Show 0 47 burton had but one fault that however was an unpardonable one he possessed a self assertive Irre pres sible memory which would intrude it self in eason and out of season it was the morning of an important trial As bumpus the head of the firm prepared to leave tor for court at 10 0 clock he delegated to his various clerks their duties burton being ig nored in the assignments jenkins you take the little widow in charge perkins and wilson you devote your powers to entertaining old elderkin he s the witness who 11 win that case it if its it s won take him into my private office and keep him there until you get a telephone from me do anything and everything to keep him here and I 1 beep him good natured its worth thousands of dol lars do you understand 9 elderkin duly arrived to call him 8 difficult proposition is to put it fee ly he insisted that he must go im med mediately lately to the courtroom and his insistence Ins istance was a vigorous affair at last he grew so rampant that the help less youths his appointed custodians called bumpus up on the telephone and Tu informed formed him that much as they regretted it they would be obliged to resign their trust confound it said the irate bum pus I 1 say there turn burton loose on the old man and see what will hap pen if that t work lock the tho door burton walked carelessly into baini pus private office and remarked casus casu 1 ally with a cheerful smile pardon me mr elderkin but your ed detention reminds me of the story of col thompson the witness in tha the famous dobson case ever hear it elderkin stopped midway in his walk and listened while burton told his loud laughter reminded burton once more elderkin listened greed liy fly it was the third day afterward that bumpus returning from court after hearing the verdict of the jury in favor of his client approached bur ton s desk and in a tone audible to all inquired burton how many stories did it take to keep heep old man Fi derkin from breaking out the other morn ing burton ruminated a minute then quietly replied on a hurried esti mate I 1 should say about twenty sir twenty Is in 10 times irrel evanaly rejoined bumpus burton our verdict was for 10 in our favor we hada t a show of winning without that old fellow nor with him either unless he could be kept amia ble if I 1 in correct in my computation I 1 should say the value of those object tio tlona ble reminders of yours would average apiece |