The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-06-30

Walbridge. When | told him he was
correct, he said that he must hurry home.
And with that he turned away. | was
too deeply moved to stop him, and when
he had disappeared | started to rejoin
my wife with a dawning impression
that the man might be slightly deranged
But my darling was safe-her broad,
feecy cloak had foated out and kept her
head above water-and | went on nv
way rejoicing, resolved that the preser-
yer of my child should not be forgotten.
l will not tell you of-the emotion of
my wife when she held her child
once more in her arms. We reached
Shireton before night, and found quar-
tiers at comfortable tavern.
On the following day Laban Sarfurt
called upon me and was about to spread
his evidence for my inspection, when l
interrupted him. | told him could not
accept his confidence until | had made
up my mind to take his case in hand.
Something seemed TO whisper that there
was danger ahead. / did not feel COM
Portable in that mans presence. felt
as though he was trying to buy me. The
court would sit in four days. told him
| would give him final answer in two
days from that.
THAT evening made confdant of
my wife and asked her what should do.
If ! take the case, | said, l am sure Of
$4,000 She bade me do what was right.
God has been very kind to u.s. she said !;
let us look to him for guidance
After this / called on the clergyman
of the place, whose son had been my
classmate in college, and whom ! had
once before visited. He received me
heartily, and by and by | asked him
about VIM. Acton. The result of all he
told me was summed up in his closing
sentence. Said he: Il am sure VIM.
Acton was Philip Actions child-in fact,
| know it-and | think the father and
mother were married. Betsy died very
soon after her child was born, and we
know that Philip always treated the boy
as legitimate child and that he loved
him as such | can confidently affirm
On the following morning, after
breakfast, as | sat by the window in the
bar-room, / saw coming down the street
the man who had saved my child He
was walking slowly like one in trouble.
| pointed him out to my host, and asked
him who he was.
"' That is William Acton. Perhaps
you have heard of the trouble he is likely
30 have with Laban Sarfurtp
az said l had heard.
i hope he may come out all right
the host added but / am fearful. He
has got hard and heartless customer to
deal with
81 shut my mouth and held my peace
until Laban Sarfurt called for his final
answer. said TO him.
Mr.. Sarfurt, l have been considering
all this time whether l could undertake
your case with clear conscience
whether should be helping the side of
justice and right in helping you. / had
concluded that could not do 50 before |
had seen William Acton to know him by
name. now know him for man who
nobly risked his own life to save the life
of my child. have not SIS yet accepted
one of your private disclosures; have
gained from you nothing which you
could wish to keep from the public. /
can not take your case, but l tell you
frankly that if you prosecute, will de-
fend William Acton.
81 did not mind Sarfurt's wrath. He
raved and swore and stamped, and then
he went off and engaged two lawyers
from Herkimer to take his case. called
upon Acton and told him l would de-
fend him if he would accept my services,
as had accepted his. He took my hand
and thanked me.
" l have made great many pleas in
my life, but l think / never made a
better one than l made to that
jury on that occasion. They were out
not over five minutes. By their verdict
William Acton was the lawful possessor
of the estate his father had left.
" From that day never hesitated to
refuse to accept case to which | could
not give my heart. Such stand on the
part of a lawyer becomes known and the
people feel it and what the public feels
juries are sure to feel.
Concerning William Acton, l will
only add that he became my bosom
friend. He always felt that he owed his
title to his valuable property to me; and
l knew that to him | was indebted for
the home that was mine for forty years.
He was very delicate in the gift of
that piece of property. He decided it
to my wife. The husband of my eldest
daughter is his eldest son.
r