Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-09-21

Established December 18TH, 1850
Abide Witha Dead Man.

reporter OF modern times Is sup
posed to hunt out everything and
miss nothing of interest to any
reader. In Detroit, at least, fif-
teen or twenty years ago, the case
was different, aud many incidents
and adventures occurred among
lawyers, doctors apd officers of
the law, which never found their
way into print. The other day,
lin conversation with a welliknown
member of the Detroit bar, be
called up little adventure of his
own which has never been pub
lished and which is worthy of it.
One day in January, 1856, the
lawyer, who asks that his name
be published az Blank, was called
upon to go to the village of Farm
ington and conduct the defence in
a lawsuit of considerable impor
tance. Being Ia possession d
horse and gfeigh, lie chose s
by bis osFh edhyeyance.s htid Is.
the weather was extremefy ,cuia;
took care TO Be well provided wilh
robes aud Blankets. Whether be
won or lost the suit, or how Ire
spent the time up tolseven oelobk'
in the evening are matters OF 10
interest to The reader. The night
having set IN still colder tlian the.
day, Blank was entregtedfo re-
main in the village until the next
day, bat he would not hear Of,
such plan, as an inpPt6 Il ant tit NAT,
ter would claim his attention ~
the city next day. So Ire :thn-
died up, got jug Of hot water for
his feet, and headed his horse fol
home, calculating on a ride OF not
more than three or four hours,
The wind blew piercingly y cold in.
to the face of man and beast, and
Blank was soon half frozen in spite
of his coverings. He had pro-
caeded about one-third of the dis
tance home, the horse going at a.
sharp trot most of the tire, when.
he overlook a man ploddmiS at a
slow pace and offered him q ride
The man had on an old ragged
overcoat, was otherwise poorly.
dressed, and declared that he was
nearly frozen to death. Blank
asked his name, where he was
going, and other questions; but
the stranger was just then busy
settling the coverings around him,
and did not reply; and fufthe~
on his silence was accounted for
by the lawyer on the ground that
the man was deaf or deePlyseen-
gagged in thought. So6h after
picking up his passenger the law
yer felt that he must do soIne-
thing or freeze TO death, and COM
cluded to take run belIind the
cutter. He offered the lineswte
the stranger, explaining hat be
was going to get out, but, as be
did not accept them, Blank passed
them over the fellows head, say
ing to himself that he was express
ing hut little gratitude for the ride
so kindly offered. Getting out,
th. lawyer seized the back of the
sleigh and ran until thoroughly
warmed up, and then climbed in
beneath the robes again. Feeling
much better, and being a man given
to sociability, Blank nudged his
passenger sharply and began to
question him. The fellow could
net be drawn out by anything
which the lawyer advanced, and
so he was left toshimself for a time.
Perhaps it is even now the habit
of lawyers to take ''pocket pis-
toll with them wh IN they ride
out, and it certainly was then.
Blank was thus provided for, and
be concluded that pull at Its
contents would be good for him
self and the stranger. After
drinking, he held it mp before the
mans face, and politely requested
him to take sip, but this offer
met with no response, Drawing
away the coverings from the mans
face, it was seen that he was wide
awake and looking full at the law
yer, and when Blank held up the
/ flask again, he thought he saw.
the man shake his head. Con-
cluding that he had temperance
man aboard, the lawyer returned
the flask to his pocket, and made,
mo more advances of the kind.
During the trial that day, one
of the witnesses had given utter
ance to some expressions which
greatly pleased the lawyer, and
be now related it in hopes to get
a word from the stranger. Blank
went all over the ground, laughed
heartily at the joke, and even
gave the man a nudge in the side