story that was forced upon his unwilling ears. At its end, when tho narrator was waiting to see what impression he had made upon hie young hearer, and what comment the latter would make, Ishmael calmly arose, took the brief from the table and put it into the hands of Mr Walsh, saying, with a dignity —aye, even a majesty of mien rarely found in so young a man : ‘ Take your brief, sir ; nothing on earth could induce me to touch it!’ ‘What! nub after the full explanation I have given you V exclaimed the man, in naive surprise. ‘ If I had entertained a single doubt about tho propriety of refusing your brief bejore hearing your explanation, that doubt would have been set ab rest after hearing it,’said the young barrister, sternly. * What do you mean, sir ?’ questioned the other, bristling up. ‘I mean that the case, even by your own plausible showing, is one of the greatest cruelty and injustice,’ replied Ishmael, firmly.

‘Cruelty and injustice !’ exclaimed Mr Walsh, in even more astonishment than anger. * Why, what the deuce do you mean by that ? The woman is my own wife 1 the children are my own children 1 and I have a lawful right to the possession of them. I wonder what the deuce you mean by cruelty and injustice 1’ ‘ By your own account you left your wife nine years ago without provocation, and without making the slightest provision for her children; you totally neglected her from that time to this; leaving her to struggle alone and unaided through all the privations and perils of such an unnatural position ; during all these years she has worked for the support and education of her children; and now, at last, when it suits you to live with her again, you come back, and finding that you have irrecoverably lost her confidence and estranged her affections, you would call in the aid of tho law to tear her children from her arms, and coerce her, through her love for them, to become your slave and victim again ! Sir, sir, I am amazed that any man of-I willnot say honour or honesty, bub common sense and prudence —should dare to think of throwing such a case as that into court,’ said Ishmael, earnestly. * What do you mean by that, sir? Your language is inadmissible, sir ! The law is on my side, however!’ ‘ If the law were on your side, the law ought to be remodelled without delay; but if you venture to go to trial with such a case as this, you will find that the law is not on your side! You have forfeited all right to interfere with Mrs Walsh, or her children ; and I would earnestly advise you to avoid meeting her in court.’ * Your language is insulting, sir! Judge Merlin held a different opinion from yours of this case !’ exclaimed Mr Walsh, with excitement. ‘Judge Merlin could not have understood the merits of the case. But it is quite useless to prolong this interview, air; I have an engagement ab ten o’clock and must wish yon good-morning,’ said Ishmael, rising and ringing the bell, and then drawing on his gloves. Jim answered the summons and entered the room. 4 Attend this gentleman to the front door,’ said Ishmael, taking up his own hat as if to follow the visitor from the room. 1 Mr Worth, you have insulted me, sir 1’ exclaimed Walsh, excitedly, as he arose and snatched up his money and his brief. * I hope I am incapable of insulting any man, sir. You forced upon me a statement that I was unwelling to receive ; you asked my opinion upon it and I gave it to you,’ replied Ishmael. ‘I will have satisfaction, sir !’ exclaimed Walsh, clapping his hat upon his head and marching to the door. ‘Any satisfaction that I can conscientiously afford you, shall bo heartily ab your service, Mr Walsh,’ said Ishmael, raising his hat and bowing courteously at the retreating figure of the angry visitor. When he was quite gone, Ishmael took up his parcels of letters and documents and went out. He went first to the post office to mail his letters, and then went to the City Hall,, where the Circuit Court was sitting. As Ishmael walked on towards the City Hall he thought over tho dark story he had just heard. He knew very well that, according to the custom of human nature, the man, however truthful in intention, had put the story in its fairest light; and yet how dark, with sin on one side and sorrow on tho other, it looked ! And if it looked so dark from his fair showing, how much darker it must look from the other point of view ! A deep pity for the woman took possession of his heart; an earnest wish to help her inspired his mind. He thought of his own young mother whom he had never seen, yob always loved. And he resolved to assist this poor mother, who had no money to pay counsel to help her defend her children, because it took every cent she could earn to feed and clothe them. ‘ Yes, the cause of the oppressed is the cause of God ! And I will offer the fruits of my professional labours to Him,’ said Nora’s son, as he reached the City Hall. Ishmael was not one to wait for a ‘ favourable opportunity.’ Few opportunities ever came to him except in the shape of temptations, which he resisted. He made, his opportunities. So when the business that brought him to the court-room was completed, he turned his steps towards the Capitol Hill. For he had learned from the statements of Jadge Merlin and Mr Walsh that it was there the poor mother kept her little day-school, After some inquiries, he suceeded in finding the school-house a little white frame building, with a front and back door and four windows, two on each side, in a little yard at the corner of the street. Ishmael opened the gate and rapped ab the door. It was opened by a little girl, who civilly invited him to enter. Ishmael ontered and took the whole scene in at a glance. A little school of about a. dozen small girls, of the middle class in society, eeated on forms ranged in exact order on each side the narrow aisle that led up to the teacher's desk. Seated behind that desk was a little, thin, dark - haired woman, dressed in a black alpaca and white collar and cuffs. At the entrance of Ishmael, she glanced up with large, scared-looking black eyes that seemed to fear in every stranger to see an enemy ora peril. As Ishmael advanced towards her those wild eyes grew wilder with terror, her cheekß

blanched to a deadly whiteness and she clasped her hands and trembled. ‘Poor hunted hare ! she fears even in me a foe !’ thought Ishmael, as he walked upfc® the desk. She arose and leaned over the desk, looking at him eagerly and inqnir* ingly with those frightened eyes. And now for the first time Ishmael felt a sense of embarrassment. A generous, youthful impulse to help the oppressed had hurried him to her presence; bnb what) should ho say to her? how apologise fer his unsolicited visit ? how venture, unauthorised. to intermeddle with her businoss ? He bowed and laid his card before her. She snatched ib up and aead it eagerly —» Ishmaki. Worth, Attorner-at-Law, (To be Continued.)