Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1859 — Illustration of Law. [ARTICLE]

Illustration of Law.

A good story was rife in our city lately, which serves to illustrate that “possession is nine points of law'.” A. is a rather sharp lawyer, and resides next door to B. The houses A. and B. occupy are similar in ap« pearance, and as they adjoin are easily mis* taken by a comparative stranger, B. being out of coM, walks to the coal market, purchased a load for $3,30, and sends it home. The man of whom he purchased, nrstakes the residence of A. for that of 8., and dumgs the coal in A’s yard. The lawyer’s man sees the coal in the yard, and gets a wheelbarrow and shovel and puts it into the cellar. B. is in a “peck of trouble** that his coal does not come, and goes out to find the man from whom he had bought it. “See here, my good friend, I bought a load of coal of you, and you have not delivered it,” says he as soon as he had found the collier. “You bought the load and paid for it, and I delivered it,” said the coal dealer. Here the thought struck 8., that he saw coal in his neighbor’s (the lawyer’s) yard, and immediately divined the mystery. He starts for the lawyer’s office, and finding him, thus accosted him:— “Mr. A., suppose you should buy a load of coal, and the man should put it in the wrong yard, what would you require of the gentleman who appropriated the coal 1” “Well, sir,” said the lawyer, “I should either make him return the coal or pay the amount I paid for the loud.” “Very well,” said Mr. B. “just give me $3,30.” The lawyer gently drew thirty cents from his pocket and handed it to B. “What does this mean, Mr. Al You owe me $3 more,” said the astonished B. “Not at all,” said the lawyer, “I charge $3 for my advice 1”