The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
Brought
To- Terms
BY F. A. Mitchell

Il must first know what 1t is."
II have been sued for breach OF
promise to marry" .u
HIN! l do not usually have any.
thing to do with such ses Are you
prepared to pay a large feet"
about a dollar. l think l have
$1.67. the sum total of my assets"
The lawyer looked at the man with
an amused surprise.
"You will get a good fee, however,
continued the other.
From whom?"
"The plaintiff" ~
'"The PLAINTIFF"
YES, sir; the plaintiff will pay you
literally. The case will be settled out
of court"
Explain
Did you ever ride a horse used to a
mountain trail? No? Well. II you had
you would know that you must give
him his head or both you and he will
come to grief"
Il See" .,
"Women are peculiar. II one man
can't manage one of that sex two men
can't. The British government has
found that out"
"Just so. l will take your case,
| Mr.
"Skinner-Reuben Skinner. Now sit
down, MI. Wackerly, and write at my
d~ictation, to be copied by your type
writer on one Of your letterheads."
Mr.. wackerly took a pencil, and MI.
Skinner dictated:
Miss Evelyn Fuller:
Madam-Mr. Reuben Skinner. against
whom you have entered suit for breach
Of promise of marriage, has placed his
case in my hands and desires me to say
to you that he will spend his last dollar
in defending It. I am your obedtent serv-
ant. HOWARD WACKERLY,
Attorney-at-Law.
mo need. l suppose" said the law
yer. ito mention the $1.67?"
Mr.. Skinner smiled and admitted
there was not: then he departed. The
next morning but one he called at Mr..
Wackerly's office and asked If any re-
ply had come to the letter dispatched
by that gentleman. Mr.. Wackerly hand
| ed him one that had Just come in by
post. 1t read:
Please tell Mr.. Skinner that had he
| treated me with proper consideration !
woul have shrunk from bringing this
case before the public. AS it is l shall
spend my entire fortune If necessary In
showing him up before the world.
Mr.. Skinner dictated the following
reply:
My client, desires me by way Of replying
10 your favor received this morning to
say to you that a woman who will engage
herself to three men at the same time
needs to be put in a position that will
prevent her %trespassing further in that
direction.
Before leaving the Office Mr.. Skinner
wrote the initials of two men on a bit
Of paper and handed 1t to his attorney.
"You will doubtless receive a note from
the lady asking you to name the men
referred to. You will then in my name
write her the letters on this paper"
He handed the lawyer a bit Of pa
per on which he had written the let.
tiers wv. G. A." and III. K. L" Mr..
Wackerly looked up from It and asked:
"Have you proofY"
mo. but I know that she has gone
far enough with each n of these men
to be engaged to him. l know that she
engaged herself to me-, and without
warning, to get ahead ofymy rivals. l
wrote her breaking y engagement.
In her Indignation she threatened to
sue me for breach Of promise"
"You are playing a bold game"
A request for the names OF those to
whom she was accused Of engaging
herself came. and the initials were for
warded. Another letter came. which
read as follows:
I pronounce the accusation false, but
you will please say to Mr.. Skinner that
he had no business to assume that !
would sue him for breach Of promise just
because I threatened to do SC. You need
concern yourself no further with this case.
because l ave no intention Of suing Mr..
Skinner n never had n such tnten'
ton. I do not consider him Of the slight
est Importance and would not marry hic'
IL he were the only man on earth.
That's ali right" said MI. Skinner.
Write her that she can't withdraw
the case without paying the costs and
my Indebtedness to you for your pro.
fessional advice"
"Since the lady has not sued you
there are 40 costs. And. al for my pro-
fessional advice. l have given yon
n0ne."
"That doesn't matter. The lady
doesn't know anything about law. and
she wouldn't ask any ones advice"
What shall l, make the bills"
Ten thousand dollars"
The lawyer laughed, but MI. Skinner
before leaving secured a promise that
he would obey instructions.
Miss Fuller wrote for the attorneys
bill and costs. He dared not mention
costs since there were none. but offered
on the part Of his client to settle for
$4,000. The lady sent him a check
for the amount, which he turned over
to his client. The client mailed It to
Miss Fuller. with an Endorsement that
he preferred to pay It himself.
This was the beginning of the end.
The case was settled out Of court, and
MI. Skinner and Miss Fuller were mar
AeAa-