Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-08-24
.. Men of Tact.

ed that lawyers in the higher walks of
| their profession were distinguished as
! peace-makers. To substantiate his asser-
ton, he said that he had settled more
cases in his Office, during the year, than
had been tried III the Supreme Court
of the state, within the same period.
That lawyer was noted for bis tact.
His habit WAS to bring the disputants in
to private conference over which he
presided as a mutual friend. The result
usually was that both parties came to 8
settlement, without gong to law.
| The late Thurlow Weed was also noted
Tor his tact in manag lag men. He never
| debated with person whom he wished
] to win! He would let him talk, argue,
and assert. Occasionally Mr.. Weed
! wont! make suggestion or start an Oh
! jectlnm but i'll such a modest way as not
| to alarm the PERSONS pride nor to put
| him in hostile attitude The confer
ing Mr. Weeds view Of the matter,
! while thinking that he himself had been
| the influential, instead of the Influenced
| party.
Strategy Is tact applied to war. A gen.
! eraI who wins q victory by g battle when
he could have conquered by strategy is
| looked upon as butcher by his profess
! siuu, though the unthnking rabble may
shout for him as o hero.
| While John Lawrence was commits
siorer Of the Trans~Sutlej States in India,
news was brought him that three hun
dred Sikhs. the best warriors of the
country, had manned the hill fortress Of
kote- kangra and raised the standard of
rebellion. sTheir leader had sent out
the defiant words that he would not sur
render the keys of the fort unless the
| Lion Of the Punjah,' the Sikh's hero;
dead and demanded them Of him.
The fort Was small Gibraltar 1t
| stood on precipitous and isolated rock
four hundred feet high, which was con-
nected with the main range of hills by a
narrow ridge, twenty yards wide. This
neck was defended by strong walls. A
winding passage through seven gateways
gave the only access to the fort
! The English, by extraordinary ex-
ertions and skill, had brought heavy guns
to their camp at the foot of the hills on
which the fort was situated. The eve
ming after their arrival, deputation OF
three graybeards came out of the fort to
| the English camp.
| They had been persuaded by an in
| auential and friendly Sikhto come an d at
least hear what terms the English would
make for the surrender of the fort. For
several hours they remained and talked
| over the matter. They were quiet, court.
eous, but determined.
| Atlast, they rose to make their salaam
of departure, when John LAWRENCE, with
his usual tact, determined to see if mo.
raj impression might not be made upon
them. He suggested that they should
remain over night and see the guns at
day-break ascend the hill. They agreed,
but with gesture indicating that they
did not believe that even the English
would haul heavy guns up that steep
hill.
At four o'clock in the morning the in
! credulous Silkhs were awakened by
loud cheering. They rushed from their
beds thinking the garrison had made a
sally. But what was their establishment
when they saw two large elephants
slowly pulling, tandem fashion, q heavy
gun, while a third pushed it from be-
hind
| They stood amazed, as gun after gun
was hauled and pushed ND the narrow
pathway, and by the help of hundreds
of sepoys, safely rounded past the sharp
| corners which seemed to make further
progress impossible. -!
The Silk gray boards looked, but said
not a word. When the last gun had
been put into position on the plateau
which commanded the fort, they took
their departure. In an hour the white
flag was raised by the garrison. Man
by man they defiled out, threw down
their arms and left for their homes. 4
bloodless victory was thus won by the
tact Of canny Scotch-Irishman, who
knew human nature.-Youth Compan-