Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1919-07-31
A Minimum
Fee
By AUGUSTUS C. sHERwIN

tive association" at Milburn composed
of ten local storekeepers, and its MEM
bers expressed a good deal OF curl
osity and interest at monthly meet
ing where 1t had been announced ROs-
coe Meredith had a matter of impor-
lance 10 present for their considera-
ton.
Roscoe was general favorite in
the town.
Gentlemen" he said when he APP
peared before the association, II have
In my pocket my entire fortune-a
license to practice law. The city in
yited with glittering prospects, but
prescribed initially a surplus capital
| have not got. Wayneville down the
line offered a starvation salary in its
legal department. Rushton rendered
an opening in the law department of
a big harvester concern, which meant
burying oneself. In Plympton I am
known. Old Judge Barnes, the only
other attorney this side Of the county
seat, is about to retire. I have de-
cided to put out my shingle in Plymp-
ton"
GOOD for you! We want your en-
Enthusiastically hailed the leading local
grocer.
"Progided-"
There was hush and an eager Sc
ries Of glances. The proviso held in
suspense somehow put a damper on
proceedings
Provided" continued Roscoe, 81
can earn living in my native town.
have figured it out. Lem Dole, as
SCISSOR and collector, is about to move
away. That leaves those positions
vacant. Elect me as Dole's successor
and there is a surety of five hundred
dollars year" r
"We1l do that, don't doubt it, Ros-
coe," observed the governor of the
association.
That" continued Roscoe steadily,
lis not enough. I shall have to have
thousand Here is my proposition
You ten people have more or less It'll
CATION each year. I viii make TO each
one of you minimum annual fec
fifty dollars apiece. That makes up
the thousand dollars. For the fifty
viii cover all local suits. give all
necessary verbal advice and attend to
collections On a fifteen per cent com
mission basis. All this will enable
me TO have spare time to work up
general business, and / shall stay
with you and grow up with you, and
later on If a judgeship comes along,
count me in as candidate IL de-
serve tt"
The proposition was unanimously
accepted ard everybody seemed
pleased with the arrangement. Res.
coe took out part of the ten sub
scriptions I'm trade Thus; from the.
tailor a suit of clothes from the gem
eral store his footwear, neckwear and
hosiery; from the grocer and the
butcher supplies for the larder, for lie
lived at the home of his aged mother.
A few iitigious farmers came in to
secure his services, and while his
progress was slow he was financed
for the year and did not worry.
Six months had passed by and Ros-
coe had accumulated a small store
of money when one day there entered
his office an old man who seemed to
be a confirmed invalid He intro,
duced himself as Mr. Award Trude,
and stated that he and his daughter
had just arrived in Plympton, had ar
ranged for rooms with Widow Lar
kns and intended TO remain until
suit they designed bringing in Boyd
county was decided.
Its the Tarleton estate" soberly
announced Mr.. Trude, and Roscoe be-
gan to smile 81 see you are familiar
with it and don't think much of its
merits" went on Mr.. Trude. II sup
pose there have been twenty litigants
in the matter during the past ten
years, and every one of them losers.
For all that, should feel | had not
done my duty if did not try to pros
ecSte the claim OF my dead wife. I
offer you the case on contingency
fifty per cent If you win. If lose
win give you what / can afford,
which may not be much. Think it
over, and will call again in the
morning"
That night Roscoe went over all
that he had read and heard of the
Tarleton case. 1t was an instance
where powerful moneyed interests
were able to tire out poor and obscure
litigants. Roscoe had about made up
his mind to refuse an apparently
hopeless mission when Mr.. Trude
CHANGED 10 bring his daughter with
him to the Office. An hour in that
sweet presence and Roscoe was VIII
ling to devote time and money both,
if the sacrifice might further increase
their acquaintaneesIDp.
Roscoe discovered some strong
points in the claim Of the Trudes. but
the case went against them. 1t took
his last dollar to appeal to a higher
court. No other litigant had ever
gone that far, The unsettled suit
hampered the defense. They began
to fear the resolute. persistent young
Iawyer He might annoy Them for