Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-03-29
MAsH1NcroN STANDARD
A Compromised Fee
tOriginal J

tOriginall
In antebellum days Oliver Otis. q
young lawyer just admitted to prac-
tice. being physically delicate, con-
cluded to take up his residence in
Louisiana. where the climate is less
rigorous than in the north. The slav-
cry agitation was on, and the north
erncr found making an entry either
socially or professionally slow work.
But there Is one field in which ut the
age 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 as readily us if there was no
war cloud gathering between their
respective sections.
But, while Antoinettes father had
no objection to Otis Oh account Of be-
ing a nOrtherner, he had serious OBJ
jections to him OH account Of his pow
erty, for the young man Oh his ar
rival Mt his new home had not 500
in the world. Nevertheless Mr.. LIE
Bert was friendly to his daughters
lover, probably because Otis was too
manly to pay court to girl he was
not able to marry. Indeed, Otis con-
sidered marriage with Miss LIE Bert
Us impossible as did her father. Mr..
lie Bert gave him what little law busi-
ness he had and was impressed with
the ingenious methods the young man
employed to gain his ends.
One day Mr.. LIE Bert placed a col
lection for q goodly sum In the law
yer's hands and In doing SO said to
him:
lie Grand Bowler, who owes me
this debt, Is a fire eater Of the worst
kind. He hates northerner as he
hates snakes. He Is q duelist, dead
shot, and has killed several men under
the code duello. There Is no lawyer
hereabout who will take the collection.
The amount is $4,000. If you will find
a way to force or persuade him to pay
1t you shall have half for q fee. But
remember you must exercise the great
est care not to offend him. for IL you
do he will challenge you. and II you re-
fuse him satisfaction sentiment here
will be against you, and you will have
to 60 elsewhere. Besides. do not care
to antagonize LIE Grand Bowler my
self-not that fear him, but we south
erners consider it beneath US to press
e claim for debt. especially from one
OF our own class"
Otis took the papers in the case and
said that he would look into It. He
neither spoke to Mr. LIE Bert about 1t
nor Mr.. LIE Bert to him till one morning
q week later when the client rushed
into Otis Office with letter In his hand
and threw 1t down before him. 1t read:
Sir-I have received an insulting letter
from young gutter snipe from the north
demanding payment OF my Indebtedness
beat" and accuses me Of having obtained
your property under false pretenses."
desire to know II you assume responsible.
ity for the puppy's insults. have thu
honor to be your most obedient servant.
LIE GRAND BOUVIER.
lie Bert expected to zee Otis pale
when he read the letter. but he did not.
He wrote on the face Of it:
NY NUS Wa0 WTlSIeU WlSuOuS tno KNOWN
edge Of Mr.. Le Bert. and I alone am r.
sponsible for It. OLIVER OTIS.
Handing It back to LIE Bert, he re-
sumed the work at which he was en-
gagged as II nothing unusual had &C.
Cured.
Are you aware" asked 10 Bert,
"what this meansr'
"Perfectly."
every we'll. If you want to get hole
in you. 60 ahead"
That evening gentleman with very
black hair and eyes who spoke softly
the creole dialect called upon Otis
with q demand for satisfaction on the
part Of Bowler. Otis asked II he
would be expected to fight under the
Louisiana code. The visitor said that
his principal was 90 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 Mr.. Bowler,
therefore his challenger was his debt
or. He could not accept any challenge
from Mr.. Bowler until the debt had
been paid.
The visitor departed, and nothing
more was heard Of the affair for ten
days, when Mr.. LIE Bert received q
check for the full amount Of his claim
with interest. The payment had moi
been made five minutes when Mr..
Bouvier's second called at Otis office
Mr.. Le Bert came in at the same mo.
ment with his check. The second DO.
litely informed Otis that, there being
nothing In the way Of the meeting. hia
principal expected 1t would take place
without delay.
Then Otis placed his hand on hil
heart made profound bow and said:
MAY I ask you to convey to Mr.
Bowler my sincere and humble apol.
ogy? I supposed him to be what ]
called him. but see was mistaken.
I have proof in the payment Of this
debt that he 10 an honorable man."
The creole looked surprise through
his soft black eyes, bowed, turned and
left the Office. And that was the last
Of the prospective duel between Oliver
Otis and Le Grand Bowler.
That afternoon Mr.. Le Bert sent
Otis a check for $6.883.74, exactly halt
the amount or the collection. Otis ~
turned It with bill for legal services
for $25. Mr.. LIE Bert strove in vain ID
induce him to accept the largea
amount without success. Otis averrsd
that 1t was not In the north consid.
cred at that time professional to TAXI
cases on shares. The matter wa
Anally compromised by the check b.
ing drawn to Miss LIE Bert for q pres
ent on her wedding with Otis. IA
Grand Bowler sent a clock OF tn
time OF Louis XIV.
T. ANTHONY TWININ0.
Smoking . Pipe.
The Canadian Cigar and Tobacco
Journal Divea acme hinta tn thoaa WIN