Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-24
A DAY OF RECKONING.
The Story of q Lawyer Who Acted
as Peace-Maker.

''Ah, there you arc mistaken! Law
yers, though not usually ranked among
peace-makcrs, are yet far from being,
us a class, fond of fomenting strife.
know there is an impression abroad
that we ale apt to encourage strife,
and so make business; but I think if
the fraternity had u fair hearing, there
might be a change in your jud gment. :"
So spoke my friend, John Bailey. as
we left the supper-table and came into
the sitting-room of Johns pleasant
home, where I was spending a 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 .ne 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.
"No, 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
l finished up a job of that kind last
week that gives me satisfaction every
time / think about it. Want to hear
about it?''
"Of course replied.
You know Che proceeded) when
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 a family
named Ordway. They came to con.
slider her as one of the family, and she
felt good deal that way too.
So when | persuaded her to give up
district school-teaching and 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 ia rmer in
education, and has more than average
Intelligence, q 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 remonstrance s OF
his inexperienced teacher, Mr.. Ord
way, with one other director-the
third was Archie's father--promptly
took the msster in hand, and con-
vinced 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"
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. I got mat
ters so smoothed over that no further
action was taken, and the boy went on
his way in better behavior, I hoped,
and the neighborhood was, I flattered
myself, saved a deal of ill-feeling that
a 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 l&w against