Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-04-22
A SOUVENIR.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


and souvenirs of all kinds in his bach
elor apartments at the Westmoreland.
One day was moving about inspect
Ing them when l came across large
and deliberately made spoon.
where did you win that?" asked.
He smiled.
Souvenir of some affair Of the
hearth"
NO." he said. "In that spoon is
story off,
Don't tell the end first. If you're
going to give me the story, begin at
the beginning"
He filled and lit a pipe and acceded
to my request
when l was beginning to practice
law did what most young lawyers
do. spent my spare time In court.
for the sake Of experience. One day
young Frenchwoman-Lucille Dew
eroux, governess-was up for trial
for appropriating her employers jew
els and other articles. Having no coun-
sci. | was assigned to the task Of de-
Tending her. conferred with her, lis
tening to her story, endeavoring to
make up my mind as to her guilt or
innocence Suddenly she said:
"'You cannot do my case justice I'M
less you are convinced Of my innocence,
and in that you do not believe. am
in a terrible situation. My father was
one of the noblesse Of France, his ia
Their dying in the Place de Revolution
in Paris in the reign Of terror. Sup
pose | am convicted. How can l. with
the blood that flows In my veins, en-
dure to go behind bars? And In
France? What would those have left
there suffer on learning that l am
convict? The circumstances are strong
ly against me. To prove my inno-
cence Is impossible. My attorney must
understand this and. believing In 1t.
throw himself feelingly into the case
to induce the jury to believe as he
. does despite circumstantial evidence
There was lots Of practical sense
and knowledge Of such matters In this
which | was surprised to find III
young and pretty woman. told her
to give me her version Of the AFFAIR,
which she did in so straightforward a
story that she succeeded In convincing
me that she was the victim OF con
spiracy Matched between the cook and
the maid in the house where Mile.
Deveroux taught the children French.
] admitted that believed in her inno-
cence and would do my best for her.
! could not but sympathize with her
on account Of her unfortunate situa-
ton. while | was drawn to her by her
beauty and natural ability.
ITO save her 1t was necessary to i'm
pugn the value OF the testimony OF
the maid and the cook. ! could not
break the testimony tself-they told
too straight story-but Mile. Dever-
oux sent the coachman to me, who
was willing to tell things that cast
stain on the maid and left the COOK
no reputation at all. Armed with this
testimony. | made pretty good offset
against the value Of their evidence.
Indeed. | succeeded IN putting them
in hole felt sorry for the maid
she seemed so terribly cut up about
what the coachman said about her,
but, you see, my sympathies, both indi-
yidual and professional. were with my
client.
THE case was the first wherein
came out with any especial eclat.
made vigorous attack on the two
conspirators. as called them, for at
tempting to incriminate beautiful
and modest scion Of the old n"blesse
Of France, who sat weeping In the
prisoners box. turned the sympathy
from the real culprits to my client
My summing up was surprise to my
friends. who said they had not sus-
pected what there was In me. When
] got THROUGH the jury without leaving
their seats brought in verdict or
not guilty. Then the congra tuations
were divided between the prisoner and
me. said to them all:
III had not been convinced OF
Mile. DeverouX's innocence ! could not
have done It,
From that day resolved to con
tinue In the branch Of the law for
which had shown such adaptability.
II have never been so nearly In love
before or since | suppose it was that
nv whole being had been enlisted In
saving from disgrace very attractive
woman. Had Mile. Deveroux remain
ed in America long enough for my pas.
sion to bloom | dare say should have
yielded. But as soon as the trial was
over she began to make arrangements
to return to France. How she was ("
raise the money to do so ] did not
know, for she had nothing to offer me
for a fee. should have declined to
take any fee but ! did not have the
opportunity. Indeed, ! would have
liked to offer her the means with
which to return to her native land. but
felt sensitiveness about offering her
money. The French, you know, are so
uncompronisng about a woman TAX
ing money from man.
"Well. she sailed away. and about a
month after doing so | received let.
ter from her and that spoon She said
that what had grieved her most was
not being able to pay me my fee
Would accept an heirloom OF her
family-a spoon that had been In the
possession of one who had died on the
Eullotine?
II accepted the precious souvenir and
showed 1t. to number Of my friends
Finally showed 1t to a person who
knew more about Ii than did. 1t be-
IOnged to set of silver which Mile
Deveroux had been acquitted through
my efforts Of stealing"
Tact.