The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-01-04
. ,Selfrt Shlv.
The Advocates Right Bower,
AN OLD JURIsT's STORY.
BIZ sYLyANUs COBB, yR.

1t was Judge Lurlington's own expires
sion.e Halt dozen young lawyers
fresh from their studies, and just admit
ted to the bar were listening to his ad;
vice. The old justice had a bottle Of
wine at bis elbow, end was in a commu..
nicstive mood
young men, he said, whatever may
he your strait, never take a case before .
jury, or before any court unless you
have q right bower for lead ''''i., !,
an If the reader surmises from this that.
the old Judge was fond of euchre, he will
not have surmised amiss. - .. f,
The young men looked at him inquir-,
ingly. fsi "a, - y
Il mesn," he added, "that you should
never advocate cause into the work Of
which you cannot eLter with clear con-
science, + You should never accept a cli-
ent whose cause you do not believe to
.be just ''',' :. '..-' =
.'..Can that rule always be..adhered to P
asked one Of the listeners. '''.'' 'i
"a '"It can," answered burlington, en-
phatically. ut is the lawyers rock Of
foundation, and the Only sure point of
departure to the respect and confidence
of his fellows" p,''.'D ,, i2'n ].
"Haye yeu always followed that rule,
Judge ?" - H''an 9loa''l.'' :.
81 was never tempted from it but
once" he replied 81 will tell you the
story if you would like" and having
laid aside his pipe the old man commenc-
ed. y, saiiie + si5tl3 =.
|, . zone dsyI was waited uponlby q man
who gave his name as Laban .Sarfurt.AA 2
He was of middle age, we'll dressed, and
at first sight appeared to be q gentle
man, but the. illusion was dispelled
when be approached business. He was
hard and unfeeling, and naturally 3 vii;
lain, Success in speculation had saved
him from becoming thief or highway.
man., ] had heard of him as a heavy
dealer in the up river lands. He asked
me if I was willing to undertake q job
which would call me to Shireton. Itold
him ], Was open to any legitimate 5usi-
ness which would pay. ,.,l,, p95'l Z as, y,
1sMr. Lurlington,' said be, tapping
me with coarse familiarity upon the arm,
i want, to secure your services. You
must NOT be engaged upon the other
side.d q sf sc q..sTosst s,-.,s
} vsItold him ifche would explain to me
the easel might;be better able to give
him an apsHer, . He bit an enormous
f.hfd al 6bkcco .ffOn 6shlsck nln,o1 ara
having got it into shape between his
square Jaws, he went on with his story
0d..The case was one of ejectment. An
elderly man, named Philip Acton, had
died, leaving d valaabIe estate. There
was nearly thousand acres of land,
with experimentation developing i'm.
nnense water. power, and ere many years
that land would be worth more than a
million dollars. At present upon. the
estate, aud claiming it as son of the de-
cased, was man calling himself William
Acton. ~ a . yfs@ t7s sHa
! l.t.s rs But said, ,Sarfurt, she is not q le.
Ultimate child at all His mother was
Betsey Totwood, and at one time girl
in Acton's employ. Acton, ! know, was
never married. He brought the boy-nr
aud educated him, and now the, boy
thinks TO step into his protectors shoes
T can prove that I am the only living
relative Of William Acton. He was my
uncle my mothers brother-and to d
lawyer as smart as yourself, there can be
no difficulty in proving my title. | CAP
bring the witness to your hand .,,.s, ,,.a
Ii s'He told me he wonld lgive me five
hundred dollars il would undertake his
oase,u and an additional Thousand il
gained ii. That was big fee-far more
than had then made in all my plead.
lingso II was tempting. And yetIasaw
That the case was not perfectly clear
mot entirely honest. The probability
was, that this William Acton was Phil
lips child randi I was not impos sihle the
Philip had married Betsy Totyood. !
Istruck me that Laban Sarfurt was q vii
lain, and thathe had young Acton 50. fal
In his power that he conldeject him from
the titles But what had 1 particularly tt
dc with that 2 aIfI accepted client
must serve him. I had no business bu
to serve his interests. ! finally told Mr.
lSsrf1rt that would think the matter
over. should probably have business
in Shireton during. the session Of the
courts and I would call upon him there
and exsmiue more fully. I could no
take his retainer until l had further light
s'sBut,' said he, will you promise no
Ito take the other side2 p
/ q 81 told him would do nothing With
out further consultation with him.
Because he added, 'if'youIare 70
ne T am sure to win. Acton can't fint
lawyer that can hold candle to you
lL know ep ALL s4'ss
/ ,sssNo matter, whether believed him O.
lnot-L didspot feel fattered. - s.as..aA ~
- ssTwo weeks later I received ., lette
from Sarfurt, promising me Eve thou
isand dollars il I won. daaHt slgsa
s"Thea five Thousand dollars was oi,
strong argument. Was not law really
game OF chance, in which the stronges
band and longest purse must win 2 4
told myself, .Yes'-and l sat down ant
wrote a reply saying that would tax
the csss. But ! did not mail il Of once
That nighsI put the letter under my pil
low,and sleptsover it; and onsthe follow
/ log morning / threw 1t into the tAre. 4
| would not Rsks up my mind unsiI I ha'
[seen other psrties-until l had been o.
The ground. And / wrote to Laban Ssr
|furt 70 yaits ga a,.' "a, ~, ~
1.-TWO weeks later hsrnessed 10,
rhorss 10 the wagon, ssd with my vii
sud child started for Ehireton. / uha
been married two years. and our littl
one, . girl, y as q year old, our pride, ou
Ipet, and our darling Shireton& wa
distant thirty miles. We had been hay
ling rainy weather for week or 50, BY
i itfhad now cleared off bright and beaut
tfull We stopped and took dinner. at
smsllIvsyside INN, foar7 miles beyon
which was . stream which must, be ford
ed. a The .innkeeper told me that th
stream was somewhat. swollen from tb
late rains; but it my horse was trust.
there could be no danger. = Sn+