Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/157

Rh him were several old soldiers. For some of these comrades of the battlefield the young lawyer worked for next to nothing, just to help them along. Hearing of this, another soldier who was very well-to-do but also very miserly, came to McKinley for advice.

"I own a little house out in the country," he said. "There is a matter of eighty dollars due me for rent. I can't afford to spend much on going to law. How can I get my money?"

"Is the man who is indebted to you worth anything?" asked McKinley.

"Oh, yes, he is worth a good deal."

"Then I'll get the money for you."

"But it will cost a good deal," whined the miser. "Can't you get it for me without going to law?"

"I will try it."

So the young lawyer wrote a stiff letter to the man in the country, stating that he must pay at once or he would be sued. A short correspondence ensued, and presently the man paid up in full. When the miserly old soldier came to get the amount he said he hoped the lawyer wouldn't charge him