&quot;They call a lot of us heroes, and I&#x27;ve always said we are not the heroes,” the military veteran previously told KCRA 3 from his home in Grass Valley.

Lou Conter, last survivor of the USS Arizona attack in Pearl Harbor, dies at 102

<strong>Lou</strong> Conter, the final survivor of the USS Arizona, the Navy battleship that was sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack, died at age 102.

Lou Conter, last survivor of USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor attack, dies at 102 | CNN

The sole living survivor from the sinking of the USS Arizona during the Pearl Harbor attack that brought the US into World War II has now died.

Lou Conter, last living USS Arizona survivor after Pearl Harbor attack, dies at 102 - CBS Sacramento

Escaping injury in the Japanese attack on the ship in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, he went on to help in recovering bodies and putting out fires.

Lou Conter, Last Survivor of the Battleship Arizona, Dies at 102 - The New York Times

You can use AI for almost everything these days, from creating content to academic research. It’s also used for making music, and LoudMe is one of the leading AI music makers of the moment. In a matter of seconds, this supercharged AI song generator creates unique, original, and royalty-free music for its users. But how well does it work? Can it truly create music in any genre and style you like? Well, that’s what this LoudMe review is here to address. Read on for all the answers and everything you need to know about the world’s favorite AI music maker. What Can You Do With LoudMe? Let’s start off our LoudMe review with a look at some of the key features and functions of this industry-leading AI music generator. Generate AI Music Obviously, as an AI music generator, the core feature of LoudMe is its music generation technology. Users can basically just type in a prompt, like "an anthem-style rock and roll song about living in the jungle,” and LoudMe will make a piece of music to suit that exact demand. It does all of this at lightning speed, too, far faster than making music the old-fashioned way. Generate AI Sound Effects LoudMe's versatile AI technology isn't limited to music; it also comes with an AI sound effect generator. Whether you're creating a video game, podcast, or film, LoudMe allows you to produce custom sound effects that match your unique vision. Just describe the desired effect, and let LoudMe work its magic to bring your project to life with immersive, high-quality audio. Royalty-Free AI Music LoudMe is the perfect tool to create royalty-free music. In other words, it can generate tracks and songs that you can use on a commercial basis without having to pay any royalties to the creator. This is perfect for ad music, theme tunes, background music in YouTube videos, and so on, and it’s much more cost-effective compared to paying royalties for the music you use. Enjoy a Library of AI Tracks LoudMe also has an ever-expanding collection of AI-generated songs and sound effects for users to listen to, on-demand. You can browse the catalog and listen to some of the most popular and successful tunes the tool has created so far, across a spectrum of genres. What’s more, new tracks are regularly updated in the library, so there’s always something new to experience. Save, Download, Share, and More Once you’ve made your music with LoudMe, it’s yours to keep! The tool lets you save and download your favorite creations whenever you like. From there, you’re free to share those tracks around with your friends and family, use them in creative or business projects, and enjoy them for your own personal use. Who Is LoudMe For? So many different people can have fun making AI music with the aid of LoudMe. Here are just a few examples: Musicians, Artists, and Creators In the same way that musicians have embraced digital effects and technological innovations to create entire new genres in the past, many artists and creators are also embracing AI technology to level up their music-making potential. If you’ve got a creative mind, there’s no telling how much amazing music you can create with the aid of AI. Business Users Business and professional users can also benefit from LoudMe’s AI music generation. Let’s imagine you’re trying to create a video ad for a new product, for example, and you need a good royalty-free tune to play in the background. Well, instead of buying a boring clip that has already been used 1,000 times, you can make your own original royalty-free backtrack with LoudMe. The Casual Crowd Casual users can also have hours of entertainment playing around with LoudMe and its extraordinary AI music generation potential. Since it’s capable of creating tracks across all different genres and styles, you can use it to create exactly the sort of music you love to listen to and build your very own AI library. What Sets LoudMe Apart From Other AI Music Makers? Next, let’s see just a few of the key aspects that elevate LoudMe to the top of the AI music maker pile. No Musical Knowledge Needed One of the best things about LoudMe is that you don’t have to be a musician, a creator, an artist, or some sort of music pro to use this tool. It’s super simple to work with, and even the simplest and briefest of prompts are enough to create incredible tunes that you’ll want to hear again and again. Good for Both Pros and Beginners LoudMe has been designed to be as accessible and usable as possible, appealing to both professionals and beginners. Pros can use their advanced musical knowledge and creativity to make specific styles of music, while beginners can simply play around with experimental prompts and see what happens. More Tracks Added Regularly Another awesome aspect of LoudMe is that its library is always getting bigger, with more and more tracks added to the mix on a regular basis. Thanks to that, you’ll never run out of things to listen to. In effect, LoudMe is like a limitless, never-ending source of music in every genre imaginable. Summing Up To sum up our LoudMe review, this is quite clearly a groundbreaking AI tool, setting the standard for AI music makers everywhere. With its supercharged technology and versatile usability, there’s no end to what it can do. Give it a try today, and start making funky tunes with the aid of AI. This story was distributed by Margrowth under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author You can use AI for almost everything these days, from creating content to academic research. It’s also used for making music, and LoudMe is one of the leading AI music makers of the moment. LoudMe LoudMe In a matter of seconds, this supercharged AI song generator creates unique, original, and royalty-free music for its users. But how well does it work? Can it truly create music in any genre and style you like? Well, that’s what this LoudMe review is here to address. Read on for all the answers and everything you need to know about the world’s favorite AI music maker. What Can You Do With LoudMe? Let’s start off our LoudMe review with a look at some of the key features and functions of this industry-leading AI music generator. Generate AI Music Obviously, as an AI music generator, the core feature of LoudMe is its music generation technology. Users can basically just type in a prompt, like "an anthem-style rock and roll song about living in the jungle,” and LoudMe will make a piece of music to suit that exact demand. It does all of this at lightning speed, too, far faster than making music the old-fashioned way. an AI music generator, an AI music generator, Generate AI Sound Effects LoudMe's versatile AI technology isn't limited to music; it also comes with an AI sound effect generator . Whether you're creating a video game, podcast, or film, LoudMe allows you to produce custom sound effects that match your unique vision. Just describe the desired effect, and let LoudMe work its magic to bring your project to life with immersive, high-quality audio. an AI sound effect generator an AI sound effect generator Royalty-Free AI Music LoudMe is the perfect tool to create royalty-free music. In other words, it can generate tracks and songs that you can use on a commercial basis without having to pay any royalties to the creator. This is perfect for ad music, theme tunes, background music in YouTube videos, and so on, and it’s much more cost-effective compared to paying royalties for the music you use. Enjoy a Library of AI Tracks LoudMe also has an ever-expanding collection of AI-generated songs and sound effects for users to listen to, on-demand. You can browse the catalog and listen to some of the most popular and successful tunes the tool has created so far, across a spectrum of genres. What’s more, new tracks are regularly updated in the library, so there’s always something new to experience. AI-generated songs AI-generated songs sound effects sound effects Save, Download, Share, and More Once you’ve made your music with LoudMe, it’s yours to keep! The tool lets you save and download your favorite creations whenever you like. From there, you’re free to share those tracks around with your friends and family, use them in creative or business projects, and enjoy them for your own personal use. Who Is LoudMe For? So many different people can have fun making AI music with the aid of LoudMe. Here are just a few examples: Musicians, Artists, and Creators In the same way that musicians have embraced digital effects and technological innovations to create entire new genres in the past, many artists and creators are also embracing AI technology to level up their music-making potential. If you’ve got a creative mind, there’s no telling how much amazing music you can create with the aid of AI. Business Users Business and professional users can also benefit from LoudMe’s AI music generation. Let’s imagine you’re trying to create a video ad for a new product, for example, and you need a good royalty-free tune to play in the background. Well, instead of buying a boring clip that has already been used 1,000 times, you can make your own original royalty-free backtrack with LoudMe. The Casual Crowd Casual users can also have hours of entertainment playing around with LoudMe and its extraordinary AI music generation potential. Since it’s capable of creating tracks across all different genres and styles, you can use it to create exactly the sort of music you love to listen to and build your very own AI library. What Sets LoudMe Apart From Other AI Music Makers? Next, let’s see just a few of the key aspects that elevate LoudMe to the top of the AI music maker pile. No Musical Knowledge Needed One of the best things about LoudMe is that you don’t have to be a musician, a creator, an artist, or some sort of music pro to use this tool. It’s super simple to work with, and even the simplest and briefest of prompts are enough to create incredible tunes that you’ll want to hear again and again. Good for Both Pros and Beginners LoudMe has been designed to be as accessible and usable as possible, appealing to both professionals and beginners. Pros can use their advanced musical knowledge and creativity to make specific styles of music, while beginners can simply play around with experimental prompts and see what happens. More Tracks Added Regularly Another awesome aspect of LoudMe is that its library is always getting bigger, with more and more tracks added to the mix on a regular basis. Thanks to that, you’ll never run out of things to listen to. In effect, LoudMe is like a limitless, never-ending source of music in every genre imaginable. Summing Up To sum up our LoudMe review, this is quite clearly a groundbreaking AI tool, setting the standard for AI music makers everywhere. With its supercharged technology and versatile usability, there’s no end to what it can do. Give it a try today, and start making funky tunes with the aid of AI. This story was distributed by Margrowth under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author This story was distributed by Margrowth under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author This story was distributed by Margrowth under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author

