The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-08-24
The Peasant and the Lawyer.

The Peasant and the Lawyer.
Cities havo their Individuality Of
we'll rs men-manufacturing or mar
itime, intelligent or frivolous, they
always reveal by their physiognomy
the nature of their inhabitants. Go
through Rouen, Lyons, Brest OF
Strasbourg, and look around you
Everything which strikes your eye
will be a revelation Of tastes and
habits; the history Of each popula'
ton will be found as one might say,
written in the streets. One is espc'
clally struck with this truth when he
visits Rcnncs. To SEQ its grand cdi.
fees, with their magistcrial air, its
promqnades, with scarcely here and
there with some pensive reader, you
recognize at once the capital of the
old Breton Duchy, the old seat OF
Parliamcnts, the city of study, where
all the truthful youths of the province
come to cultivate their. minds, for the
prevalent air of Renncs is gravity ;
the whole city is calm and severe as
Judgment hall, and: indeed, it is the
dwelling place of the law. There
YOU find its temple, its high priests,
and its most fervent worshippors
They resort hithcr from tho most re-
mote parts of Brittany TO sock coun-
sell 10 come to Rennes without con-
sulting lawyer appears as imposs'-
BILE to Breton as it would have been
to Greek to pass the temple of Del
phos without irtcrrogating the Pith-
oncs3.
This was as true toward the end of
the last century as it is to-day, and
especially of the peasants, q race rem
dcrcd timid by experience, and accus-
toned to take precautions. So, then
it happened, one day, that q farmer,
having como 10 Renncs for somc bar.
gain, concluded, after his business
was finished, that, as he still had somo
hours of leisure, it would be we'll for
him to employ them in consulting a
lawyer. lIe had oftcnsh card NJ. Po-
tier dc la Germondaie spoken OF,
whose reputation was so great that a !
cause was deemed already gained ii
it were supported by his opinl'n;
The peasant asked his: address, and
repaired to him in St. George street
Tho clients were numerous, and Ber.
nard had to wait u long time. At
last his turn. came, and he was intro
duccd. NJ. Potter dc Ia Gcrmondale
signed to him to sit down, laid his
spcctacles on tho desk, and asked
what he camo for.
"Faith! Mr.. Advocate" said the
farmer, twisting his hat, 81 have
heard so much talk Of you that. as l
was hero, l thought I would take the
chance Of consulting YOU"
81 thank you for your confidence,
my friend" said NJ. Gcrmondaie; "but
YOU havc some suit. sapposc?"
"Suit? I abominato them, and
Potter Bernard never had y word with
anybody"
SThcn. it is settlement, q family
division&,
"Excusc me, Mr.. Advocate; my
+! family and myself have never had
any division to make, seeing we cat
ovt of tho samo cupboard, as they
say"
"It concerns some purchase or sale,
thcn?"
"Oh, no, indeed! I am not rich
enough to buy, nor yet poor enough
to have to sell out"
"But what do you want with me,
thenP" asked tho astonished lawyer.
"Oh, well! I have told you, sir"
replied Bernard, with loud, embar'
rassed laugh; ~ want an opinion
for money, Observation-Disclosures am
here at Rennes, and I must profit by
the occasion"
NJ. Germoudaio smiled, took q pen
and paper, and asked hisaame.
"Peter Bernard" replied he, happy
to be understood at last.
"Your age =
"Thirty years or thcrcabouts."
"Your Profcssion?"
"My profession ?-oh, yes; what !
do? I am farmer.
The lawyer wrote two lines, folded
tho paper and handed it to his strange
client.
"Is it finished already" cried Bcr
nard aoh, wcll-thats lucky; one
has no time to grow mouldy, as they
say. How much is it worth, thi:
opinion, Mr.. Iawyer?"
"Three fraucs,,
i Bernard paid without complaint
: scraped his foot, and went out, en-
) chantcd with having proitcd by th