The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-06-11
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well, l congratulate you," said the
lawyer to his client as they waited
in the corridor for the elevator. Here
you are without stain or grease spot
on your character. You can hold up
your head once more and look your
| fellow man In the eye and hit him
In the eye IL you want to. You have
passed through the ordeal unscathed.
The acid test of question and cross
question has indisputably shown the
true gold Of your character. Yes, In
deed, you certainly are to be congrat-
ulated."
That's all right about that" said
the client, morosely, "but If there's
any gold in my character there amt
none anywheres else about me- You
took care of that. I'm busted.
guess I'll have to touch you for lit
tie. You did soak 1t to me good and
hard"
II merely mentioned what my fee
would be for undertaking your case, )"
said the lawyer. You did the rest.
Do you think l charged you too
muchY'
II think about half what l paid you
would have been plenty replied the
client, frankly. "It wasn't much Of a
case. There wasn't nothin' to it. Say,
1t was a pipe"
ut was, eh?"
Sure. I'd have bet my kit O. tools
against your law liberty that the YER
dick would be not guilty afore that
jury went out"
"How much do you suppose my H.
brary is worth?' asked the lawyer.
DO you think that you'd be giving
odds"
Il know l would" said the client.
"It wouldn't be worth nothin' to me
an wouldn't know where to sell it.
No, I wouldn't have no use for your
books an I do know how to use my
tools, If l do say It,"
That's what the police seemed to
think" observed the lawyer.
'The muts!" growled the client. "If
I'd have known"
IF you'd have known what?"
IF I'd have known what they was
goin' to testify to. Why, say!> There
wasn't nothin' against me. Not a
thing. Anybody could see that they
was just tryin' to put up a job on a
innercent man."
rs that your ground for asking a
rebateT
II oughtn't to have to ask It," said
the client. II amt goin' to, either.
just leave it to you whether you
oughtn't to hand me half of what
give you Why, them fellows didn't
know what they was talkin' about.
Just as soon as you began to ask em
questions they got all tangled up.
They wasn't dead sure of nothin'.
They wouldn't have swore to their
own names"
"They were rather confused when l
got through with them, weren't they?"
said the lawyer, with gratified
smile.
"As for that prosecutin' attorney,
he didn't know his business, either"
urged the client. HE started In to
wipe up the earth with us. l thought
was In for ten years anyway. I
don't mind sayin' that he had me
bluffed. But he was easy. Easy! 1t
was a shame the way you handled
him. He hadn't got no business bring
In in the kind Of everdence he did. nor
yet In askin' the questions he did"
Il think 1 pointed that out to the
court"
Course you did. That was your
business. An the Judge seen 1t the
way you did, too. don't know moth
In about law, but I knew you was in
the right about It, 1t was a walka-
way. He was dead wrong all the time.
Say, I've notion to sue 'em for dam
ages aAu lalse imprisonment. l be-
l1eve l could make 1t stick"
Il think If I were you I'd leave
well enough alone" advised the law
yer. I'm sorry that | can't see my
way to return you any part of my fee.
Next time perhaps you had better Just
defend yourself-if it's an easy case
like this one
Not me-" said the client, II amt
takin' no more chances than I have
to in the way Of business. Could l
borrow $40 and pay it back the first
money l earn?
I'D have to wait too long"
"The first money l get, then?"
"On that understanding 1 might
spare you S." said the lawyer-Chi-
cago Daily News.