The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-04-16

Thatnight at dinner tho family raved,
each member according to his or her
views Of the subject. Paterfamilias
shook his head, Jack asserted that she
hadn't leg to stand on, Marcia shifted
disdainfully over the shadowy ten dol
lars, and the mater" expressed her.
self gravely and disapprovingly.
"You shouldn't go against your
moral conviction, Doris; that is what
belittles the law. I'd rather have you
lose your case, than sacrifice princi-
ple," said this unworthy woman.
"But, mamma, legally, the man has
right on his side. The only trouble
is, Mrs. Barnes has Howard Peyton
on her si i, and-andl I'm + no .;Dratch
for him. ~
IT fancy he thinks differently" said
Marcia in her slow way.
Doris disdained this little side re-
mark, though her cheeks famed; she
valiantly returned to the question in
hand.
SIN the name Of the low, the case is
mine," she declared. Zone can't help
ones moral convictions, mamma; but
my maiden speech may spoil every
thing. I confess, I'm very badly
scared"
'That's the least part" said Jack
sententiously. ''Just get up and fire
away; nobody's going to eat you"
This very wholesome advice Doris
slowed away as q text. She went
bravely to work on the defense, being
materially assisted by the anxious
farmer, who was continually "drop-
pin" in to make suggestions and Gre
ate new perplexities,
'Look here, Miss Doris, I've got a
pint for you," he said one morning in
high glee, "as purity piece Of legal
reasonin' as you ever seen, an heard
tell, the other sides goin' to use it as
one Of their trump cards. It pears
that Jimmy Harroway seen me shoot
that there COW, an he up an says,
the beast hadn't nothin' but her
forelegs, an her head an shoulders in
my pasture. Now what you got to
prove is, in the first place, that Jimmy
is a liar. Give him the lie right bold
out in the court. He's a kind of soft
chap; he'd never dare to say mo- to o
lady. Then you can go on to prove
that the head is always the biggest
part Of any animal-the thinkin, feel
in part, you know. You can make
that great, and you can upset little
Jimmy clean into the ditch. Ha, ha!
I think we'll pull through all +. right; l
amt afeard, he remarked with a con-
descending chuckle, as he went away.
Yet, in spite Of her bold front, Doris
was afraid. She went over md over
the scanty evidence she had in hand,
trying in vain to evolve therefrom some
point which might appeal to the jury;
but weeks untiring work forced her
to the sad conviction that there was no
hope for either client or herself. Old
Watt was too unpopular in the neigh
borhood, and she too newly Hedged,
to make much impression upon the
court; and the loss of good COW un-
der such circumstances was such q
serious consideration that it we'll might
influence the most unprecedented Juror;
and thus, in the very teeth of defeat,
poor Doris armed herself.
| When the morning came Doris was
considerably clustered" Sho showed
this in very ominous calm when she
joined the family at the breakfast
table. They were all in holiday trim,
for to them "the case" was q grand
event, and Doris professional debut
was quite as exciting as her first ball.
But in her secret soul their evident
intention to be present at the conflict
only added new terrors to the situa-
ton. Still they were most consider
ate, making very little fuss over her,
and allowing her to set forth to the
scene OF action quite alone.
The courthouse was crowded. Not
only had the case itself excited unu-
sual interest through the lamentations
of Widow Barnes and the logged de-
tiance Of Farmer Watt, but Doris her.
self was too we'll known in the little
community to escape the general atten-
ton, so when the case was called, and
she led the way to the space reserved
for the combatants, closely followed
by her beaming client, there was a
murmur and stir, which might have
impressed her at any other time. AS
it was, she merely bowed gravely to
the opposing lawyer and the fat plain
tiff, and began to arrange her papers,
and prepare for battle, with business
like precision. Then she leaned back
and studied the audience.
The front rows held the town sup
ply of lawyers, old fellows, most of
them, who beamed upon her with
fatherly interest, and brought pain.
fully to her mind the not very distant
days of sugar candy and gingerbread
babies. Even the heavy watch-chain
that Colonel Stokes fingered so POM
pqusly, recalled the times when she
had baaioro1 +Lot oto+olr ,Iro,rLo1 Ill Il