The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-10-03
Select gtorg,
MY FIRST CASE.

IN1 / I 1I0o OAoG.
| was harum- scarum youth, and for g
dozen years of my manhood had no settled
aim. | started out as clerk in country
store, then [ became school teacher, next
a clerk in drug store, where l learned my
chemical mysteries; finally / became Law
student; and it was my knowledge of chem
istry-a science of which | am passionate
ly fond-that gave me start as law stu
dent.
My shingle had been hung out in vair
for four or FIVE months, and [ had not &
single brief to prepare.
| was seated in my Office one afternoon
indulging in certain gloomy Thoughts on
the subject, when the door opened, and a
middle-aged man in humble garb came in
and recognized him at the first glance as
an honest and industrious machinist, named
William Campbell, former neighbor Of
my father, who was now dead. He was
furried and nervous, and l saw at once
there was something wrong
"Good morning, Mr. Campbell said [
chow did you happen to find the Office Of
a poor lawyer like me?"
"By accident" he said II am in
trouble and if l don't get out of it am
ruined All the savings of my life will be
gone, unless l can find some lawyer smart
enough - defeat the rascality of certain
man, aad | was going along intending t.
call on the first lawyer | should see, and il
happened to be you. AS knew your ia.
ther well, and knew you when you were &
boy, l thought could not do better thar
to put the case in your hands; I'd at least
be sure of fair treatment, l thought"
"You would be sure of that at the
hands of any lawyer to whom you should
intrust your case, said l, "Now, let me
hear what it is, and | will see what can be
done"
"Well, it is this I've worked quite
hard all my life at my trade, and accumu
lated some money, about six thousand
dollars, in fact l have seven children
should like to provide for, and it has beer
my steady aim to increase my money all ]
could. A few years ago friend of mine
who is in the same business | am in, tolC
me if he could take partner in the spring
and if | should 60 in with him, we coulC
make lot of money. looked jnto the
matter, and found he was not mistaken
about it. saw l could, in few years
increase my six thousand to twenty thou
sand, and l told him would be ready tC
Join him in the business when the time
came Meantime my money was lying il
the bank, where 1 ought to have left it
drawing five and half per cent interest.
"Shortly after | made this arrangement
with my friend about the partnership, ;
man I knew well, and had great confidence
in, came to me and asked me to lend hin
the money till / should want it at the enc
of the year, and said he could readily return
it by that time, and would give eight pei
cent So l let him have it, and now it il
due and l can't get it back
"Has he any property Z"
"Yes-the amount of it; but | havt
since understood he's slippery fellow, bu
| had not known that before"
"But you took his note, surely ?"
eyes, but | can't find it; that's wha
troubles me- 1 called on him yesterday
aad told him so, and he said he had n,
recollection of borrowing any money from
me; if l had the note he would pay it; if
hadn't he certainly would not. :"
"And you can't find the note?"
"No."
"What did you do with it?'
II put it in this pocket book, where
kept all my important papers; but when
came to look for it among some other note
and the like, l couldn't find it.
He produced large, old-fashioned leath
er pocketbook, as he spoke, and l looket
through it, and examined lot of receipt
and notes that were packed together in on
of its pockets, thinking that two of the pa
pers might be sticking together.
"There's no promissory note for that sun
here" | said. HBut what is the blanl
piece of paper doing here?" and took W
slip of white paper that found among tn
documents.
II don't know"
"Who is the man that gave you thu
note?"
alexander Bolton, the druggist.
| knew Alexander Bolton well. HI
was wealthy and penurious, and had tn
name of being very tricky. | was satisfied
that Mr. Campbell was telling the truth
was as well convinced that Alexander
Bolton was not man to forget havin;
borrowed such large sum as six Thousand
dollars, and I jumped at the conclusion
that he played some cunning trick, t.
wrong the confding mechanic out of tn
fruits of many years of labor. But wha
was the trick? That was the question tina
puzzled me.
"Have you had this pocketbook in Sc
cure place ever since he gave you the noteF
I asked.
eyes; under lock and key, where no ont
could touch it but MYSELF"
care you sure that it has been impOs
sible for any one to find it and purloin thu
note p
II am perfectly sure of that. The locl
of my desk in which l have kept it is ont
that | made myself. There is but one key
in the world that will open it, and here i
is, he said, producing from his pocket I
steel key, of very odd outline. "Not
thing has ever been disturbed in that desk.
| unused few minutes as | again cas-
ually oyerhauled the papers, then said;
Mr.. Campbell, 1 don't mean to say tha
Mr.. Bolton is dishonest, but might he no
have handed you this blank sheet of paper
and slipped the note into his pocketbook
with the money you lent him
'No, that is out of the question. ex
amined the note again after | reached home
before I put the pocketbook away, to SEE