LoudMe Review: Is This the Best AI Music Generator And AI Sound Effect Generator?

লাউডমি রিভিউ: এটি কি সেরা এআই মিউজিক জেনারেটর এবং এআই সাউন্ড ইফেক্ট জেনারেটর?

LoudMe-Testbericht: Ist dies der beste KI-Musikgenerator und KI-Soundeffektgenerator?

Reseña de LoudMe: ¿Es este el mejor generador de música y generador de efectos de sonido con IA?

Revue LoudMe : est-ce le meilleur générateur de musique IA et générateur d'effets sonores IA ?

लाउडमी समीक्षा: क्या यह सर्वश्रेष्ठ एआई संगीत जनरेटर और एआई ध्वनि प्रभाव जनरेटर है?

LoudMe レビュー: これは最高の AI 音楽ジェネレーターおよび AI サウンド効果ジェネレーターですか?

LoudMe 리뷰: 이게 최고의 AI 음악 생성기, AI 사운드 효과 생성기일까?

Análise do LoudMe: Este é o melhor gerador de música e efeitos sonoros de IA?

Обзор LoudMe: лучший ли это музыкальный генератор на основе ИИ и генератор звуковых эффектов на основе ИИ?

LoudMe İncelemesi: Bu En İyi Yapay Zeka Müzik Üreticisi ve Yapay Zeka Ses Efekti Üreticisi mi?

Đánh giá LoudMe: Đây có phải là trình tạo nhạc AI và trình tạo hiệu ứng âm thanh AI tốt nhất không?

