The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-05-04
HE HUNTED FOR
BUSINESS
A Story With a
Moral

was born In the country, the son of
u farmer who supposed that ! would
follow In his footsteps behind the plow.
But had other tastes. l insisted on
going to college and while there was
obliged to hustle to make most Of the
money to put me through. On being
graduated from college / desired to
study law. That meant several years
more of self support while studying for
admission to the bar. But If a young
man has the energy to make his way
while getting his education It is pretty
likely that he will have the will power
to make his way In the world when he
gets his profession. If was not a
hard student of the law 1t was because
I was obliged to spend so much time
in making the wherewithal to exist.
When had been graduated from the
law school 1 hung out my single and
waited for clients. BY waiting for eli
ents I don't mean that I did nothing
to secure business. I read the news
papers carefully, especially legal news
with regard to estates, wills, transfers
of real estate-indeed, anything that
might give me a tip to where 1 could
get myself a case, for / don't believe
in young men who strike out for them
selves professionally hiding their light
under bushel.
One day I saw in newspaper no
tice Of the death Of Edward Girard,
wealthy man. It stated that the de-
ceased left no family. A niece had
lived with him for several years and
had taken care Of him during his last
illness. Not long after this / saw q
statement that the personal effects Of
Edward Girard, the deceased, would be
sold at auction from his late residence.
! desired to obtain desk for my Of
fee and thought at this sale ! might
secure bargain, 80 went to the house
for the purpose. There was but one
desk put up, and that was one that had
been made in colonial times. was
obliged to pay a good price for 1t, but I
was bound to get it, and Outbid every
one else. A young lady was present
who I was told was the niece Of Mr..
Girard mentioned in the newspaper
item. She seemed very much depressed.
My informant said it had been suppos-
ed that she would inherit her uncle's
property, but he had died very sudden
ly and had no time to make a will,
therefore his estate would be divided
among nearly a hundred relatives who
were heirs-at-law.
There was something very attractive
to me in this young lady's appearance,
and felt much pity for her in her dis
appointment. 1t occurred to me that
she should at least be reimbursed for
her services in taking care of her uncle,
and / believed the court would allow
her something therefor. l went to her,
and, having told her that / knew how
she was situated with regard to the
property, asked her If she intended
to put in q claim for services in nurs-
ing her uncle. She replied that she
had not thought of doing so. Besides,
she would be obliged to employ law
yer to draw the papers and she had
no money to pay for counsel.
told her that was a lawyer and
would draw the papers. agreeing to
charge no fee unless her claims were
allowed, and even in that case l would
make my charge very little. She took
my address and said that she would
think the matter over.
took my desk to my Office and was
very much pleased at possessing so
fine an antique piece Of furniture. l
never looked at it without being re.
minded Of Colonial times. There were
q great many little drawers and pigeon
holes in it, and l felt happy at the
prospect of filing them with documents
when should have clients. My first
client was Miss Girard. who employed
me to put in claim for her for serv-
ices In nursing her uncle. | named
large amount; but, since her uncle had
been i'll only a few days, the court
would not allow more than a hundred
dollars, and even this she was obliged
to wait a long time for. | made no
charge: but, since she insisted on pay
ing me q fee, | named So, which l at
once returned to her in such gift as
would be appropriate for young man
to give young lady.
! was energetic in looking for clients
and soon got together sufficient bust
ness to feel that | might marry and
make home for myself. | kept up
my acquaintance with Miss Girard,
and 1t was not long before made up
my mind that when l felt able to sup
port wife I would ask her to
marry me.
Meanwhile the division Of her un-
cle's estate hung fire. The>number Of
legal heirs multiplied, q new one or a
new family being discovered every few
weeks. 1t was impossible to tell what
Miss Girard's share would be. but ut
most 1t could not be over few hun
dred dollars. We gradually became
acknowledged lovers. and, since she
needed some one to support her, con-
Guided not to wait any longer for eli
ents. but be married at once.
We returned from q short honey.
moon to little house rented, and In
order to add to our meager stock Of
furniture I removed my desk to my
home. My wife was pleased to have
an article that had been In use by heI