Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 220, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1916 — NO LAWYER NEEDED [ARTICLE]

NO LAWYER NEEDED

FRENCH - CANADIAN VILLAGE SAGE SETTLED QUARREL.

Old Gentleman Not Only Made Frlendt Out of Enemies, but Used Transaction to Help Out Needy Widow.

“No, Fm not get born on de State’! I come here ’bout eighteen year ago from T’ree Reever, Kebec. “Ma fader, he’s dead w’en I’pa seven year ol\ an’ so I’m go for leev on ma gran’fader’s, who’s beeg farmalrer. keep pleat’ cow an’ horse. “Smart ol’ man, too; justice peace, notalre publique, an’ all dat. Not many case go on de lawyaire, I caa tol’ you, eef dey see ma gran’fader firs’. He’s all for keep peace ’mong de neighbor. . “Two mans dey have some leet’t troub’, an’ mebbe got mad queek, aa’ wan of dem start for get de law. “On way for see de lawyaire dis man mebbe has for pass on de house w’ero , ma gran’fader leev, an’ if he’s seo de ol’ man on de houtside, ver* often he’s stop for spik wit’ heem, an’ ’fora he know it he’s tol’ heem .ev’ryt’ing. “De ol’ man he’s not spik mooch, jus’ lissen. Den bimeby, after de man get troo for spik, he mebbe say, ‘Wal, wal, dat’s too bad, Joe. I didn’ t’ink dat could happen after w’at ’Poleon dofor you w’en you’re seeck las’ winter. I don’ gueap he’s so bad feller. Sure dere’s not somet’ing wrong on hot* side, Joe? Better go for see heem, an’ mebbe talk de t’ing over.’ “But of course Joe he’s ver’ mad, an’ say, ‘O, non, non! You bet I don’ go near for see heem no more.’ “Den de ol’ man say, ‘P’r’aps, den. It’s better I did go to see ’Poleon myse’f. Too bad for see good frien’ quarrel dis way.’

“Wal, my gran’fader he go over for see ’Poleon, an’ w’en dey spik leet’P w’ile ’bout de wedder an’ de crop, do ol* man he say, ‘Wat’s all dis troubl’ ’bout you an’ Joe Gallant, ma frien’?j Joe, he’s over to ma place an’ feel ver’‘ bad. T’lnk you don’ was use heem jus’ right. “ ‘Joe’s ver* good feller, leet’l’ rough sometam, but you. ’member how he’s take hees team from plowin’ an’ go roun’ an’ collec’ monee w’en your barn! got burn las’ fall. Spen’ ’ole week in busy tam, an’ got mos’ hun’red dollar for you. Dat’s good neighbor, ’Poleon. But now can you blame eef' he’s not feel so good w’en your seven cow an’ heifer break down de fence an’ tramp hall night hees nice fiel’ of grain? “ ‘Course you forget for feex de fence, but de ol’ cow didn’ forgot to tramp de buckw'eat. “‘W’at you better do? ‘“Wal, I t’ink eef you give to Joe: ten dollar in money, beside feex up< de fence, dat mak’ it hall right.’ “’Poleon hees feel ver’bbaded —de ol* man spik so nice an’ quiet—an’ affer w’ile he say: “ ‘Wal, M’sieu’ Legere, I don’ forgot dose t’ings Joe Gallant do for me, so eef you will take ten dollar over to 1 Joe, I ver’ satisfy.’ “Ma gran’fader he’s tak’ de monee, an’ go w’ere Joe was wait, and say,; ‘Wal, Joe, ’Poleon he’s not so bad fel-l ler, affer all. He’s sen’ dis ten dollar over to you, an’ is start for feex de fence right away. An’ he say dat he’a not forget how you collec’ for heem monee w’en hees barn was burn’. “W’en de ol’ man get troo for spik* Joe he’s feel ver’ mean, an’ say right out, ‘I don’ wan’ dat ten dollar, an’ w’at is more, I tak’ it back to ’Poleon w’en I go home.’ “ ‘O, non, non!’ de ol’ man say. *1 have de ten dollar. Dat’s mine, sure Ping. But for ma share in de leet’l’ troub', I tak’ de monee an’ go buy nice bar’l flour an’ some odder t’lng for poor Mis’ Larue, w’at’s los’ her man las’ mont’, an’ have seex leet’l’ boy for feed. Den I tell her dat’s- from you an’ ’Poleon. Dat’s better dan pay de lawyaire, Joe.’ “Wal, Joe he’s jus’ laugh an’ laugh, an’ w’en he’s got for spik, he’s jump hup an’ shake ma gran’faders han* an’ say, ‘Wal, wal, M’sieu’ Legere, you one fine, fine ol’ man!’ ’’—Youth’s Companion.