LoudMe 评论：这是最好的 AI 音乐生成器和 AI 音效生成器吗？

PARIS, France, March 5th, 2024/Chainwire/--**Uniting Web3 Visionaries and Global Leaders. Following the success of its 2023 edition, the Proof of Talk summit, heralded as the Davos of Web3, is back for its second year and brings together thought leaders, investors, CEOs, founders, exchanges, digital asset managers, and regulatory authorities for networking and thought-provoking sessions. Held on 10 and 11 June at the historic Museum of Decorative Arts in the Louvre Palace at the heart of Paris, this summit has its sights on delivering a unique event with a highly-curated audience dedicated to shaping the future of blockchain and global policy. Last year, Proof of Talk welcomed over 1500 ecosystem participants, including key figures from Binance, VanEck, Ripple, and the World Economic Forum, alongside CEOs and founders of leading blockchain companies and government representatives. After the event distinguished investor, venture partner, and Proof of Talk attendee Leeor Groen, Managing Director, Spartan Group, aptly noted that it was “where Web3 meets the spirit of Davos.” The summit facilitated crucial discussions on rebuilding trust within Web3, reflecting the industry's need for a platform that encourages genuine engagement, meaningful connections, and strategic collaboration. With the SEC’s recent spot Bitcoin ETF approvals and the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation bringing more clarity to the space in Europe, the stage is truly set for widespread blockchain adoption and development of digital assets beyond cryptocurrency. This year’s conference harnesses and reflects this revitalization and will assemble blockchain and Web3 professionals from around the world to engage with C-level executives, explore partnerships, and generate investment opportunities that will reshape industries and create new paradigms. The highly-curated 2024 forum seeks to welcome over 2500 participants. Combined with a speaker lineup featuring CEOs, founders, and leaders of the Web3 and digital assets industry, the summit features impact-focused networking and a refined agenda. A few of the speakers include: ·     Joseph Lubin CEO and Founder at Consensys ·     Jenny Johnson, CEO, Franklin Templeton ·     Tim Draper, Founder, DFJ ·     Ophelia Snyder, Cofounder President, Ark 21 Shares ·     Mihailo Bjelic, Co-Founder, Polygon ·     Raoul Pal, Crypto Macro Economist ·     Yat Siu, Chairman, Animoca ·     John Wu, President, Ava Labs ·     Justin Sun, Founder, Tron ·     Marieke Flament, former CEO, Near Foundation ·     Dominic Williams, Founder, DFINITY ·     Björn Wagner, CEO, Parity technologies and Polkadot ·     Jon Fink Isaksen, Head of Policy, Uniswap ·     Matthew Siegel, Head of Digital Assets, Van Eck ·     Christopher Donovan, COO, NEAR Foundation ·     Lex Sokolin, Managing Partner, Generative Ventures ·     Digital asset leads from over 30 major TradFi banks ·     Partners from 100+ attending VCs The summit’s agenda also actively reflects Web3’s growing importance, with over 20 panels, 10+ workshops, and over five keynotes and firesides on key topics shaping Web3’s future. These include real world asset tokenization, AI-blockchain integration, gaming evolution, and smart contract security. Zohair Dehnadi, Co-Founder, Proof of Talk and Partner, X-Ventures: “We are overwhelmed by the positive feedback we received from our 2023 summit, with some attendees even sharing it reminded them of the World Economic Forum’s early days. We’re also delighted at all the interest from both speakers and potential sponsors for this year’s edition. “Right now, the industry is on the brink of a new era, and we’ve harnessed this enthusiasm to curate an event with the most influential people from Web3, digital assets, and traditional finance to shape the agenda of the future.” It’s important to provide an inspirational forum for these players, from founders and funds to legal experts and regulatory authorities, to engage in high-impact networking, share best practices, and have those necessary but tough discussions that will safely move the space forward. I’m proud to offer the industry such an exclusive experience at one of Paris’ most iconic locations, and am looking forward to seeing everyone in June!” About Proof of Talk Proof of Talk is setting a new standard in the Web3 conference landscape, positioning itself not just as another web3 conference but as a pivotal forum where the promise of decentralization comes to life. The summit uniquely combines the essence of traditional economic forums with the dynamic, decentralized Web3 community, fostering an innovative ecosystem of dialogue and action. It stands as a platform for change, where every voice, from the seasoned economist to the radical Web3 founder, contributes to a collective vision of a decentralized economic future. By facilitating engaging discussions and unparalleled networking, participants shape this new landscape. Learn more at www.proofoftalk.io About X Ventures X Ventures is a Germany-based digital assets investment fund dedicated to supporting and empowering entrepreneurs in the Web3 industry. Alongside its investment activities, X Ventures founded www.xschool.io, aiming to provide accessible education to future leaders worldwide. Contact Shanna Molina Cognito shanna.molina@cognitomedia.nl +31 6 18 72 87 55 This story was distributed as a release by Chainwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here.

