Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-01-14

VPc-0 typc VI -'WHom suCl HaIu tuluSs
are said to-day.
He had hooked nose like the beak of
an old eagle and a coat so patched and
greasy that you would be tempted to offer
Cr9sus, or as we would call him to-day
| millionaire, or Rothschld for short.
Every one then called him the Jew nor can
l recall his name or surn ime, SO rarely did
hear it pronounced. For a quarter Of a
century the Jew took his 10, 20 and 80 per
| cent.
One of his fayed victims, whose skin
was more sensitive than the others, utter
| ed such piercing screams as to be heard by
public opinion, the procurator and the
Judge Of instruction.
| In the little district where the Jew lived
every one was giving an opinion on the
merits of the case. all agreeing that he
would certainly be fined from thirty to
| forty thousand francs, besides year or
| two In prison.
"Everything," they added. ''gets squared
in the end" and no one expressed any sym
pathy for the unfortunate Jew.
We had. however, counted without Mr..
Robinson. caricatare, very plentiful
about twenty years ago. representing a
lawyer climbing out OF a ball of twine.
holding a alily-symbol OK innocence-in one
hand, and with the other pointing to his
client, seemed to be made expressly for
| this eloquent pleader of the slums.
| Mr.. Robinson was one of those attor-
neys whose reputation did not extend be-
yond the back streets and alleys, yet who
possessed more real ability than is often
found in higher places. He vegetated
where he was born and married for want
Of ambition and patronage; but let an oc-
| casion present Itself. and he showed him
self no mean opponent.
To be brief, Mr.. Robinson obtained the
free and full acquittal of his client. to the
stupefaction Of the victims and State at
torneys. They appealed. but the higher
court only confirmed the rulings Of the
lower, and the jew got clear without fine
or imprisonment.
The general belief is that usurer is
very close akin to a miser. year passed
without the Jew offering a cent of fee to
his defender.
Mr.. Robinson sent for him and as the
old man crossed the threshold Of his Of
flee said:
You owe me, sir
30. dear, sir exclaimed the jew, lat
least allow me TO IL the amount
mo. You do things too penuriously.
You owe me thousand pounds"
"A thousand pounds, !"
"Or three thousand francs if that suits
you better"
Three thousand francs.'
without any doubt"
"Oh. but it is horribly dear,"
do you ind it so. 1t is easily seen that
you are not acquainted with the story of
the Prince of Conde and the Gascon II is
short, and If you will permit me will
narrate it. The admirers of the great
Conde made up purse of three thousand
francs or thousand pounds to be given
to the author of the best lines In honor
of the hero of Lens and Rocroi Two hun
dred pieces were prt sented, but it was a
Gascon who bore ~ .,c Dtiae, with this
srmpIe refrain:
Pour ceebrer tant lie vertus
Tant de haut fats, ct taut lie gloire,
Mile ecns. morbleu mile ecus,
Ce n est pas un sou par yctoire-
A thousand pounds. my faith thousand pounds,
Such glorious and great deeds to sound
A price so small, II seems TO me,
Would not be cent victory"
The lawyer continued: Not being a
Gascon, | Will not say that in asking a
thousand pounds am only asking a cent
for every lie, that perhaps. would be a
little exaggerated, let US put it at i've
francs lie and say no more about It,"
II do not understand you at all, sir"
said the anxious Jew
because you do not wish to understand
me; the thing is as clear as day In the
two pleadings have done for you, have
told more lies than in all the thirty years
since have been admitted to the bar. |
blush, notwithstanding the professional
cheek. Give me then my three thousand
francs, and think yourself happy to get
away SO easily. You would have been
glad to have given twenty times as much
to be guaranteed against big fine and a
long imprisonment which. between our
selves, you well merited. If it will be any
comfort to you to know, will tell you
that will keep only 1900 francs for N.Y.
self and the remainder | will give to the
board of public charities. May that, in
measure, relieve my cons cience and yours :"
Another client, having been defended by
celebrated advocate of Paris, took
more novel method Of paying the fee by
sending him the works Of Demosthenes,
translated into French, and beautifully
bound.
| The lawyer returned the volume to his
client with the following curt note:
"DEAR SIR Books are not currency we
use dollars and cents for that purpose"
In conclusion would say to my readers,
have recourse to lawyers as little as possi-
Bile, but when you are obliged to employ
them pay their fees at once without wait
ing to be asked. With few exceptions,
the liberal professions do not confer riches
upon those who enter them, the public be-
lief to the contrary, Notwithstanding.
know many workman, many a mechanic,
who earns much more than many lawyers,
and yet those latter are neither deficient in
brains nor are they wholly without briefs.
How many licentiates and doctors of law
would give their diplomas for half, yes
and for quarter, what it has cost to obtain
them!