The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-23
CHAT AND CHAFF.

or scrap wherein there rs no possible
danger or anybody being hurt.
For while recoii from the exhibition
OF human torture. i do like good
healthy row.
Which is why am looking forward
With much pleasure to further proceed
ings In the case OF Johnson, Lovejoy
and some others versus Corbett.
Johnson and Lovejoy started tbe
row. They are lawyers and II il only
IN the regular course OF business for
them to initiate and encourage rows.
| Ned Corbett is an editor by choice
and he sells stocks and things when he
feels the need of things 10 eat and
clothes and such like that do not al
ways come In the editorial way.
The story OF what has happened is
town talk now and need not go into
| details.
Sufficient to recall that Editor Cor
bett sold Lawyer johnson ct al. some
stock for the sum OF two dollars "a
share. and. IL reports are true. the
amount of the transaction reached the
appalling total of hundred dollars.
What Lawyer Johnson bought the
stock for / have no means of know
ing.
He evidently didn't buy II for an in
come, since no dividends had ever been
declared on il. He probably didn't buy
II to frame and hang on the wall be-
cause any department. store could have
supplied him with much finer works OF
art at a much lower price. Editor Cor
bett intimates that Lawyer Johnson
bought the stock with view TO selling
1t to some one else at a higher price
than he paid for IL. But l can hardly
credit this either. 1t smacks of greedi-
ness.
Lawyer Johnson says he bought the
stock ION Mr.. Corbett's representa-
tions.'' whatever that may mean.
should as soon think of buying stock
on the representation" of the man
who wanted to sell ii. as would OF
picking up fat pocketbook placed di-
rectly before me on the sidewalk on
an April Fools Day.
But whatever the reason that induced
Lawyer johnson to buy the stock-of
course. TO explanation is necessary
from Editor Corbett as TO why he sold
IL, since to sell il was both his busi-
ness and his dkersion--he feels that
somehow he was cheated. apparently
on the ground that he has found II i'm
possible TO discover anybody else who
will take the stock of his hands under
the impression that 1t Is worth more
than he paid for II.
And so he sues Editor Corbett.
The circumstance reminds me Of
once upon time when was bit Sry-
self and hollered.
been bit nor, I suppose. will II prove to
be the last, alas for poor mortal
struggling to get through a wicked
world without being buncoed oftener
than once week.
But I'll tell you one thing In conf
dencethat is the last time. as IT was
the first, that squeal about little
thing in the nature Of misplaced conf
dence.
II ever misplace any confidence OF
mine again a scornful world shall new
er know Of II.
I remember relating my tale OF woe
to a grand jury. The grand jury gave it
respectful attention There were some
questions asked to clear up the details
of the transaction and then the fore
man Of the grand jury observed: I'm
word. Mr.. Witness, the prisoner
played you for a sucker"
As you may imagine. I was overcome
with modification at such suggestion
especially as It was true.
And thereupon l made silent vow
that the next time ! was played for
sucker Iwould suppress the incident.
yea. even il II had cost me a kings
ransom.
reasoned that honor would still be
left IL ] only kept my mouth shut.
Now. Lawyer johnson is a good fell
low as lawyers go.
would trust him implicitly to coll
lect debt or clear criminal
1t is, of course. disconcerting to know
more about liquid air now than he did
when ne bought the stock. Neverthe-
less, Lawyer johnson doesn't care
about that paltry hundred-it is just
the principle OF the thing. An eminent
member of the bar has expressed the
great principle that to the law all
things are possible-even justice. And
Lawyer Johnson, undoubtedly, has
professional ambition TO discover IL
there is any Justice TO be bagged In
an emergency like this. And IL every
body who bought Editor Corbett's liq-
uid air stock under the same impress
sion that Lawyer Johnson seems to
have had about II. and feels the same
amount of grievance that he feels, Law
yer johnson is In a fair way to be re-
tanned for a sufficient number of cases
TO more than pay the expenses which
he will incur by giving the necessary
time and talent to the furherance OF
his own suit. on the whole then there
~. h. skat Il