The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-07-30
@ y ALaWs,syer with Two Characters.

ago, ipans Wrapped in cloak knocked at
thesdooE Of Mons. Dupin, one of the most
able advocates Of Paris, He entered, and !
drawing from under his cloak large pack
age Of documents, laid them on the table. !
Monsieur said he, 4 am rich. but a law
suit, which is commenced against me. may
ruin me utterly. At my age, lost fortune
| is not to be re-made.. The loss Of this suit,
therefore, would condemn mo to tho most
frightful misery. come to implore your
aid. Here are the papers which explain
my claims
The advocate listened atteutively while
his unknown visitor thus briefly explained
his business. Then, opening the bundle of
documents, he went through them with the
searching rapidity Of his professional eye.
They were at last laid upon the table.
The action which is commenced against
you for this property said he, SIS based up
on justice and right--legaI and mortal. The
property belongs to your opponent. But
unfortunately, in spite Of the admirable elab
| oraion Of our code, law and justice do not
! always go together and here the law is
on Your side. II, therefore, you rest your
case entirely on the law, and use, without
reserve, all its tccl,nicalitcs and quibbleS
and if the legal points in your favor are all
stated clearly aud ably to the court, you
will inevitably gain your case
No man living: said the stranger, 'can
do what you thus describe SO ably but your
self. Might l venture to hope that you
would reduce your legal opinion to writing
and thus render me invulnerable 2
The advocate reflected for Il minute or
two, and then taking up the document
which at the first word Of request he had
roughly pushed away, he said he would do
as the stranger wished. "On the morrow,
at the same hour, the legal opinion would
he ready.
The client was punctual. The paper was
presented to him, accompanied with Ge-
mand, very abruptly made, for a fec Of Mree
Thousand francs
lie stood mute with astonislIrnent
You are at liberty to keep your money
said the lawyer, "and am at liberty to
throw my written opinion in the fire.
Advancing toward the chimney, appa-
rently for the purpose, he was stopped by
the visitor.
4 will pay the sum- he said, but must
give you my written acceptance for it.
The money i'll god,' said the advocate,
'or you shall not have iinep
The client saw that it was inevitable, and
taking his leave for the moment, returned
soon with the coin. He paid t-but in
revenge, after gaining his cause he told the
story in every corner Of Paris. The Jour
mails got hold oft. 1t was soon AS univcr-
sal as the name and fame Of the great law
yer himself Lamen:s were mad, hy the
editors over the grasping advantage thus
taken Of u client in bis extremity, and even
friends expressed their regrets to him for
this betrayal of avarice. But he simply
shrugged his shoulders and as every thing
is soon forgotten at Paris, it passed out Of
the public mind.
Ten years went by and, few days
since, at a celebration Of which the digni-
taries ofthe courts Of law formed a part,
the procession was interrupted by & woman,
who suddenly sprang from the crowd and
seized the hands of MoDs. Dupin, the Prs
cureur- General.
1T is he lit is he " she exclaimed, as she
burst into tears and covered his hands with
kisses !; this is my benefactor, my friend
the angel by whose timely kindness I was
saved from ruin and spared to educate my
children =
Poor woman said NJ. Dupin, she has
lost her reason.'
But no she insisted on explaining to the
bystanders that there was reason in he,
!. tears and gratitude. She stated it broken.
ly. Ten years ago, after the death Of her
husband, a claim was put in by a relative
for the property upon which she had relied
to support and educate her children. She
resolved to defend her possession of that
which she knew to be her own, and had al
ready sold half her furniture to pay the
commencement of process-when one day
, a stranger called upon her. He abruptly
announced his business. lie told her that
the suit, for which she was running already
+ into expense, would be losing one-tha
: the law was against her, though justice wa.
on her side-that she had better abandon
it and save what she still possessed. HI
then added that, from having been employ
;aed on the case, he had been able to rescue
some portion of what was wrongfuly taken
from her, and that it was contained in the
bag Of cold which ha laid ON tbs tahIa-ah