Proof Of Talk Returns To The Louvre Palace As Agenda-Setting Event For Web3

Richard A. Webster, This article was originally published on by ProPublica . Co-published with . Verite News Verite News This article was produced for by Richard A. Webster, who covered Jefferson Parish as part of ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in 2021-22. to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. Verite News Sign up for Dispatches In September, the Louisiana Supreme Court that appeared to be a major blow to criminal justice reformers seeking to shrink the state’s bloated prison population. issued a ruling The 4-3 ruling struck down a law that empowered prosecutors to revisit and reduce excessive sentences through post-conviction plea agreements with defense attorneys. The law, which in 2021 and had the backing of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, was meant to create a formal process to release prisoners serving decadeslong sentences, in many cases for relatively minor crimes, handed down under the state’s habitual offender, or “three strikes,” law. passed the state Legislature unanimously Verite News and ProPublica of Markus Lanieux, who might have been helped by that law. Lanieux was convicted in 2009 of aggravated flight from an officer, a crime that typically carried a two-year sentence. recently featured the story But two previous drug felonies allowed the Jefferson Parish district attorney to try Lanieux as a habitual offender, which resulted in a sentence of life without parole. If Lanieux had been originally convicted under current habitual offender sentencing laws, the most he could have gotten was four years. The Supreme Court’s ruling came as the result of a filed last year by Louisiana’s conservative attorney general, Jeff Landry, who claimed the law encroached on and usurped the exclusive power of the governor to grant clemency or pardons. Landry intervened in the case of William Lee, whose life sentence had been reduced using the now-overturned law. legal challenge His legal challenge was seen as part of a growing backlash across the country against prosecutors who have pushed to end mass incarceration, and it caused many district attorneys in Louisiana to temporarily drop negotiations to reduce excessive sentences while the case was pending. Immediately after the court announced its decision, Landry, who is running for governor on a tough-on-crime platform, hailed it as a victory for public safety. “This unconstitutional legislation resulted in some rapists and murderers receiving ‘get out of jail free’ cards,” Landry said. “That recklessness ends now.” In a dissenting opinion, state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Weimer criticized Landry’s challenge and warned that the majority’s decision could “have the disastrous effect of undermining, and further limiting, the post-conviction relief procedure that has operated to correct the evils of the past.” “The post-conviction legislation at issue here was unanimously enacted by the legislature, the people’s representatives, and signed into law by the governor,” Weimer wrote. “Its obvious purpose is to insure justice is done and to act as a counter balance or check on the renegade practices and prejudices of the past.” News of the ruling quickly spread throughout the state’s prisons, said attorney Nick Trenticosta, who argued on behalf of the law before the Supreme Court and visited several inmates at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel the following week. “It’s on every prisoner’s mind,” he said. “My clients are now in distress.” “It’s Not Fine, but It Will Be OK” Trenticosta, however, was in the prison to tell them not to worry, that far from dealing a death blow to post-conviction resentencing efforts, the attorney general might have inadvertently given them new life. In their decision, the justices said the new law was unconstitutional because it didn’t require prosecutors or judges to identify a specific legal problem with a prisoner’s sentence before granting relief. The ability to adjust a sentence without a specific legal basis, they said, amounted to an “act of grace,” like a pardon, which is considered the domain of the governor. If the decision had stopped there, it could have been extremely damaging, Trenticosta said. But the justices went on to uphold the “absolute discretion” of prosecutors to provide such post-conviction relief, emphasizing it was the duty of prosecutors to “see that no innocent man suffers.” According to Trenticosta, the decision affirmed, for the first time explicitly, the right of prosecutors and defense attorneys to cooperatively reach post-conviction deals. Three other defense attorneys with extensive experience in post-conviction deals generally agreed with Trenticosta’s analysis of the ruling’s language, though one of them was concerned about its real-world consequences. Before the passage of the 2021 reform law, it was common practice for defense attorneys and prosecutors to meet informally to discuss the reduction of someone’s sentence. If both sides came to an agreement, they would take the plea deal to a judge to authorize, which avoided costly and timely litigation. There wasn’t, however, a court- or Legislature-approved structure to this process, which caused concern among some judges, Colin Reingold with a New Orleans-based criminal justice reform group called the Promise of Justice Initiative and three other defense attorneys told Verite News. While one court where these deals happened frequently might have been comfortable authorizing them, others in places where such deals were rare might have balked. This resulted in an unequal administration of justice across the state, said the defense attorneys. In its ruling, the court spelled out the on which district attorneys could reduce someone’s sentence through post-conviction plea agreements. Some of those are fairly narrow, including whether the sentence amounted to double jeopardy or the requirement that DNA testing provides “clear and convincing evidence” of innocence. eight grounds Others are more general and create a wider lane through which an attorney could argue for someone’s freedom, such as proof that “the conviction was obtained in violation of the constitution of the United States or the state of Louisiana.” Importantly, the justices added, when defense attorneys assert one of those grounds in seeking a sentence reduction, prosecutors have no obligation to demand evidence. “If a defendant seeks post-conviction relief pursuant to one of these grounds, a district attorney is not required by this decision to oppose the application.” Jee Park, executive director of the Innocence Project New Orleans, said she worries that the ruling could create obstacles to negotiating lesser terms, possibly driving judges to demand more evidence than previously required to prove a reduction in sentence is legally necessary. But she agreed that it wasn’t the end of post-conviction relief. “It’s not fine, but it will be OK,” Park said. “There are definitely still claims available to attack unjust and excessive sentences.” For people like Lanieux, this comes as welcome news. Lanieux’s attorney, Amy Myers, was in negotiations with the Jefferson Parish district attorney to reduce his sentence under the now-overturned law when Landry filed his challenge. The district attorney, like many prosecutors across the state, temporarily halted those negotiations pending a decision. Myers said the ruling reaffirmed arguments she had previously been making: that Lanieux’s sentence is unconstitutional because he had an ineffective lawyer, and that his sentence is cruel and unusual. Both are included in the eight grounds listed by the court. “Markus has always had good legal issues,” Myers said. “If we have a district attorney who is willing to consider the merits of those legal issues, we can resolve Markus’ case.” In an emailed statement, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted Lanieux, said it was “not inclined to further comment as to Mr. Lanieux’s case at this time.” During his 14 years of incarceration, the Iberville Parish native lost his mother in 2020 to COVID-19 and his sister last year to unknown causes. And on Sept. 7, the day before the news organizations published a story on his life sentence, Lanieux’s son was at the Raymond Laborde Correctional Center in Cottonport. found dead in his cell Evidence relating to his death was to a funeral home, Verite News reported. inadvertently given Lee, the prisoner whose case was the subject of Landry’s challenge, also maintains hope following the court’s decision, said his attorney, Trenticosta. When the Supreme Court ruled in the attorney general’s favor, St. Tammany Parish prosecutors reinstated Lee’s life sentence. Warren Montgomery, the district attorney for St. Tammany and Washington parishes, was not available to comment because of medical reasons, according to his office. Despite the setback, Trenticosta expects to restart negotiations with the district attorney under the parameters established by the court. He said Lee’s case could fit under a number of them, including ineffective counsel, the unconstitutional withholding of evidence or a claim of innocence based on new evidence. “Warren Montgomery believed that the new evidence shook the integrity of the conviction, and I don’t think anything has changed,” he said. “I fully predict that Mr. Lee will come home in the near future.” Photo by on Josh Hemsley Unsplash

Louisiana Supreme Court Overturns "Three-Strikes" Sentences Reform Law

The United States v Meta Platforms Court Filing October 24, 2023 is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This is part 68 of 100. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here COUNT XXIII: VIOLATIONS OF LOUISIANA UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW, LA. REV. STAT. ANN. §§ 51:1401 to 1428 988. The State of Louisiana incorporates and realleges each and every allegation in paragraphs 1 through 850 as if fully set forth herein. 989. The Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (Louisiana Consumer Protection Law) prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce. LA. REV. STAT. ANN. § 51:1405(A). 990. At all relevant times, Meta has engaged in the conduct of “trade” or “commerce” as those terms are defined by LA. REV. STAT. ANN. § 51:1402(10). 991. Meta has engaged in unfair and deceptive acts or practices in violation of the Louisiana Consumer Protection Law as described in the preceding paragraphs and summarized in Section XI of the Complaint. 992. Each unfair and deceptive act or practice constitutes as a separate violation of the Louisiana Consumer Protection Law. Continue Reading . Here About HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. This court case 4:23-cv-05448 retrieved on October 25, 2023, from is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain and may be shared without legal restriction. Washingtonpost.com

Louisiana Moves Against Meta for Alleged Consumer Law Violations

Mark Twain's Speeches by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . THE ST. LOUIS HARBOR-BOAT “MARK TWAIN” here THE ST. LOUIS HARBOR-BOAT “MARK TWAIN” The Countess de Rochambeau christened the St. Louis harbor-boat
          ‘Mark Twain’ in honor of Mr. Clemens, June 6, 1902.  Just
          before the luncheon he acted as pilot.

          “Lower away lead!” boomed out the voice of the pilot.

