The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-10-25

~ eS" wa
Y.
DANGER SIGNALS.
At that time I did not myself go over
the bills before the legislature Of those
states in which l had interests. l
trusted hat work to my lawyers-and.
like every man who ever absolutely
trusted an important division of his
affairs to another, I was severely pun
ished. One morning my eye happened
to light upon a minor paragraph in a
newspapers list Of the small bills
yesterday approved by the governor"
In the list was one defining the power
of sundry commissions" Those words
seemed to me somehow to spell "jok-
err" But why did 1 call up my lawyers
to ask them about it? It's a mystery
to me. All 1 know Is that. busy as I
was. something inside me compelled me
to drop everything else and hunt that
Joker" down.
I got Saxe-then senior partner in
Browne, Sake and Einstein-on the
phone, and said: Just see and tell me,
will you, what is the bill defining the
power of sundry commissions'-the bill
the governor signed yesterday?'
Certainly, Mr.. Blackjack" came the
answer. My nerves are, and always
nave Deen, on TIE WdlClOul 1Of lle
looks and tones and the gestures that
are just a shade off the natural; M I
feel that I do Sax no injustice when
/ say his tone was, not a shade, but
a full color, off the natural. So l was
prepared for h he said when he re-
turned to the telephone. I'm sorry,
Mr.. Blackjack, but we seem unable to
lay our hands on that bill at this mo-
| ment.'
why not?" said I, in the tone that
makes an employee jump as If a whips
lash had cut him on the calves.
He had jumped all right, as his voice
showed. It's not in our file" said he.
It's house bill Nc. APT, and it's APP
parently not here"
1.-THE hell you say!' 1 exclaimed.
"Why?"
II really can't explain" he pleaded,
and the frightened whine confirmed my
suspicion.
II guess not" said I, making the
words significant and suggestive. And
you're in my pay to loo after such
matters! But you'll ave to explain,
if this turns out to be serious.
apparently our file of bills is COM
plete except that one" he went on. IT
suppose it was lost in the mail, and I
very stupidity didn't notice the gap in
the numbers"
Stupid isn't the word I'd use.'' said
I, with a laugh that wasn't of the kind
that cheers. And I rang off and asked
for the state capitol on the long dis
tance.'
Before got my connection SAKE,
whose Office was only two blocks away,
cane clustering in. THE boy has been
discharged, Mr.. Blackjack" he began.
What boy?" said I.
THE boy in charge Of the bill file
the boy whose business it was to keep
the file complete
Send him to me, you damned scoun-
drel," said I. I'LL give him a job. What
do you take me for, anyway? And
what kind of a cowardly hound are you
for yoar ovVn crooked work?"
Really, Mr.. Blackjack, this is most
extraordinary" he expostulated.
Extraordinary? I call it criminal.
4 retorted. Listen to me, You look
after the legislation calendars for me,
end for Langdon, and for Roebuck, and
for Melville. and for half a dozen others
It's h most important work YOU do
for US. Yet you, as shrewd and care
full a lawyer as there is at the bar, want
me to believe you trusted that work
to a boy. If YOU did, you're a damn
fool. If you didn't, you're a damn
scoundrel. There's no more doubt in
my mind than u which Of those
AASA AAS 49, 81 49, SEA LMA
You are letting your quick temper
get away with you, MI. Blackjack he
deprecated.
astop lyingi" I shouted. Il knew
you had been doing some skulduggery
when I first heard your voice on the
telephone. And II I needed my proof,
the meek way you've taken my abuse
would furnish It. and to spare"
Just then the telephone bell rang and
I gat the right department. and asked
the clerk to read house bin 427. It
contained five short Paragraphs. The
Joker vas il the thru, which gave
tn. the ,g gtats san aana eommisslo nrd fhs f,snt
and to condsihE,vand to abolish, any
canal not exceeding thirty miles in
length and not a pert OF the connected
Canal system Of tie >states'
When I hung UP the receiver I was 50
absorbed that I had ~rof,eotten Sake was
waiting. He made some slight sound.
I wheeled on him. I Reeded; Al Vent. IL
he hadn't been there II sfN3alA have
smashed a chair. But there was he
and j kicked him out q my private
office and would have kicked him Out
through b anteroom into the outer
hall nae he not gathered himself to-
gether and run like a j~ackraNbit.
Since that day / have done my ownp
calendar watching.
BY this incident / do not mean to
suggest that there are no hono1able
men In the legal profession. Most of
them are men OF the highest honor,
as are most business men, most per-
sons Of consequence in every depart
naezas cf life. But you don't look for
in the proprietors, servants.
customers and hangers-on OF dives. No
more ought o to look for honor
amonE any OF the people that have to
lde with the big gilded dive OF the dol
~larocracy. They are there to gamble.
q TO prostitute themselves. The fact
that they look like gentlemen and have
q manners the language OF gen
tlemen ought to deceive nobody but The
cailow chaps OF h sort that believes
aad q perfect gentleman other
sss-a hecauss he q dress suit