A Curious Client

Not long ago a Brooklyn newspaper man received a note from a law flrm - Smith, Jones & Smith- notifying him that a claim against him for several dollars had been placed in their hands for collection, and instructing him that he could save himself some trouble if he'd conie arouud and talk the matter over. The journalist was perfectly prepared to converse on the subject, but disinclined to pay, so he dropped in on Smith, J ones & Smith, and notifled them that he had some business l'or them. "There's aman in thistown threatens to sue me," said he, "and I'in prepared to spend any amount to beat him. Can you undertake to carry me through ?" "Certainly," ejaculated Smith, Jones & Smith, to whom the newspaper man was a stranger. "What I want to do is tobother him," observed the cliënt. "Can I bother hini, whether I owe him or not ?" "Well, we should smile," remarked Smith, Jones & Smith. "It'll take him twenty years, if we work the case ?" "You are strarigers tome gentlemen," said the cliënt, "though I heard you highly spoken of. Now suppose he should sue me, how would you go to vork ?" "First, we should stave off the answer. Then we wonld take a lot of depositions, de bene essi'. .1 Hst before the trial we would issue commission to examine witnesses in Siberia; other witnesses would be taken; we would have sueh engagements thatwe would stave trial off, and if he got a judgment we would appeal. Yes, sir, he'd use up twenty years getting the money." "But what would the lawyers on the other side be up to all this time? I'm told they're pretty smart f ellows." "Don't care. Who are they ?" "I don't remembertheir names, but I have got their letter. Here! What's this? By Jove, gentlemen, they're Smith, Jones & Smith!" The partners looked aghast. "Ihope thatnothing I've said will be used against me," said the cliënt, looking from one to the other. "I trust, gentlemen, that you won't give me away in this matter. It's an awful blunder on my part, but 1 sincerely hope you won't take any advantag'e of it." Smith, Jones & Smith held a brief consul tation. "Am I in mueh peril ?" asked the cliënt anxiously. "We think not," responded Smith, Jones & Smith. "We are - eh - are - we are prepared to drop the proceedings. We won't mention it, if you won't." "l'll agree not to mention any name," replied the cliënt with a grin, and l'll promise you my business in the future." There was some further conversation at an adjacent hotel, and, gentle reader, the only trouble is their names were