The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-25
JOHN SMITHS THEORY
BY FRANK FilSON.


earn enough income the year before.
as a lawyer in the little manufacture ,
ing town, to justify him in claiming i
Mollie, whom he had loved since he i
entered college, as his wife. But the [.
struggle was a hard one, and he had ,
only just been able to keep his home /
together.
Then, a month previously. the /
Adamson company had invited several !
of the town lawyers to apply for |
salaried position as adviser. The |
choice had really narrowed down to !
two: himself aud Herbert Johnson. |
And he knew in his heart that John !
son was slated for the position.
If mere learning had counted, he
might have got it. But there were
other qualities. Johnson was man
about-town. freQuenter of the best
hotel, where he dined and met people,
But, most important of all, johnson ,
was acquiring reputation as man
who took hard cases. The Adamson
corporation would undoubtedly prefer
a man who was willing to attempt to
drive through the law, If 1t could be
done, to a lawyer who had his own
ridiculous scruples
However" he said to Mollie, 81 be-
lieve there is a good future for law
yer whose honesty will be SO generally
recognized that it will go far toward
winning him every case in which he
appears"
And she had agreed. But that did
not help him toward the $4,000 posi-
ton with the Adamson corporation
And that income, in addition to his
other work, loomed larger and larger
as the DAYS went by.
Then he was stunned to receive an
invitation to call upon the corpora
ton.
In his best suit, which Johnson
would have scorned to wear, except
for gardening. perhaps, he made his
way to the big factory downtown and
was shown into the room Of The pres''
dent, George Adamson, a fussv look
ing old gentleman, who babe him sit
down and examined him with a very
/ critical gaze.
But Mr.. Adamson thawed percepti
bly, when his visitor answered the
searching questions that he put to
him. There John Smith knew that he
was on safe ground. His credentials
were certainly better than Johnson's.
and Adamson acknowledged himself
as highly pleased.
"Now let Us come to practical de-
tails" he said "Tcr instance-an old
, inventor out In Dayton has a patent
that we are very anxious to secure. II
Is an improved method of manu-
featuring gas furnaces. and II we
had II it would cut the cost Of produc
ton Is per cent The Old man is a
crank ard has an inflated value OF his
properly. He went fell for less thai
a million, which would mean no extra
profit to us for three years. Morally
we are justified in taking his patent
and manufacturing according to Its
specifications, for the good OF the
country. 1t is intolerable that one
know that he could not hope to fine
i the money to sue. Anyway. the case
would run for years, ard all the while
we could he manufacturing. Very
well! But now, suppose he moved fo'
an Injunction to prevent us nanufac
turing while the suit was pending
How would you go about stopping it?'
"Pay him his million dollars OF
stop manufacturing" answered Smitl
quietly.
Old Adamson glared at him. "Yo'
?"-he beloved.
THAT would not be party 70 sucl
a case" answered S"ith. mo dorb
YOU can find men who would. an
afraid I am not the man You need
: Good-day, sir" And he walked out
the Office.
you'll hear from us tomorrow" h
heard the irate old man below ate
him. But the threat passed over hi
head. An hour later he was tellin
Mollie all about 1t.
: Dear. you did just right" she sale
. But he saw the tears which sh
! vainly tried to conceal. and present.
t she was weeping unreservedly upo
his knee.
The next morning when he saw
letter from the Adamson people besid
= his plate he remembered the pres
!. dents threat. He laughed scornfull
l. as he opened II. What could the ol
2 man do? II he threatened him b
I would promptly bring suit for dan
ages. or defamation OF character. IL
= John Smith, did not intend to allo
a that old ruffian to ride roughshod Owe
n him.
o He opened the envelore. Next m
n ment he dropped the letter with or
q "Mollie! He's offered me the job,
r he cried in exultation. Then:
h But ! can't take 1t. dear | wouldn
e work for such people"
O Let me read It, dear" said hi: pra
y tical wife.
Il She took up the letter and read
n Then, silently, she laid it before h
d husband.
I Dear Sir" ne read. I'VE shall co
l slider ourselves fortunate II YOU W
consent to act as our legal represe
tative at salary of $4,000 for Il
:, first year. II NAV interest you
know that OF the Ave LAWYERS befo
:. whom we placed our test questit
YOU were the only one who answer
y II in a manner satisfactory to us o
= business has always been conduct
" according to the best traditions
:, American business life. and we ha
. use only for an honest man"