Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-18
A DAY OF RECKONING.

III. T.. DOQSc. IN N. T.. WOfi0.
A DAY OF RECKONING.
The Story Of Lawyer Who Acted
as Peace-Maker.
'tAh, there you are mistaken! Law
yers, though not usually ranked among
peace-makers. are yet far from being.
as class, fond of fomenting strife. /
know there is an impression abroad
that we are apt to encourage strife,
and so make business; but think if
the fraternity had fair hearing. there
might be a change in your judgment. "
So spoke my friend, John Bailey. as
we left the supper-table and came into
home, where / was spending short
vacation.
John, after going through college
with me, had studied law and settled
in our native village, while l had
sought fortune abroad. 1t was on the
occasion of one of my visits to my old
home that had accepted Johns earn
est invitation for an old-fashioned
visit.
/ had remarked at supper upon the
aptitude of lawyers for smelling litiga-
tions afar. which had provoked the
denial have quoted.
mo, SIR" repeated John, as he
wheeled an easy chair around to the
fre-side corner for me, and seated
himself and baby in another. Il enjoy
nothing better than making peace. and
finished up job of that kind last
week that gives me satisfaction every
time think about it. Want to hear
about it?''
''Of course" l replied.
You know Che proceeded) when l
first became acquainted with my wife
she was a school-ma'am in the lower
part of the country. Well, she
boarded all the time she taught there,
about three years. with family
named Ordway. They came to con-
slider her as one of the family, and she
felt a good deal that way too.
So when persuaded her to give up
district school-teaching aud make a
select scholar, as a matter of course
they took me into their good graces,
and ever since count theirs as one of
the homes to which we go occasional
ly to have thoroughly good time.
Uncle Ordway has always been on
the school board of the district, is
rather above the medium farmer in
education. and has more than average
intelligence, broad-spirited. big
hearted old man, who. though very
kindly in disposition, is possessed of a
strong will. and is not easily turned
aside, when once his mind is made up,
or in defense of what he thinks is
right.
So when, this winter, Archie Nc
Donald, his neighbours son. took it
into his head to run away from school,
Notwithstanding the remonstrances of
his inexperienced teacher, Mr.. Ord
way, with one other director-the
third was Archie's father-promptly
took the matter in hand, and con-
WINGED young Mcdonald that he must
be obedient, or leave the school. The
elder Mcdonald took affront and came
up to town to inquire of me if he could
not, by the aid of the law, reverse the
action of the ..meddlin' directors
usurpin' to themselves authority, an
takin' to themselves over much
power"
l read him the school law. and gave
him no encouragement of the sort he
wished, but considerable friendly adj
vice in a manner calculated to console
his wounded Scotch spirit. got mat
tiers so smoothed over that no further
action was taken, and the boy went on
his way in better behavior, l hoped.
and the neighborhood was. l fiattered
myself. saved deal of ill-feeling that
q lawsuit would have engendered.
Mr.. Ordway. now that his spirit was
up. was almost disappointed that there
had not been a suit. but expressed
himself satisfied as matters were. Mr..
Mcdonald was not satisfied
was surprised when. two weeks la
ter, he came again to see me. He was
about to begin suit at law against
his neighbor, Mr.. Ordway, for debt,
and wished to retain me as his coun-
sell
I gave him chair, and asked him a
few questions, which he answered very
readily. Mr.. Ordway and himself had
been neighbors a long while; there
had been dealings back and forth. ex-
change of work, of seed, corn and
oats; they had harvested, threshed and
gathered corn on both farms. Most OF
these exchanges he had kept account
Of, some little he trusted to memory;
but now-and In his excitement the
Scotch tongue asserted itself-s'H he
maun be SO vary perticler. il Msestez