THE

LXXXI.-THE LAWYER'S ADVICE.

HE ancient town of Rennes, in France, is a famous place for law. To visit Rennes without getting advice, of some sort, seems absurd to the country people round about. It happened one day that a farmer, named Bernard, having come to this town on business, bethought himself that, as he had a few hours to spare, it would be well to get the advice of a good lawyer.

2. He had often heard of Lawyer Foy, who was in such high repute that people believed a lawsuit gained when he undertook their cause. The countryman went to his office, and, after waiting some time, was admitted to an interview.

He told the lawyer that having heard much about him, and happening to be in town, he thought he would call and consult him.

3. "You wish to bring action, perhaps?" said the lawyer. 4. "Oh no!" replied the farmer; "I am at peace with all the world."

5. "Then it is a settlement, a division of property, that you want?"

6. "Excuse me, Mr. Lawyer; my family and I have never made a division, seeing that we draw from the same well, as the saying is.

7. "Is it then to get me to negotiate a purchase or sale that you have come?"

8. "Oh no! I am neither rich enough to purchase, nor poor enough to sell."

9. Will you tell me,

then, what you do want of me?" said the lawyer in surprise.

10. "Why, I have already told you, Mr. Lawyer," replied Bernard. "I want your advice. I mean to pay for it, of course."

11. The lawyer smiled, and, taking pen and paper, asked the countryman his name.

12. "Peter Bernard," replied the latter, quite happy that he was at length understood.

13. "Your age ?"

14. "Thirty years, or very near it.”

15. "Your vocation?"

16. "What's that?"

17. "What do you do for a living?"

18. "Oh! that's what vocation means, is it? farmer."

I am a

19. The lawyer wrote two lines, folded the paper, and handed it to his strange client.

20. "Is it finished already?" said the farmer. "Well and good! What is the price of that advice, Mr. Lawyer?" 21. "Three francs."

22. Bernard paid the money and took his leave, delighted

THE LAWYER'S ADVICE.

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that he had made use of his opportunity to get a bit of advice from the great lawyer.

23. When the farmer reached home it was four o'clock; the journey had fatigued him, and he determined to rest the remainder of the day. Meanwhile the hay had been two days cut, and was completely made. One of the workingmen came to ask if it should be drawn in.

24. "What, this evening?" exclaimed the farmer's wife, who had come to meet her husband. "It would be a pity to begin the work so late, since it can be done as well tomorrow."

25. Bernard was uncertain which way to decide. Suddenly he recollected that he had the lawyer's advice in his pocket.

26. "Wait a minute," he exclaimed; "I have an advice —and a famous one, too-that I paid three francs for; it ought to tell us what to do. Here, wife, see what it says; you can read written hand better than I."

27. The woman took the paper, and read this line: Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day." 28. "That's it!" exclaimed Bernard, as if a ray of light had cleared up all his doubts. "Come, boys! come, girls! all to the hay-field! It shall not be said that I have bought a three-franc opinion to make no use of it. I will follow the lawyer's advice."

29. Bernard himself set the example by taking the lead in the work, and not returning till all the hay was brought in. The event seemed to prove the wisdom of his conduct and the foresight of the lawyer.

30. The weather changed during the night; an unexpected storm burst over the valley; and the next morning it was found that the river had overflowed, and carried away all the hay that had been left in the fields. The crops of the neighboring farms were completely destroyed. Bernard alone had not suffered.

31. The success of this first experiment gave him such faith in the advice of the lawyer, that, from that day

forth, he adopted it as the rule of his conduct, and became consequently one of the most prosperous farmers in the country.

And yet with Him who counts the sands
And holds the waters in His hands,
I know a lasting record stands

Inscribed against my name,

Of all this mortal part hath wrought,
Of all this thinking soul hath thought,
And from these fleeting moments caught
For glory or for shame.

THE GUNPOWDER HARVEST.

171

LXXXIII.-THE GUNPOWDER-HARVEST.

TRADER came among a nation of Indians with a

A large quantity of gunpowder for sale. "We do not

wish to buy," said the Indians; "we have plenty of powder."

2. The trader then thought of a trick for getting rid of the powder. Going into a field, he made some long furrows; then mixing his gunpowder with onion-seed, he began to sow the mixture in the furrows.

3. The Indians gathered around him, and asked him what he was putting in the ground.

"Do you not see it is gunpowder?” said he.

4. "Why do you put it in the ground?" inquired the Indians.

"Well, why do you put corn in the ground?" said he. 5. "To raise more," was the answer.

"I am planting gunpowder to raise more, just as you plant corn. You will not buy my powder; and I am going to produce a large crop, which I will take to another nation. Did you never before know how gunpowder is raised?"

6. "No," replied they; "the man who has always sold us powder never told us that. He is a cheat; we will never trade with him again. You are an honest man, and we will trade with you. We will buy your powder; we will plant it; and hereafter the ground will supply our wants."

7. Some of the more cautious among the Indians, however, thought it would be better not to do anything till the plants should spring up. In a few days the shoots from the onion-seed began to appear.

8. "Now," said the trader, "you can see for yourselves. You see that I am an honest man, and that I told you nothing but the truth." The most cautious of the Indians were convinced. Every one being anxious to raise a crop