          “Mark twain, quarter five and one-half-six feet!” replied the
          leadsman below.

          “You are all dead safe as long as I have the wheel—but this is
          my last time at the wheel.”

          At the luncheon Mr. Clemens made a short address. First of all, no—second of all—I wish to offer my thanks for the honor done me by naming this last rose of summer of the Mississippi Valley for me, this boat which represents a perished interest, which I fortified long ago, but did not save its life. And, in the first place, I wish to thank the Countess de Rochambeau for the honor she has done me in presiding at this christening. I believe that it is peculiarly appropriate that I should be allowed the privilege of joining my voice with the general voice of St. Louis and Missouri in welcoming to the Mississippi Valley and this part of the continent these illustrious visitors from France. When La Salle came down this river a century and a quarter ago there was nothing on its banks but savages. He opened up this great river, and by his simple act was gathered in this great Louisiana territory. I would have done it myself for half the money. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Mark Twain's Speeches. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3188/pg3188-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

THE ST. LOUIS HARBOR-BOAT “MARK TWAIN”

"I WILL NOT GO TO LOUGHLINTER."

Scientific American Supplement, No. 365, December 30, 1882 by Various, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . LOUIS FAVRE, CONSTRUCTOR OF THE ST. GOTHARD TUNNEL. here LOUIS FAVRE, CONSTRUCTOR OF THE ST. GOTHARD TUNNEL. It is now already a year that the locomotive has been rolling over the St. Gothard road, crossing at a flash the distance separating Basle from Milan, and passing rapidly from the dark and damp defiles of German Switzerland into the sun lit plains of Lombardy. Our neighbors uproariously fêted the opening of this great international artery, which they consider as their personal and exclusive work, as well from a technical point of view as from that of the economic result that they had proposed to attain—the creation of a road which, in the words of Bismarck, "glorifies no other nation." As regards the piercing of the Gothard, the initiative does, in fact, belong by good right to the powerful "Iron Chancellor," so we have never dreamed of robbing Germany of the glory (and it is a true glory) of having created the second of the great transalpine routes, that open to European products a new gate to the Oriental world. It seems to us, however, that in the noisy concert of acclamations that echoed during the days of the fêtes over the inauguration of the line, a less modest place might have been made for those who, with invincible tenacity and rare talent, directed the technical part of the work, and especially those 15 kilometers of colossal boring—the great St. Gothard Tunnel, which ranks in the history of great public works side by side with the piercing of the Frejus, and the marvelous digging of Suez and Panama. We recall just now the names of those who, during nearly ten years, have contributed with entire disinterestedness to the completion of this colossal work. Over all stands a figure of very peculiar originality—that of M. Louis Favre, the general contractor of the great tunnel, whose name will remain attached to the creation of this work through the Helvetian Alps, like that of Sommeiller to the great tunnel of the Frejus, and that of De Lesseps to the artificial straits that henceforward join the oceans. Having myself had the honor of occupying the position of general secretary of the enterprise under consideration, I have been enabled to make a close acquaintance with the man who was so remarkable in all respects, and who, after passing his entire life in great public works, died like a soldier on the field of honor—in the depths of the tunnel. I saw Favre, for the first time, in Geneva, in 1872, a few days after he had assumed the responsibility of undertaking the great work. He had been living since the war on his magnificent Plongeon estate, on the right bank of the lake. There was no need of dancing attendance in order to reach the contractor of the greatest work that has been accomplished up to the present time, for M. Favre was easy of access. We had scarcely passed five minutes together than we we were conversing as we often did later after an acquaintance of six years. After making known to him the object of my visit, the desire of being numbered among the of his enterprise, the conversation quickly took that turn of mirthfulness that was at the bottom of Favre's character. "This is the first time," said he to me, laughing, "that I ever worked with Germans, and I had not yet struck the first blow of the pick on the Gothard when they began to quibble about our contract of the 8th of last August. Ah! that agreement of August 8th! How I had to change and re-change it, later on. If this thing continues, we shall have a pretty quarrel, considering that I do not understand a word of the multiple interpretations of their . I ought to have mistrusted this. But you see I have remained inactive during the whole of this unfortunate war. I was not made for promenading in the paths of a garden, and I should have died of chagrin if such inaction had had to be prolonged. When one lives, as I have, for thirty years around lumber yards, it is difficult to accustom one's self to the sedentary and secluded life that I have led here for nearly two years." personnel charabia As he said, with just pride, Louis Favre had, indeed, before becoming the first contractor of public works in the world, lived for a long time in lumber yards. The years that so many other better instructed but less learned persons, who were afterward to gladly accept his authority, had given up to their studies, Favre had passed in the humble shop of his father, a carpenter at Chêne, a small village at a half league from Geneva. It soon becoming somewhat irksome for him in the village, he left the paternal workbench to start on what is called the "tour of France." He was then eighteen years of age. Three years afterward, he was undertaking small works. It was not long ere he was remarked by the engineers conducting the latter, and he was soon called to give his advice on all difficult questions. Between times, Favre had courageously studied the principal bases of such sciences as were to be useful to him. In the evening, he made up at the public school what was lacking in his early instruction; not that he hoped to make a complete study for an engineer, but only to learn the indispensable. He was, before all things, a practical man, who made up for the enforced insufficiency of his technical knowledge by a of surprising accuracy. Here it may be said to me that the piercing of the great St. Gothard Tunnel was accompanied by considerable loss. That is true, but it must be recalled also that this colossal work was accomplished amid the most insurmountable difficulties which ever presented themselves. In spite of this, the cost of the tunnel per running foot was also a third less than that of the great Mont Cenis Tunnel. coup d'œil When Favre undertook the St. Gothard, he already reckoned to his credit numerous victories in the domain of public works, especially in the construction of subterranean ones. The majority of tunnels of any length which, since the beginning of the establishment of railways, have been considered as works of some proportions (the Blaisy Tunnel, for instance), were executed by him, in addition to other open air works. So Favre reached the St. Gothard full of hope. The battle with the colossus did not displease him, and his courage and his confidence in the success of the work seemed to increase in measure as the circumstances surrounding the boring became more difficult. In the presence of the terrible inundation of the gallery of Airolo and the falling of aquiferous rocks, creating in the subterranean work