Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11

all were confident that had not the mi
crobe of misfortune enveloped them at
that time they would have been mucn
happier and richer than they are.
With one 1t was a case OF marriage. or
rather the lack of 1t. Had he annexed
wife early in his youth he would have
followed engineering instead of the law.
He had always possessed talent as an
engineer-not one OF the kind who runs a
locomotive, but a man who draws little
pictures and let's others do the work.
and he would have achieved fame and
won wealth in that field Of endeavor. But
he had not taken helpmate and-well
that was the end of 1t. He was fair
sort of lawyer. he admitted, but his legal
attachments were small compared to what
he might have done in the other line.
With another 1t was the failure to listen
and acknowledge the knock of opportu-
nNy-the knock that comes at the doors
of most men once in lifetime and is
seldom heard again.
From this pessimistic recounting OF their
own misfortunes the three genial gentle
man found consolation in telling stories Of
hard luck about friends of theirs.
1.-The worst case of hard luck" began
the first lawyer that ever heard of oc-
CURED while my friend Judge NJ was
out hunting. No more honest and law
abiding man ever lived than the judge
and rather than do dishonest or un-
lawful thing he would cut off his right
hand.
The atmosphere Of the law had SO en-
veloped him that he systematically fol-
4 lowed 1t to the letter in his every move.
"One great passion had my friend
M. He loved to hunt. Give him a
gun and a dog and a neck of woods and
he was as happy as a boy who has just
finished thrashing the life out Of his
chum.
spot in Maryland where rabbits were re-
ported to be plentiful. He had never Wis
tied the place and had not studied up on
the game laws. but numerous friends had
told him of the wonderful rabbit shooting
until one fall he determined to try the
place.
He arrived at his destination one
cold. bleak day and not knowing where
to stop he halted his footsteps at the
first farmhouse he saw and there sought
choly man with saddened eye and de-
Jected mustache. appeared at the door
and offered at a moderate sum to house
the judge for a week.
1.-The judge noticed that he looked
askance at the gun. but thought little of
it. The farmer had a way of cycling
everything in a sad, furtive manner and
the Judge supposed 1t was only a habit.
THAT night the judge entered into a
long argument with his unhappy host
abouts as hunting ground. The farmer
doggedly persisted that nothing could be
shot and the Judge was confident that
something could.
wal! Ah'n bet you all ten dollahs
yuh cyan't shoot nuthin'.' replied the
my man, I'll take-that bet,' replied
the Judge excitedly.
THE money was put up and the judge
was given the following day in which to
bring home his game.
early the next morning Judge M
started on his quest. He walked and
walked and stalked and stalked. but
nothing in the shape Of wild animals
could he find. The night came on and
the judge, thinking of the $40 bet, wor-
ried more and more.
"Just as ne was about to give up all
hope he beheld an aged darby wander
ing along the road with pair OF rab-
bits strung over his gun. The judge
flight was useless. rolled his eyes and
begged the judge not to arrest him.
"I don't want to arrest you. my man.
said the judge. persuasively; I just want
to buy those rabbits
"'Good Lawd. man. you kin have 'em
bot foah a dollah an welcome replied
the negro. joyously
1.-The purchase was made and the judge
walked home, confident that he was nine
dollars to the good.
when he arrived at the farmhouse he
presented the rabbits and demanded his
money.
THE melancholy stranger grasped
him gently by the arm and told him he
was under arrest.
'Wha-a-at? shrieked the judge.
Its a fact, stranger replied the de-
jected one, comfortably. You all will git
fined $40 foah shootin' them rabbits and
Ahll git half. I'm the game warden
raoun' these pants now, and a new laws
jes been made maxim this closed sea-
son foah rabbits
when he recovered his breath suff1-
ciently to speak the judge began a long
and devious explanation Of how he came
by the rabbits. He pointed out, with a
lawyers eloQuence, that the rabbits had
been killed with slug shot and that he
had not cartridges loaded with such pro-
3ectiles. He concluded with strong ap-
peal for clemency.
"'Wall. All amt PARTICULAR said the
melancholy one, he pocketed the
money. All had that bet fixed. All
couldn't lose
1.-The Judge left next day. and SO far
as I know has never hunted since!'
Mixing Up the Drummers.
THEN the business man recounted:
1.-THE worst case of hard luck