Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-09-07


if l gained it. That was big fee-far
more than had then made in all nv
pleading. 1t was tempting. And vet
| saw that it was not yet perfectly
clear-not entirely honest. 1t was not
improbable that Philip Acton had mar
ried Betsey Totwood, and that William
was his legitimate heir. 1t struck me
that Laban Sarfurt was a villain, and
that he fancied he had young Acton
so far in his power that he could eject
him from the title. But what had I
particularly to do with that? If / ac-
cepted client, must serve him. /
had no business but to serve his in
terest. [ finally told Mr.. Sarfurt that
| 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. / could not
take his retainer until | had further
light"
But" said he, Twill you promise
not to take up for the other side?''
''I told him [ would do nothing
without further consultation with
him."
Because" he added, elf you are
for me am sure to win. Acton can't
find lawyer that can hold candle to
you. / know them ALL"
"NO matter whether / believed him
or not, [ did not feel flattered."
"TWo weeks later / received a letter
from Sarfurt, promising me $4,000 if
[ won.
1.-The $4,000 was strong argument.
Was not law really game of chance,
in which the strongest hand and long
est purse must win? [ told myself
yes. Y eS-and [ sat down and wrote
reply, saying that l would take the
case. But | did not mail it at once
That night / put it under my pillow,
and slept over it; and on the follow
ing morning threw it into the fire. /
i
had seen other parties-until [ had
been on the grounds. And | wrote to
Laban Sarfurt to wait
"Two weeks later / harnessed my
horse to the wagon, and. with my wife
and child, started for Shireton. / had
been married two years, and our little
babe, girl, was year old, our pride,
our pet, and our darling. Shireton
was distance Of about thirty miles.
We had been having rainy weather for
a week or SO, anu it had now cleared
off bright and beautiful. We stopped
and took dinner at WaySide inn,
four miles beyond which was stream
which must be forded. The innkeep-
Ell told me that the stream was some
what swollen from the late rains, but
that if my horse was trusty there could
be no danger.
"Arriyed at the stream, the Wam-
patuck River, I found the water in
deed risen, and the current strong, but
| saw that others had recently gone
over, and / resolved to venture. [
knew my horse, and had faith in him.
My wife was anxious, but she trusted
my Judgment. A third of the way
across the water was over the hub of
the wheels. A little more and it
would have reached the body of the
| wagon. | began to be alarmed; [
feared / had left the true track. Pres
emily my horse stumbled and stag
gered, having evidently stepped on a
moving stone. The wagon sWayed
and tipped, and the flood poured in
upon us. My wife slipped, and in a
moment more we were in the water.
With one hand I grasped the harness
upon the horse and with the other |
held my wife. [ was thus struggling
| when wild cry from her lips startled
the air. Our child was washed away.
"Oh, my soul! | cannot tell you
what | suffered during those moments.
/ could not help our darling. If l left
my wife she was lost. / chung to the
horse and Clung to my shrieking
-shrieking to God for mercy for
| her child. In the distance, upon the
bosom of the surging flood, I could see
our little one, her white dress gleam-
ing in the sun, being borne swiftly
away. A moment more and I saw a
man plunge from the bank into the
river. | saw this much, and then an
intervening point of land shut out the
scene. The horse was now rapidly
nearing the shore, and ere long my
wife and | were on dry land, with the
horse and wagon. AS soon as | was
sure my wife was safe, / left her to
care for the horse while / posted off
down the river bank in quest of the
swimmer and the child.
"You may well understand that all
this time l was frantic. l was ma
chine being operated upon by surg
ing and agonizing emotion. How long
| or how far | wandered 7 do not know