so desperate a situation that a large number of very experienced engineers almost advised the abandonment of the works, Favre remained impassive. Amid the general apprehension, which, it may be readily comprehended, was felt in such a situation he made his confident and cheerful voice heard, reviving the ardor of all, and speaking disdainfully of "that insignificant Gothard, which would come out all right." The of the enterprise were not the only ones, however, who were uneasy over the constantly occurring difficulties in the way of the work, for the company itself and the Swiss Federal Council made known to Favre their fears that the execution of the work would be delayed. He, however, calmed their fears, and exposed his projects to them, and the seances always ended by a vote of confidence in the future of the undertaking. Favre certainly did not dissimulate the difficulties that he should have to conquer, but he execrated those who were timorous and always tried to put confidence into those who surrounded him. But, singular phenomenon, he ended by deceiving himself and, at certain times, it would not have been easy to prove to him that the St. Gothard was not the most easy undertaking in the world. Those who have lived around him know the jokes that he sometimes made at the expense of poor Gothard, which paid him back with interest, however, and did not allow itself to be pierced so easy after all. personnel Such confidence as existed in the first years, however, was not to exist for ever. The tunnel advanced, the heading deepened, but at the price of what troubles, and especially of how many expenses! Day by day one could soon count the probable deficit in the affair and the silent partners began to get a glimpse of the loss of the eight millions of securities that had had to be deposited with the Swiss Federal Council. For Favre personally the failure of the enterprise would have been ruin for his fortune was not so large as has been stated. To fears which Favre possessed more on account of the associates that he had engaged in the enterprise than for himself, came to join themselves those troubles with the Germans that he had spoken to me about on the first day. The St. Gothard Company, whose troubles are so celebrated, and whose inactivity lasted until the reconstruction of the affair, was seemingly undertaking to make Favre, who was directing the only work then in activity, bear all the insults that it had itself had to endure. And yet, amid these multiple cares, the contractor of the tunnel did not allow himself to become disheartened. Constantly at the breach he lived at his works, going from the gigantic adit of Goschenen to the inundated one of Anolo, constantly on the mountain, having no heed of the icy and perilous crossing, and passing days in the torrential rain that was flooding the tunnel. Who of us does not picture him in mind as he reached the inn at night, with his high boots still soaking wet, and his gray beard full of icicles to take his accustomed seat at the table, and, between courses, to tell some story full of mirth, some joke from the other works whence he had come, which made us laugh immoderately, and brought a smile to the faces of the German engineers. It is a singular coincidence that this confidence in his own work, despite all the struggles borne, was shared likewise by another man than Favre—by Germano Sommeiller, the creator of the Mont Cenis Tunnel. When the work of the first piercing of the Alps was yet in the period of attacks and incredulity, Sommeiller wrote his brother the following letter: "Always keep me posted my dear Leander, as to what the laughers are saying and remember the proverb that 'he will laugh well who laughs last!' The majority of the people, even engineers, are rubbing their hands in expectation of the colossal fiasco that awaits us, and it is for that that the envious keep somewhat silent. I will predict to you that as soon as success is assured everybody will mount to the house tops and say 'I told you so! It was an idea of my own!' What great geniuses are going to spring from the earth! I am in haste, so adieu, courage, energy, silence and especially cheerfulness! And especially cheerfulness!" Perhaps this cheerfulness of strong minds is the invincible weapon of those who, like Sommeiller and Favre, fight against apathy or the bad faith of their adversaries! Like Favre however Sommeiller had not the pleasure of being present at the consecration of his glory, for at the Mont Cenis banquet as at the St. Gothard the place reserved for the creator of the great work was empty. As disastrous as was the enterprise from a financial point of view what a triumph for Favre would have been the day on which he traversed from one end to the other that 15 kilometers of tunnel that he had walked over step by step since the first blow of the pick had struck the rock of the St. Gothard! But such a satisfaction was not to be reserved for him. Suddenly, on the 19th of July, 1879, less than seven years after the beginning of the work, and six months before the meeting of the adits, in the course of one of his visits to the tunnel Favre was carried off by the rupture of a blood vessel. A year before that epoch, I had left the enterprise, Favre having confided to me the general supervision over the manufacture of dynamite that he had undertaken at Varallo Pombia for the needs of his tunnel, but my friend M. Stockalper, engineer in chief of the Goschenen section, who accompanied Favre on his fatal subterranean excursion, has many a time recounted to me the sad details of his sudden death. For months before it must be said Favre had been growing old. The man of broad shoulders and with head covered with thick hair in which here and there a few silver threads showed themselves, and who was as straight as at the age of twenty years, had begun to stoop, his hair had whitened and his face had assumed an expression of sadness that it was difficult for him to conceal. As powerful as it was this character had been subjugated. The transformation had not escaped me. Often during the days that we passed together he complained of a dizziness that became more and more frequent. We all saw him rapidly growing old. On the 19th of July, 1879, he had entered the tunnel with one of his friends, a French engineer who had come to visit the work, accompanied by M. Stockalper. Up to the end of the adit he had complained of nothing, but, according to his habit, went along examining the timbers, stopping at different points to give instructions, and making now and then a sally at his friend, who was unused to the smell of dynamite. In returning he began to complain of internal pains. "My dear Stockalper," said he, "take my lamp, I will join you." At the end of ten minutes not seeing him return, M. Stockalper exclaimed, "Well! M. Favre, are you coming?" No answer. The visitor and engineer retraced their steps, and when they reached Favre he was leaning against the rocks with his head resting upon his breast. His heart had already ceased to beat. A train loaded with excavated rock was passing and on this was laid the already stiff body of him who had struggled up to his last breath to execute a work all science and labor. A glorious end, if ever there was one! Favre died in the full plenitude of his forces at less than fifty four years of age, and I can say, without fear of contradiction, that he was universally and sincerely regretted by all those who had worked at his side. Still at the present time when a few of us old colleagues of Goschenen, Airolo or Altorf meet, it is not without emotion that we recall the old days, the joyful reunions at which he cheered the whole table with his broad and genial laugh.— Maxime Helene, in La Nature. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Various (2006). Scientific American Supplement, No. 365, December 30, 1882. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. 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LOUIS FAVRE, CONSTRUCTOR OF THE ST. GOTHARD TUNNEL

