Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-16
A I,awver WITH Two Characters

One cold evening in November. ten years ago,
n man wrapped in a large cloak knocked at the
door of Nous. Dnpin, one OF the mort attic advo-
Gates If Paris. He entered and drawing from
u,.dcr his cloak q largo package o. documents,
laid them the table
"Monscur," said he, 81 am rich; llt n lawsuit
which IS commenced against me may uin mo ut
terly. At my age. a lost fortune is 40, t. DO re.
made. The loss Of this suit. Therefore, would con-
denim me TO the most frightiul mi,e-y. come to
implorc your aid Here are the papers which ex.
plain my claims"
The advocate listened attcn'ivcy while his
known visitor thus briefly explained his business.
Then opening the bundle OF documents, he went
through them with the searching rapldity of his
professional eye.
They were ut last laid upon tie table.
1.-THE action which is commenced against you
for this property" said no. rs based upon ia ,ticc
and right legal and moral. The property belongs
to your opponent. But, unfortunately, in spite Of
the I'm rable elaboration Of code law and
justice do not always 90 together, and here the
law is on your side. II, therefore. You rest your
ca entirely On the law. and use. without reserve,
nii the technicalties and quh1cs. and il the legal
points IN your favor are all stated clearly and
ably t., the court, you will inevitably gam your
cause"
No man living" said the stranger, "cau do
what YOU thus describe. ably as yourself
Might venture to hope that you would reduce
invulnerabler'
The advocate reflected for minute or two md
then again taking up the documents. which, Mt the
first word Ut the request. he had roughly pushed
away, he said hs would do as the stranger wished
On the morrow, At the same hour, the legal opin-
ion would be ready.
The client was punctual. The paper was pre-
scented tn him. accompanied with n demand very
abruptly made, for n fee e h1ce thousand francs.
lie stoea mute with establishment.
You are ut liberty to keep your money" said
the lawyer. and am Mt l,i city to throw my
written opinion in the fire"
Advancing toward the chimney apparently for
that purpose. he was It 'pped hy the visitor.
Il will pay you the sum-" he said, but must
give You my written acceptance for it,
The money in gold" said the advocate, "or
you shall not have Incl"
The client saw that it was inevitable and taking
bis leave for . moment, soon returned with the
coin. He paid il, but in reyenge, soon after gain.
ing his cause he told the story in every corner Of
Paris. The journals got hold Of it, II was soon
as universal IN the name and fame Of the grent
lawyer himself. Laments were made by the edi.
tors over the grasping advantage thus taken Of
client IN his extremity, and even friends expressed
their regrets to him for the betrayal of avnrice--
But he simply shrugged his shoulders; and rs ev-
erything is soon forgotten in Paris, it passed out
Of the public mind.
Ten years went by; and few days since, at a
celebration Of which the digntaries Of the Courts
of the law formed part. Tire procession was in
terrupted by woman, who suddenly sprang from
the crowd and seized the hands of Mons Dupin
the Procureur General.
at is he! il is he! !" she exclaimed as she burst
into tears and covered his hands with kisses: this
IS my benetactor. my friend. the angel 10y whose
timely kindness was saved from ruin ana spared
to educate my children
"Poor Woman" said M. pupin, "she has lost
hcr reason"
But no, she insisted on OK, anng to the by-
ISLANDERS that there was reason in her tears and
gratitude. She stated it brokenly. Ten Years a.
~, after the death Of her husband, u claim was
Tut in by relative, for the property upon which
abe had relied to support and educate her children.
She resolved to defend her possession of that
which she knew was her own. and had already
sold half her furniture to pay commencement Of
the process when one day stranger called upon
her. He abruptly announced his business. lie
told her that the suit, for which she already was
running into expense, would be losing one that
the law was against her. though justice was on
her side that she had better abandon it and save
what she still possessed. lie then added, that
from saving been employed in the case he had
been able to rescue some portion of what was
wrongfuHy taken from her, ana that it was con-
tanned in the bag Of gold. which he laid on the ta-
ole abruptly taking his leave. and giving her u.s.
s"n ;.n 1sn.as no opportunity for thanks or in
60 tuouenuu irhi cs Win when she
WAS thus enriched, enabled her to re-establish her
self with her children, and to commence timely
support II them And, from tina, day. She had
been trying in vain 10 discover who was her hen
efactor. But his featuras were cnsravcn on the
heart, and thank God she had found and could
tbaak him it0x."
And .ft amer ten years of interpretation Mons.
Dapin,A: gfasping avarice,' was explained to his
legal bFett,ren and the public. rs quite another
thing! En- some other people, he had two char
acters---fpe hicb the papers made him out to be,
ard an'hber andaery different, one rhich he mas
Iuda 4 al L..