Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-09-07
A STORY OF OTHER TINES,

putting 4 ':right bower in such con
nection.
1t was Judge Lurlington's own cx
preston.
Half dozen young lawyers, fresh
from their studies, and just admitted
to the bar, were listening to his adj
vice. The old jurist had a bottle OF
wine at his elbow, and was in com.
municative mood.
"Young men, he said, ':whatevcl
may be your strait, never take case
before a jury, or before any court,
unless you have your right bower for
3 head.''
If the reader surmises from this that
the old Judge was fond Of euchre, he
will not have surmised amiss.
The young men looked at him in.
Quiringly.
II mean,' he added, ''that you shall
never advocate cause into the work
of which you cannot enter with a
clear conscience. You shall never &C.
cept a client whose cause you do not
believe to be just
''Can that rule be always adhered
to-" asked one of the listeners.
''It can" answered burlington, eR,-
phatically. 1t is lawyers firm rock
Of foundation, and the only sure point
Of departure to the respect and conf.
dence of his fellows
Have you always followed that rule,
judge!'
Il was never tempted from it but
once" he replied. II will tell you
the story, if you would like to hear
it,"
OF course they would like to; and
having laid aside his pipe, the old man
commenced:
Zone day was waited upon by a
man who gave his name as Laban Sar-
furt. He Was of middle age, well
dressed, and a: first sight appeared to
be gentleman but the illusion was
dispelled when approaching business.
He was hard and unfeeling, and natu.
rally villain. Success in speculation
had saved him from being 4 thief or a
highwayman. I heard of him as a
heavy dealer in the up river lands. He
asked me if would undertake a job
which would call me to Shierton. l
told him l was open to anything legiti-
mate that would pay
''Mr. burlington" said he, tapping
me on the shoulder, with coarse
familiarity, want to secure your SER
vices. You must not be engaged on
the other side.''
I told him if he would explain to me
the case might be better able to give
him an answer. He bit an enormous
quid of tobacco from a slack plug, and
having got it into shape between his
jaws he went on with his story.
''The case was one of ejectment. An
elderly man Damed Philip Acton, had
died, leaving a valuable estate. There
was nearly thousand acres of land,
with opportunities for developing i'm
mense water.power, and ere many
years that land would be worth more
than million dollars. At present up.
on the estate, and claiming it as a son
of the deceased, was man calling
himself William Acton
"But," said Sarfurt, ''he is not a lie.
ultimate child at all. His mother was
Betsy Totwood, at one time girl in
Acton's employ. Acton l know was
II ever married. He brought the boy
up and educated him. and the fell
low thinks he can step into his protec-
tors shoes. can prove that am the
only living relative of Philip Acton.
He was my uncle-my mothers broth
Grand, to lawyer as smart as you,
there can be no difficulty in proving my
title. can bring witnesses to your
hand.''
HE told me he would give me five
hundred dollars it | would undertake
his case, and an additional thousand if
I gained. That was a big fec-far
more than had made in all my plead
ing. It was tempting. And yet I saw
that it was not yet perfectly clear
not entirely honest. The probability
was that this William Acton was
Philips child and it was not impossi.
BILE that Philip had married Betsy Tot
wood. 1t struck me that Laban Sar.
furt was william, and that he fancied
he had young Acton So far in his pow.
er that he could eject him from the
title. But what had particularly to
do with that ! If accepted a client.
must serve him. I had no business
but to serve his interest. I finally
told Mr.. Sarfurt that l would think the
matter over, I should probably have
business in Shireton during the session
of the court, and would call on him
there and examine more fully. I could
not take his retainer until I had further
light
"But,'' said he, "will you promise
not to take up the other side -
II told him I would do noting with.
out further consultation with him.
because, he added, ''if you are
for me I am sure to win. Acton can't
find a lawyer that can hold candle to
you. l know them all.''
No matter whether believed him
or not-I did not feel fattered.''
1.-Two weeks later received letter
from Sarfurt, promising me $5,00Oif I
won.''
1.-THE five thousand dollars was a
strong argument. Was not law really
q game Of chance, in which the strong
est hand and longest purse must win
l told myself yes. Yes-and l sat
down and wrote a reply, saying that l
would take the case. But / did no.
mail it at once. That night I put it
under my pillow, and slept over it:
and on the following morning l threw
1T into the fire. would not make up
my mind until I had seen other parties
until ! had been on the ground.
And wrote to Laban Sarfurt to watt"
1.-Two weeks later l harnessed my
horse to the wagon, and will. my wife
and child, started for Shireton. had
heen married two years and one little
babe. . girl, was year old, our pride,
our pet and our darling. Shireton was
q distance of about thirty miles. We
had been having rainy weather for a
week or SO and it had now cleared off
bright and beautiful. We stopped and
took dinner at wayside inn, four
miles beyond which was a stream which
must be forded. The inn.keeper told
me that the stream was somewhat
swollen from the late rains, but that
1t my horse was trusty there could be
no danger"
arrived at the stream-the Wan.
patuck river-I found the water indeed
rising and the current strong, but I
saw that others had recently gone over,