The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-02-16
TRAPPING LAWYER.

gu LILO lllVuth llS " y IL WIZ
some beverage.
"Major," said Bob White, as he ex-
tended a box of cigars, have a weed,
and then tell us how you happened to
leave Nugget City"
The major selected a cigar, lighted it,
took a fresh drink and then gravely
told the following remarkable story;
Nugget City had sprung up immedi-
ately after the construction Of the Den
yer and Rio Gronde railroad. 1t had
become a place Of note even before a
pillow, drawn by a yoke of steers, had
done marking out the principal streets,
and the first Office building, made out
Of unplaned pine wood, bore over the
narrow entrance the following informa-
ton: George W. Hilton, attorney at
law
The blacksmith shop, the nucleus
around which the country town usually
springs, had not been built when I
wrote that sign with backing and a
paint brush.
A stranger, in commenting in a good
natured way IN the seeming haste in
setting up a lawyers Office, said:
81 always thought the lawyer was
q sort of unavoidable evil of the old
settlements; and never before had
cause to suppose that he was a neces-
sity to an embryo community
That's all well enough a lank fel-
low leaning against a tree answered,
but mebby you don't know these here
fellows like we do. We know mighty
well there's going to be a good deal of
cuttin' and shootin' before many
houses are put up, and as we air a law
abidin' set of folks, We'll want the law
yer to get us out of scrapes."
well, n house went up after an
other, or, If you will, n house went
up before another, until Nugget City
had the appearance of quite a settle
ment. The blacksmith got down to his
work, the justice Of the peace stacked
up his worthless books and I pleaded
the cause of the miscreant. I grew with
my surroundings, analtfimor tSOo-daah
my surroundings, and soon held a
mortgage on a pretty fair crop of po-
tatoes, grown by the mar who had dug
the town well, and who had, at an idle
and dull time stabbed the fellow who
had stood on top and received the buck
cts Of earth.
"A court house was built, and other
lawyers came and reared their edifces,
and the scent of much necessary liti-
CATION was shifted in the air, but no at
torney, however aspiring he might be,
tried to place himself on O %litigious par
with your humble servant-I ranked as
the William M. Evarts or Joseph
Choate of Nugget City.
"One day, while the town was fit.
fully doing under the glare of a mer.
cllessly hot sun, u great commOtion
arose in the street. l sprang up from
my pine table and fastened to the
door. Here 1 was confronted by a par.
ty OF noisy men. Some were declaiming
III loud tones, some were muttering,
and all were swearing.
I'VE want to come in said the
leader OF the gang, addressing himself
to me.
".All right, gentlemen I replied
stepping back and bowling; you are all
welcOme-that is, as many as can gel
in
The men eagerly pushed their way
through abe door and the room was
soon filed.
CHOW, what can T do for you?' J
asked, when with difficulty 1 ha(
found room enough in which to turr
about and address the crowd.B But he
fore you proceed to explain, let ME te,
YOU most emphaticaily that l cannor
consent to become a candidate for of
ice.'
Here I stopped and a%nxiously scan
ned the faces about me, and Dick Nun
day hastily declared that no one was
thinking about asking ne to run fol
office.
1--WE have come on q more serious
business Munday continued. "A fellel
comes to town this mornin' an claims
that he has a deed to this here land
an that We'll hev to be driv off aftel
we hev built up u homes, an we dom
intend to do it, that's all. We don't in
tend to shed anybody's blood, but w,
don't want to give up Jul rights with
out some sort Of a fight; so we though
that as you air interested along will
the rest of us, an KNOWN that you al
the best lawyer anywhar about, W,
come to you an ask you to put tn,
thing in the court for is, an see tina
it goes through all right
"'Gentlemen,' I responded, maxim,
about me would admit, L thank you TO
as much Of a bow as the limited spac
the confidence you repose in me, ant
| assure you that it shall not be mis-
placed.
~ thought that 0ur titles to thi
land We're perfect, and l believe nov
that they are. At least we shall see
Rest assured that I shall do verythin,
in my power to protect your homes
BY tie way, who is the party that set
up the claim?
HE is a dudish Teller from Lawson
Missouri Munday answered.
"'All right: let him or his attorne
confer with me. I will show him wha
it is to attempt such wholesale rot
berry
That night a great Indignation meet
ing was held. 1t was known that
had undertaken the fight of p~rotectin
the rights of the people, and a sort o
song, not unlike a campaign hymn
was sung in praise of the champion.
1.-THE mex day while l was sitting il
my office, feeling thankful that | wa
soon to become the leading man o
that part of the country, a portly, wei
dressed individual entered the apart
ment.
" is this Major Hilton?' the visito
asked.
"'You have hit it the very first shot
l answered. 'Sit down.
THE visitor sat down and takin
out a packet of papers, looked owe
the documents for a few moments
. and then said:
L was not in this part of tn
: country when your town was laid on