Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-07-23
THE MYSTERIOUS NOTE.
An Attorneys Story.

II was a harum sCarum youth, said
a certain lawyer, whose acquaintance /
formed in Chicago, some ten years ago,
oond for the nrst dozen years of my
manhood | had no settled ann. stare.
ed ont rs clerk in country store, then
became Il school teacher, next clerk
N drug store, where l learned many
chemical mysteries; finally | became a
law STUDENT and it was my knowledge
Of chemistry science OF which / am
passiouately fond, that gave me start
as a law student.
"Let me hear the story" said |.
"Certainly. My shingle had been
hung out for four or five months, and
had not single brief to prepare. What
little money had possessed after my
studies were completed was rapidly
meliag away, and | could not ignore
the tact that If no fees should come in
my way for n couple of months | should
nave to 90 out on the street, or on the
prairie, and labor for living. twould
be no disgrace to be sure. But when
one has spent his little all IN preparing
himself for II professional life, and when
he has set his heart and hopes on such
life, lGls sad to have to abandon it.
was seated in my Office one fore
noon, INDUCING in certain gloomy
thoughts on this subject when the door
opened and middle aged man in hum
bic garb came in, and recognized him
at the first glance as an honest and iu-
dustrious machinist named William
Cam, bell, former neighbor of my
fathers, who was now dead. He was
Hurried and nervous. and l saw at once
that there was something wrong.
Good morning, Mr.. Campbell" said
|. How did you happen 10 find the
office Of poor young lawyer, like
me%
by accident" he said. Il am in
trouble, and if | don't get out of it am
ruined. All the savings of my life will
be gone unless | can find some lawyer
smart enough to defeat the rascality of
certain man, and | was going along,
intending TO call on the first lawyer |
should see, and it happened to be you.
AS | know your father well, and used
to know you when you were IA boy, |
thought could not do better than to
put my case in your hands; I'd at least
be sure of fair treatment, | thought"
You would be sure of that at the
hands of any lawyer to whom you
mould lntrust your case said +
Now let me hear what it is, and I'll
see what can be done"
"Well, it's this; I've worked quite
hard all my life at my trade, AID ac-
eumulated some money-about SIX
thousand dollars in fact. | have sew
era children | would like to provide
Tor, and it has been my steady aim to
increase my money all | could. A
Year ago, a friend OF mine, who is in the
same business | am in, told ice he
would take partner in the ring, an6
mat if should go in with him he coulN
make great deal of money. | looked
'uto the matter and found that be was
not mistaken about it. | saw that /
Coold, IN few years, increase my SIX
'houSand dollars to twenty thousand,
ana told him | would be ready to join
nlIn IN the business when the time came.
meantime, my money was laying in the
9'hk, where | ought 10 have left it,
"Ia"lng five and a half per cent. inter
est
shortly after | had made this ar
'angement with my friend about the
partnership, man l knew well, and
1ao great confidence in came to
aug and asked me to lend him my
money TIL should want it. | told him
'lionId want it at the end of the year,
ana he said he could readily return 1t
:! mat time, and he would give me
ss2t per cent. So | let him have it,
ana now 1t is due, ana | can't get it
N Has he any property ~ | asked.
s,. iesTany amount OF it; but I've I'M
sSs[Ia'ood he's slippery fellow, but |
aga not known that before"
Dal you took his note, surely" said
Yes, but l can't find it; that's what
~oIo'es me. l called on him yesterday
,I' I2!d INN SO, and he said he had no
t.s1eo"ecuon Of borrowing any money
rs,! me; i | had his note, he would
Fa! H. II hadn't he wouldn't"
"a. 1no You can't find the note ?"
" nat did you do with it?"
~ pat II IN this peck where /
Wax ~ my important papers; but
Nh eu | came to look for it among some
oa ,ITI notes, receipts and the like. ]
"e produced large old.fashioned