Sir Louis Leaves Greshamsbury

Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Sir Louis Goes Out to Dinner here Sir Louis Goes Out to Dinner The next day Joe did not make his appearance, and Sir Louis, with many execrations, was driven to the terrible necessity of dressing himself. Then came an unexpected difficulty: how were they to get up to the house? Walking out to dinner, though it was merely through the village and up the avenue, seemed to Sir Louis to be a thing impossible. Indeed, he was not well able to walk at all, and positively declared that he should never be able to make his way over the gravel in pumps. His mother would not have thought half as much of walking from Boxall Hill to Greshamsbury and back again. At last, the one village fly was sent for, and the matter was arranged. When they reached the house, it was easy to see that there was some unwonted bustle. In the drawing-room there was no one but Mr Mortimer Gazebee, who introduced himself to them both. Sir Louis, who knew that he was only an attorney, did not take much notice of him, but the doctor entered into conversation. "Have you heard that Mr Gresham has come home?" said Mr Gazebee. "Mr Gresham! I did not know that he had been away." "Mr Gresham, junior, I mean." No, indeed; the doctor had not heard. Frank had returned unexpectedly just before dinner, and he was now undergoing his father's smiles, his mother's embraces, and his sisters' questions. "Quite unexpectedly," said Mr Gazebee. "I don't know what has brought him back before his time. I suppose he found London too hot." "Deuced hot," said the baronet. "I found it so, at least. I don't know what keeps men in London when it's so hot; except those fellows who have business to do: they're paid for it." Mr Mortimer Gazebee looked at him. He was managing an estate which owed Sir Louis an enormous sum of money, and, therefore, he could not afford to despise the baronet; but he thought to himself, what a very abject fellow the man would be if he were not a baronet, and had not a large fortune! And then the squire came in. His broad, honest face was covered with a smile when he saw the doctor. "Thorne," he said, almost in a whisper, "you're the best fellow breathing; I have hardly deserved this." The doctor, as he took his old friend's hand, could not but be glad that he had followed Mary's counsel. "So Frank has come home?" "Oh, yes; quite unexpectedly. He was to have stayed a week longer in London. You would hardly know him if you met him. Sir Louis, I beg your pardon." And the squire went up to his other guest, who had remained somewhat sullenly standing in one corner of the room. He was the man of highest rank present, or to be present, and he expected to be treated as such. "I am happy to have the pleasure of making your acquaintance, Mr Gresham," said the baronet, intending to be very courteous. "Though we have not met before, I very often see your name in my accounts—ha! ha! ha!" and Sir Louis laughed as though he had said something very good. The meeting between Lady Arabella and the doctor was rather distressing to the former; but she managed to get over it. She shook hands with him graciously, and said that it was a fine day. The doctor said that it was fine, only perhaps a little rainy. And then they went into different parts of the room. When Frank came in, the doctor hardly did know him. His hair was darker than it had been, and so was his complexion; but his chief disguise was in a long silken beard, which hung down over his cravat. The doctor had hitherto not been much in favour of long beards, but he could not deny that Frank looked very well with the appendage. "Oh, doctor, I am so delighted to find you here," said he, coming up to him; "so very, very glad:" and, taking the doctor's arm, he led him away into a window, where they were alone. "And how is Mary?" said he, almost in a whisper. "Oh, I wish she were here! But, doctor, it shall all come in time. But tell me, doctor, there is no news about her, is there?" "News—what news?" "Oh, well; no news is good news: you will give her my love, won't you?" The doctor said that he would. What else could he say? It appeared quite clear to him that some of Mary's fears were groundless. Frank was again very much altered. It has been said, that though he was a boy at twenty-one, he was a man at twenty-two. But now, at twenty-three, he appeared to be almost a man of the world. His manners were easy, his voice under his control, and words were at his command: he was no longer either shy or noisy; but, perhaps, was open to the charge of seeming, at least, to be too conscious of his own merits. He was, indeed, very handsome; tall, manly, and powerfully built, his form was such as women's eyes have ever loved to look upon. "Ah, if he would but marry money!" said Lady Arabella to herself, taken up by a mother's natural admiration for her son. His sisters clung round him before dinner, all talking to him at once. How proud a family of girls are of one, big, tall, burly brother! "You don't mean to tell me, Frank, that you are going to eat soup with that beard?" said the squire, when they were seated round the table. He had not ceased to rally his son as to this patriarchal adornment; but, nevertheless, any one could have seen, with half an eye, that he was as proud of it as were the others. "Don't I, sir? All I require is a relay of napkins for every course:" and he went to work, covering it with every spoonful, as men with beards always do. "Well, if you like it!" said the squire, shrugging his shoulders. "But I do like it," said Frank. "Oh, papa, you wouldn't have him cut it off," said one of the twins. "It is so handsome." "I should like to work it into a chair-back instead of floss-silk," said the other twin. "Thank'ee, Sophy; I'll remember you for that." "Doesn't it look nice, and grand, and patriarchal?" said Beatrice, turning to her neighbour. "Patriarchal, certainly," said Mr Oriel. "I should grow one myself if I had not the fear of the archbishop before my eyes." What was next said to him was in a whisper, audible only to himself. "Doctor, did you know Wildman of the 9th? He was left as surgeon at Scutari for two years. Why, my beard to his is only a little down." "A little way down, you mean," said Mr Gazebee. "Yes," said Frank, resolutely set against laughing at Mr Gazebee's pun. "Why, his beard descends to his ankles, and he is obliged to tie it in a bag at night, because his feet get entangled in it when he is asleep!" "Oh, Frank!" said one of the girls. This was all very well for the squire, and Lady Arabella, and the girls. They were all delighted to praise Frank, and talk about him. Neither did it come amiss to Mr Oriel and the doctor, who had both a personal interest in the young hero. But Sir Louis did not like it at all. He was the only baronet in the room, and yet nobody took any notice of him. He was seated in the post of honour, next to Lady Arabella; but even Lady Arabella seemed to think more of her own son than of him. Seeing how he was ill-used, he meditated revenge; but not the less did it behove him to make some effort to attract attention. "Was your ladyship long in London, this season?" said he. Lady Arabella had not been in London at all this year, and it was a sore