THE TWO LAWYERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 368, 31 March 1881, Page 3

THE TWO LAWYERS.

From the Wfcimaite Times we observe that the above is the' title- df a novel of some 350 pp. about to be .published by subscription by. M^;® lia ? a i^ lor S an Southan of that town, and, to .which reference .was . recently made in its local columns. The title is evidently chosen for the reason that the main incidents of the story are those connected with the history of two gentlemen of the long ro be—Prank solicitor, and one John Hobart chief yillain among the dramatis personas , who becoming his partner, • very nearly proven his; ruin. The author first introduces his renders to Frank Perryman, his sister - Maud, and the latter’s companion Louisa Bfanscombe, a shy, quiet, unassuming, but sterling girl, at their house in Timaru, where the former had just inherited from his father an extensive practice. * Frahfc4nmselffigures as that somewhat rare bird, iflve'are to pin cur faith to current proverbial, wisdom, an honest lawyer—one much : liked for his, straightforwardness of character, and who is accredited with never' haying broken his ,yorc[' to' anyone, 'but'' withal wanting in firmness, .sad of that oyer sanguine temperament which generally makes its possessor the easy prey of desigiiiug men. John Hobart and his (suppo?Bfed) sister arrive at Timaru from Vj(?toria, the former with the intention of commencing practice, and speedily 'make the acquaintance of the Perryman family, with whose fortunes and history their own are thereafter interwoven, for. Frink falls deeply in love with Clara, who possesses a face and figure of singular beauty,’ *nd a> ‘disposition- of great sweetness and amiability.” Hobart' has, however,' a strange influence over her, a ptep behind tbs scenes. presently allowing the reader that nthe supposed sister is in’ "reality a ihistress, . the daughter of due Matthew Grant, a lifesentepced prisoner , at .Norfolk Island, who through the; villainous machinations of Hobart has been made hfs half-un-willing slave.' ! 1 Hobart weif J Clafa':hk' a bait, and by thik mearis'succeeds in‘so ingratiating B himself- wM ..Perrymapj that he is taken, mto partnership .with him, and; henceforward the-.“two lawyers*’- practice together 1 thb‘ style of Perryman add Hobart. ■'ln ths employ of thjt fss», & oneJ'Feiix.’Fijcpr, another rascalj'who in jthe endqutwits Hobart at‘ v fii* ■ ownJgame.; Yetfra-be-fore the action of the story commences

he (Fixer) had been the, verger of 'a, certain London Church, and.the.witUesß of a marriage between Johtti Hobart and one Mary Torridge, the latter'hiving been entrapped thi ‘c^reai J dr|y, and having^ left,her with the JiPJtM.-'.projve ns a nffllstone. around-Bia'Pecki" Fixer discovers himself to Ho hart y and-having' wrung from him iirider threatf of exposure appears for a time; -WBed l we next see Bim he has so altered in; apjjeffaWe* that he is. knowh enters upon-” commercial ventures with the assistance of th§ nae&i Perry-i man’s name raise funds for the speculative of M Fixer and Co.” Meanwhile the reader is introduced to Matthew Grant, ther-father ot Clara, who proves'-$£ A have“ been th£' innocent vvctim plot w the* part of one Lurt^erlfshaw 1 and Qpbart, sister ofJoha_Hubarl_of ihe-_stoi’y.-- Grant was bailiff ' to ' Mr'" LurtenshaW," and married a girl, to master had been paying court, but who had refused his overtures. .Agnes/Hobart who is in love with Graii tj is consumed with jealousy -af- bhiug 1 'supplanted; While LurtafiStWW^fflbTS^ Grthtl,’'and';if"' he, cah' he c gbt out of the. way his wife, will W: placed in

' '1 hes'e two, Lurtenshaw and Agnes H'lhart then carry out the villainous scli-muo <>f a fictitious robbery of plate, the woman concealing the supposed stolen articles in Grant’s premises, .where their discovery leads to his transportation for life. On her deathbed, Agnes confesses the plot, and in due time a free pardon is sent out to Grant. By this time the latter has lost his daughter, {who has disappeared with Hobart, who has deceived her into the belief that her flight was necessary for her father’s safety, and then Grant sets out in quest of his daughter, the tale of his long-time hopeless search being the best part of the story. Returning to the fortunes of the other principal characters, we find Fixer and Co., under the influence of Hobart, embarking in heavy land speculations, which result disastrously, and Hobart, to retrive the losses of the firm, enters upon a marriage with the daughter of an American millionaire named Parkes. Unknown to him, his wife nee Mary Torridge has arrived in New Zealand on a tour in search of health, and also has Matthew Grant in search of his daughter, and these are among the spectators who attracted. by the dash of a fashionable wedding, enter the church at Christchurch where the ceremony is being performed in time to denounce Hobart as a bigamist and swindler. Hobart flies, but is captured, fried, and sentenced. Felix Fixer, the partner, escapes in one of hiis own ships, leaving a considerable sum of money behind for Frank Perryman, as some amends for the free use of his name by the firm of Fixer and Co, Frank Perryman and Louisa Branscombe who has all along loved him, and whose wbrthhe at last discovers, are happily married, and Grantandhis long lost daughter return to their old home in England, where it is to be hoped they lived happilly ever afterwards, and the ' curtain falls npon poetical justice, the triumph of honesty and right, ar>d the utter confounding of the rogues of the piece. As we have before said, there is a well woven plot, and as he has given due care in preparing the work for the press, Mr Southan’s novel should be a very readible one.