The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-13
A LAWYERS STORY.
His Experience With Mean client
nnd mn Heness Mnn.


and mn Hence. Mnn.
James w. Harper. formerly judge in
room 2, superior court, Is fond Of tell.
Ing good story ON himself Of how lie
received fee that was entirely unex.
pected. Ten or 10 years ago Judge
Harper Kept his office In the Vance
block. One day lie was consulted by
merchant Of this city, who will be
known as G. In the story. The mer-
chant was badly embarrassed, as he
owed about $4,000, and the wholesale
houses were pressing him. He came to
Attorney Harper FOR advice. The law.
yer learned that G.'s wife had some
scle before come into possession Of
about 81 500, which had bee given her
by her father. This money she had
loaned her husband and 1t was invested
Iii his business.
The attorney advised G 10 secure his
wife the first thing, and he did So
well, we finally got the matter set
tied up" said Judge Harper in telling
the story the other day. "and G. and
his wife started In business again. The
creditors. Of course, were losers to n
certain extent, but felt it my duty to
advise the man to look after his fami.
ly first didn't see him for several
weeks after the business was settled,
and began to wonder about my fee.
l ought TO have had at least 5000. I
thought. G. didn't come around, and
one day sent him note, asking him
TO call ut my office. He came in day
or two. and asked about my fee, stat.
ing that I would lie willing to square
up for 500. I also recalled to his mind
that I had performed legal service
for him to the best Of my ability and
thought should be paid. AS soon as
finished my speech G. jumped up and
started for the door.
"'I haven't got time to talk about
that today he snapped as hc went out
OF the door. OF course I made up my
mind that my fee was not IN assured
thing, and let the matter run on for
few months. Finally one day met
G. on the sidewalk In front of the
Vance block, and held him up.' I
asked him to come to the office, as /
wanted to talk to him. He was in.
clined to De little impatient and
wanted to know if I couldn't do my
talking where was.
We'll, might, c. said /, but 1t is
possible might say some things that
you would not want the public to hear
Il think G. understood that he had
better come to the Office, and he signi-
fed his willingness to come with me.
We came up stairs, and as soon as we
got into the Office he drew q piece of
paper from his pocket, and, throwing
1t down on the table. he remarked,
Take that or nothing
Il picked up the piece Of paper and
saw that 1t was n note that had been
given by man named B. several years
before. 1t had been outlnwed long
ago. The principal and interest amount
ed to something over $500. knew
Mr.. B. and remembered that he had
become bankrupt several years before.
showed the note in the drawer Of my
desk as q worthless instrument A
week or two later, however. got to
thinking about the matter and sat
down to write B. note. asking him
to call at my Office IL he should Il. y.
pen to be In my neighborhooi. He
came withir; few days. and / showed
him the note.
r. YES said he, 4 gave that note,
and 1t is perfectly good. Now, I'll say.
to you tfat within ten days I'll pay
$500 OF that note and Will settle the
remainder by paying 500 or 5000
every month OF course was amaz..
ed. I said to B. that I would only ask
him to pay 800. but he insisted that
he would pay every dollar Of 1t. Then
suggested that he only pay the prin-
cipai.
emo, SIR he declared. L owe the
Interest, too, and, since I am making
money now, expect to pay every cent
Of It,
well. to make long story short,
that man, within q few months, paid
OF every dollar that the note called
for. A short time after he had finish
ed paying the note G. came into my
Office one day. What do you think he
said to me? He said he had under-
stood that B. had paid or the note in
full and, since had only demanded
q fee OF S1G0. he supposed would pay
over the remainder to him. Did do
II? Net much. i,simpiy recalled to
G.'s mind that he had thrown an ap-
parently worthless note on my desk
with the suggestion that take that or
nothing G. scowled and walked out