The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-01-14
TAKING A LAW CASE
By DAVID WATERS.
Copyright, 1910. by American Press Asso-
ctationI

Here is a letter from a client OF
ours, Nine. Dubois" said the head
Of the firm, ''asking US TO send man
to her at L. about litigation as to
real estate she is interested in. Take
the afternoon train. She'll meet you"
Ii was Saturday, and | feared to get
caught 10 country town over Sun
day, but was not accustomed to make
suggestions to my chief and did not
dare propose delay. arrived at L.
just before the dinner hour, and. pass
ing out of the station, ! saw a lady
about twenty-five years old sitting
alone in buggy and keeping her eyes
on the throng of arrivals. 1t occurred
to me that she might have come TO
meet me, and ! stopped before her.
The moment her gaze was fixed Oh me
sudden look of joyful wonder came
into her eyes.
"Are you Nine DuboisT' asked.
II am"
"And am Edmond Boyer. with
Twining & Twining, attorneys"
"Ah, c'est vous dt is youl ! have
been expecting"
/ got into the buggy with her. and
she drove me to her home. AS soon
as we alighted she began to stare at
me. Then she said to me In broken
French:
Pardon. You are the image of my
late husband. When ] saw you at
the station | thought for moment
you were he arisen from the dead.
You bear French name, ! see. You
must be of French extraction"
my father came to America from
Dion before ! was born" n
"From Dijon. My husbands family
live there | came from Paris few
months ago am here to secure
some property that was owned by my
uncle, who came here years ago
Nine. Dubois showed me her bus
bands likeness. and my resemblance
to him was astonishing. 1t was evil
dent that he and had sprung from
the same stock. His widow must have
loved him very dearly. for she could
not disguise her feelings at meeting
one who resembed him. aud she treat
ed me as though | were he who had
returned to her.
Ny feelings at this treatment were
singular. While it was pleasant to
be coddled by a pretty womaA, my
amour propre was ruffied at being the
recipient of especial attentions as the
representation of another-a dead man.
At one moment | would experience
delicious gladness, at the next would
knit my brows at the thought that
was being worshiped as wooden idol.
Then when Nine. Dubois saw that
was troubled she would give me
piteous look from her big black liquid
ewes, and was in heaven again.
My widow spoke but little English
and | not word of French. The con-
sequence was that We fell into pam
tomime, and pantomime Is often more
expressive than words. Indeed, love
can be better indicated by one look
than by dozen languages. soon
got used to representing another and
discovered that any omission OF dis
play of affection for the dead had a
narrowing effect on the living.
OF course | did not get proper
: knowledge of the business Nine. Du'
bois wished to intrust to the irm OF
Twining & Twining before the last
train had left Saturday night. She
declined to take the matter up on
Sunday. She was very methodical
> Her first inquiry was what would ~
{ the amount charged for legal services
;, | had been instructed to ask for
= retaining fee of $50, but decl hed t
name any future amount Next sh'
gave me an account of how the prop
erty had been acquired and lastly
statement of claims made upon 1t E.
builders and others.
70 | had been looking into the case
= Nine. Dubois three days when ! re
y, ~ ceived a note from my employer ask
ing when | would return. l replie'
, that since our client spoke very littl
d. English. much time must be spent II
" getting the facts. Two days later
D. received a peremptory order to return
l. at once.
L, | was standing in the hall biddin
" Nine Dubois goodby when she sal
! to me:
u re retaining rargent? Must pa
10 now"
le MY firm usually collects that befor
taking a case
"Combien-how much did you say
= was?"
It, had forgotten that had given be
'c an amount and replied that 1t woul
:. be 500.
Is "Cent dollarr she exclaimed. su
re prised You are dearer to me tina
IL when we were first engaged"
~ In love effects are as likely to
OIL produced by blunders as by proper
ne expressed ideas. Lovers may be sep
ne rated or united by installing the mea
Us ing of a word | knew full well Il
widow meant that my charge WI
greater than when | had first namt
er- il but | refused to put any such int
ol probation upon her statement. Gas
Ike ing her in my arms. cried:
re- "And you are dearer to me than IL
'ou lifep'
nat II mattered not to her that had
TIL parently mistaken her meaning, ana
mattered not to me that was to sta'
Gle not for myself. but IN the place ma
vacant by her late husband. She yiel
ear ed to my caresses. and before leavi
up for the train l was engaged" not
the an attorney, but as lover.
I'm, ''Mr. Boyer" said my chief stern
up when | next stood in his ONCE. y
his have been away an interminable Wni
the We have needed you greatly"
81 AMI mean we are engaged"
;. hammered,