Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-01
II Legal Romance

There IL more than one romance in
almost every lawyers office. Forum
ately for their clients, most attorneys
bury their Office secrets in the depths
of dusty files of legal papers. Here is
one legal romance of Chicago which
is made public without any conniv-
ance on the part of the lawyer inter
este6.
The attorney in question, whose
name may be set down as Atkins, had
one particularly interesting client. She
was a young girl and an orphan.
When her father died his estate was
left entirely to his only daughter. He
and Mr.. Atkins had been good
friends. and, before his death, he had
asked the attorney to act as a sort OF
unofficial guardian for the girl who
had Just reached the legal age of Is.
His estate consisted chiefly of a
lien for something like $4,000 on a
big Chicago manufacturing plant. He
arranged matters so that a local trust
company acted as trustee in the mat
ter, and every month turned over to
Attorney Atkins a check for $3.50,
which was the chief and almost sole
means Of sup. Vrt of the pretty young
daughter.
In the regular course of business
the trust company got a semi-annuai
check for 5000 from the owner of the
factory, covering the interest on the
loan for six months, and every thirty
days SCENTS its own check for $3.50 to
Atkins. who gave pretty Miss San
ford the money as she had need for 1T.
AS for Miss Sanford. she knew
little or nothing about the details OF
her fathers estate. Having full con.
fdence in Mr.. Atkins, she was quite
content to let we'll enough alone, SO
long as her monthly allowance of $3.50
was always ready for her.
Lawyer Atkins made a careful in
vestigation OF the estate soon after
the death of Miss Sanford's father,
satisfied himself that the security OF
the loan was perfectly good, and there
after let the whole matter drop out
Of his mind, leaving to the trust com
pany the work of keeping track OF the
collection of the interest.
So things went along until Miss San
ford had reached the age of Il.
Before the death of Miss Sanford's
father one of his business friends had
been Thomas Darling, proprietor OF
the Darling Machine works. Mr.. Darl-
ing had been an upright and enter
prising business man, and Mr.. San
ford had loaned him $4,000, to be
used in the extension Of his business,
taking as security 1ein on his whole
plant. The Guardian Angel Trust
company was made trustee under the
loan and was charged with the collec-
ton Of the interest on the bonds.
Shortly after the death of Mr.. San
born his friend Thomas Darling died
also. and it was from the income on
the $4,000 loan that Laura Sanford
got her 81 800 a year.
When Thomas Darling died he left
his whole estate. consisting chiefly
of the Darling Machine works. to his
only child. who up to his death had
signed himself Thomas Darling. Jr.
Young Tom Darling was an ambi
tious man. He took hold of the prop
erty with energy. He wanted to
make, it one of the biggest shops OF
the kind in the country. But ne was
hampered by lack of capital. Partic-
Ilarly the necessity of renting $500
every six months to the Guardian An
gel Trust company was a drawback.
With the opportunity of extending his
business and branching out always
before him. it seemed hard enough to
giTe up 81, 500 every year on what was
practically dead capital when he took
hold of the business. But. of course,
he always met the obligation without
finching.
Pretty Mis- Laura Sanford lived
with friends on the north side. Young
Tom Darling also had the north side
habit He lived after his fathers
death, in bachelors quarters, with
two other men. in big apartment
house on Dearborn avenue.
Neither knew or suspected the
others existence. Finally, after Miss
Sanford had been an orphan for al
most three years, they happened to be
invited TO dinner together at the house
OF mutual friend. From the first they
were attached 20 each other. Before
spring came Mr.. Darling's attentions
10 Miss Sanford had become decided,
and everybody in their scale OF ac-
quaintances was making pleasant
predictions about them.
Miss Sanford went up the north
shore 70 sper6 the summer. and
Mr.. Darling found Is convenient 10
take quarters al one Of the country