The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-07
A Compromised Fee
torlginall

Louisiana, where the climate Is less
rigorous than in the north. The slay,
cry agitation was on, and the north
erner found making an entry either
socially or professionally slow work.
But there Is one field In which at the
uge Of twenty-three progress is never
slow-the field OF love. Otis and An.
toinette lie Bert. the daughter Of
sugar planter. met, and their hearts
fused rs readily us II there was no
war cloud gathering between their
respective sections,
But. while Antoinette's father had
no objection to Oils on account Of be-
ing a northerner. he had serious OBJ
iectlons to him on account of his pow
erty. for the young man ON his arr
rival at his new home had not 500
in the world, Nevertheless AIR. Lee
Bert was friendly 10 his daughters
lover. probably because Otis was too
manly to pay court to a girl he was
not able to marry. Indeed. Otis con.
sIdered marriage with Miss Le Bert
us impossible as did her father. Mr..
lie Bert gave him what little law busl-
ness he had and was impressed with
the ingenious methods the young man
employed TO gain his ends.
One day Mr.. lie Bert placed col
lection for goodly sum in the law+
yer's hands and in doing so said TO
him:
"Le Grand Bowler, who owes me
this debt, Is a fire eater OF the worst
kind. he hates northerner as he
hates snakes he is A duelist aedead
shot ana hos Iy,llaJ saya,.oi NOR, ,,ndar
..Ass' tA ~ ..eS % -
tne code uuello. Ihere u no lawyer
hereabout who viii take the collection.
The amount Ia S13 600 re Won will find
,ro,, 4 soroo 4. ,,,rs,,ods Mn n nav
:. way " toise VI pe.suaue Ai.l !" 20!
u you shau nave mar Tor a zee. bnt
remember you must exercise tne great
sst care NOT % o1end MN, Tor u you
no ne WI ciia'iehse you' ana u you re-
.uss uiun s 's seh..lnen, nele
wiz pe against you ana you VIII nave
to go elsewhere. Besides, ] do not care
to antagonlze lie Grand Bowler my
selt--not that fear him' but we south
erners consider i beneath us 70 press
claim for debt, especially from one
Of our own class"
Gus took the papers IN the case ana
said that he would look into It He
neither spoke to Mr.. lie Bert about It
nor slr. Le Bert TO MN III one morning
a week later when the client rushed
INTO OTIS oidee with a letter In his hand
aud threw It down before him. II read:
sir-I have received On insulting letter
rom young cutter snlpe from the north
10 You n hish he ,sss ny wo,J aSns
beat and accuses me Of having obtained
your property under false pretenses.
u I,,, re-, 70 s.loM u you assume TesponsiDh.
honor 10 be Your y most ohsdient ssrvs s ~
LIE GRAND BoUv1ER.
lie Bert expected to see Otis pale
when he read the letter butDe did NOT
he wrote ON the face Of II:
nv note v,as ,,,,,,or ,n,.,,o,,. ~. t,o,,,
edge If Mr.. lie Bert. and alone am re-
Sponstble for It. OLIVER OTIS
Handing 1t back to LIE Bert, he re-
sumed the work at which he was en-.
gagged as If nothing unusual had oc-
cured.
Are you aware" asked LIE Bert
Awhat this meansY"
Perfectly"
Very we'll II you want to get hole
tu you, go ahead"
That evening a gentleman with very
black hair aud eyes who spoke softly
the creole dialect called upon Otis
with n demand for satisfaction on the
part of Bowler. Otis asked il he
would be expected 10 fight under the
Louisiana code. The visitor said that
his principal was so enraged that he
would fight under any code. where.
upon Otis said that in some states the
code especially stipulated that there
should be no meeting between two
persons wherein one owed the other
money; that he was personally interest.
ed In the debt due from MIR. Bowler
therefore his challenger was bIs debr.
Ipr He could NOT accent any cballenge
from Mr.. Bowler until the debt haJ