Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-13

ness. and 1t was a long time before
did any Roasting about it. Through the
perspective of thirty years can see
the humorous side of the case, and en-
10Y 1t as well as anybody.
at was the day before Christmas. In
'g7 IL l remember right, that my first
client dawned ON me in my little 10 ny
Il office In prosperous western WI
lnge. 1 was seated alone at my desk,
ms usual waiting for the tide of busi-
ness to begin setting my direction.
when the door was cautiously pushed
omen about a foot, and the smiling
countenance OF sam Johnson-n gen
tleman of African lineage, who was q
sort Of happy-go- lucky, character and
general chore-boy about the town-ap-
reared I'm the opening, and softly
mclodious voice drawled:
"'Good afternoon, Mistah LAWYER.
I'd like to see yo' on little business
mattah, sah if yo' got time to tend
to it,
Mr.. johnson, and take "A seat urged
|. delighted at obtaining customer of
some sort ut last.
an compliance with this cordial in
vitation, MIR. Johnson venturcd the rest
of the way into the room cap In hand
aud carefully seated himself on the eX-
IRENE edge Of the chair reserved for
callers, glanced shyly around, as II to
assure himself that we were alone.
and then began:
"'Well. Mistah Lawyer It's dis way
We win s'poain' case. S'postn pus-
son buys n eighteen pound turkey, an
gibs a quarter to n culled Remman to
escoht de buhd home for dem, an
sposin'- -s'posin---
"'The supposititious gentleman of
color overwhelmingly conveys the
suppositltious turkey to his own resi-
dence, instead of to the abode of the
party who purchased the fowl and en-
plovcd said supposititious colored gem
tleman to deliver 1t? Is that the point
YOU are driving at Mr.. Johnson in
terposed L. thinking TO help nm out
Z" Yes, sab; OATS prezactly de pint
was tryin to nrrove at, he exclaimed.
smilingly; am golly, boss de way yo'
dun rattle off smart lawyer, an now,
II de pusson we've bin spostn' bout
secures Il turkey in dat ar way, would
he halter go to Jail fob II, or could yo'
| git him clear?'
Certainly, / could clear him. 7 an
swered jokingly; n case Of that kind
would come under the head of embez-
element or breach OF trust, Instead OF
| larceny, and it is not only unconstitu-
| tional. but a violation of the writ of
habeas corpus to lock man up sim
| ply for embezzling n turkey
Mighty ticlSled to hear It, sab, he
chuckled. Here Is a quarter fob de in
formation. sab, an l disgagcs yo' fob
my lawyer from dis time on. Good
| day. sab. an any time ! git in trouble
! dat way III depend ON you TO help me
And before I could utter a word OF
| protests or stop him, my grinninE
caller had dropped the quarter on my
! writing table and hastily bowed him
self from the room.
"'This Is fine Joke on me- Wonder
if the black rascal thought I was in
earnest? muttered to myself, picking
UP the liberal fee which my first client
had left behind him. The coin was
of an ancient date, and somewhat bat
tered, though not sufficiently injured
| to depreciate its value as "A circulating
medium ] was still examining it,and
wondering If IT would prove mascot
| or otherwise. when my wife came in
| from her Christmas shopping. Hand
ing it to her, proudly remarked
""There Is my first fee. my dear. You
may have it for a keepsake if you
| wish
"'why, Henryl' she cried, where did
you get this quarter? I am positive
that it is the very one / gave to sam
johnson down at the market, this af-
ternoon. when l engaged him to bring
home our Christmas turkey
81 didn't ask for the affidavit con-
cluded the veteran lawyer, with a
smile. Il got the witness off the stand
as soon as possible. adjourned cour,
and then went out in pursuit of fresh
air and Mr.. Johnson. l found him
told him I'd send him to the peniten.
tiary II he ever breathed word OF
the affair; then purchased a duplicate
of the embezzled turkey and sent hin
home with it Cto my home, / mean
following along behind him to see that
he honestly earned the quarter thi.
time; and 1t was fully a year later
when prosperity began smiling upor
my efforts at last, that / plucked III
sufficient courage to tell the story OF
my first fee, even to my wife,
Harper's Young People.