subject with her. "No," said she, very graciously; "circumstances have kept us at home." Sir Louis only understood one description of "circumstances." Circumstances, in his idea, meant the want of money, and he immediately took Lady Arabella's speech as a confession of poverty. "Ah, indeed! I am very sorry for that; that must be very distressing to a person like your ladyship. But things are mending, perhaps?" Lady Arabella did not in the least understand him. "Mending!" she said, in her peculiar tone of aristocratic indifference; and then turned to Mr Gazebee, who was on the other side of her. Sir Louis was not going to stand this. He was the first man in the room, and he knew his own importance. It was not to be borne that Lady Arabella should turn to talk to a dirty attorney, and leave him, a baronet, to eat his dinner without notice. If nothing else would move her, he would let her know who was the real owner of the Greshamsbury title-deeds. "I think I saw your ladyship out to-day, taking a ride." Lady Arabella had driven through the village in her pony-chair. "I never ride," said she, turning her head for one moment from Mr Gazebee. "In the one-horse carriage, I mean, my lady. I was delighted with the way you whipped him up round the corner." Whipped him up round the corner! Lady Arabella could make no answer to this; so she went on talking to Mr Gazebee. Sir Louis, repulsed, but not vanquished—resolved not to be vanquished by any Lady Arabella—turned his attention to his plate for a minute or two, and then recommenced. "The honour of a glass of wine with you, Lady Arabella," said he. "I never take wine at dinner," said Lady Arabella. The man was becoming intolerable to her, and she was beginning to fear that it would be necessary for her to fly the room to get rid of him. The baronet was again silent for a moment; but he was determined not to be put down. "This is a nice-looking country about here," said he. "Yes; very nice," said Mr Gazebee, endeavouring to relieve the lady of the mansion. "I hardly know which I like best; this, or my own place at Boxall Hill. You have the advantage here in trees, and those sort of things. But, as to the house, why, my box there is very comfortable, very. You'd hardly know the place now, Lady Arabella, if you haven't seen it since my governor bought it. How much do you think he spent about the house and grounds, pineries included, you know, and those sort of things?" Lady Arabella shook her head. "Now guess, my lady," said he. But it was not to be supposed that Lady Arabella should guess on such a subject. "I never guess," said she, with a look of ineffable disgust. "What do you say, Mr Gazebee?" "Perhaps a hundred thousand pounds." "What! for a house! You can't know much about money, nor yet about building, I think, Mr Gazebee." "Not much," said Mr Gazebee, "as to such magnificent places as Boxall Hill." "Well, my lady, if you won't guess, I'll tell you. It cost twenty-two thousand four hundred and nineteen pounds four shillings and eightpence. I've all the accounts exact. Now, that's a tidy lot of money for a house for a man to live in." Sir Louis spoke this in a loud tone, which at least commanded the attention of the table. Lady Arabella, vanquished, bowed her head, and said that it was a large sum; Mr Gazebee went on sedulously eating his dinner; the squire was struck momentarily dumb in the middle of a long chat with the doctor; even Mr Oriel ceased to whisper; and the girls opened their eyes with astonishment. Before the end of his speech, Sir Louis's voice had become very loud. "Yes, indeed," said Frank; "a very tidy lot of money. I'd have generously dropped the four and eightpence if I'd been the architect." "It wasn't all one bill; but that's the tot. I can show the bills:" and Sir Louis, well pleased with his triumph, swallowed a glass of wine. Almost immediately after the cloth was removed, Lady Arabella escaped, and the gentlemen clustered together. Sir Louis found himself next to Mr Oriel, and began to make himself agreeable. "A very nice girl, Miss Beatrice; very nice." Now Mr Oriel was a modest man, and, when thus addressed as to his future wife, found it difficult to make any reply. "You parsons always have your own luck," said Sir Louis. "You get all the beauty, and generally all the money, too. Not much of the latter in this case, though—eh?" Mr Oriel was dumbfounded. He had never said a word to any creature as to Beatrice's dowry; and when Mr Gresham had told him, with sorrow, that his daughter's portion must be small, he had at once passed away from the subject as one that was hardly fit for conversation, even between him and his future father-in-law; and now he was abruptly questioned on the subject by a man he had never before seen in his life. Of course, he could make no answer. "The squire has muddled his matters most uncommonly," continued Sir Louis, filling his glass for the second time before he passed the bottle. "What do you suppose now he owes me alone; just at one lump, you know?" Mr Oriel had nothing for it but to run. He could make no answer, nor would he sit there to hear tidings as to Mr Gresham's embarrassments. So he fairly retreated, without having said one word to his neighbour, finding such discretion to be the only kind of valour left to him. "What, Oriel! off already?" said the squire. "Anything the matter?" "Oh, no; nothing particular. I'm not just quite—I think I'll go out for a few minutes." "See what it is to be in love," said the squire, half-whispering to Dr Thorne. "You're not in the same way, I hope?" Sir Louis then shifted his seat again, and found himself next to Frank. Mr Gazebee was opposite to him, and the doctor opposite to Frank. "Parson seems peekish, I think," said the baronet. "Peekish?" said the squire, inquisitively. "Rather down on his luck. He's decently well off himself, isn't he?" There was another pause, and nobody seemed inclined to answer the question. "I mean, he's got something more than his bare living." "Oh, yes," said Frank, laughing. "He's got what will buy him bread and cheese when the Rads shut up the Church:—unless, indeed, they shut up the Funds too." "Ah, there's nothing like land," said Sir Louis: "nothing like the dirty acres; is there, squire?" "Land is a very good investment, certainly," said Mr Gresham. "The best going," said the other, who was now, as people say when they mean to be good-natured, slightly under the influence of liquor. "The best going—eh, Gazebee?" Mr Gazebee gathered himself up, and turned away his head, looking out of the window. "You lawyers never like to give an opinion without money, ha! ha! ha! Do they, Mr Gresham? You and I have had to pay for plenty of them, and will have to pay for plenty more before they let us alone." Here Mr Gazebee got up, and followed Mr Oriel out of the room. He was not, of course, on such intimate terms in the house as was Mr Oriel; but he hoped to be forgiven by the ladies in consequence of the severity of the miseries to which he was subjected. He and Mr Oriel were soon to be seen through the dining-room window, walking about the grounds with the two eldest Miss Greshams. And Patience Oriel, who had also been of the party, was also to be seen with the twins. Frank looked at his father with almost a malicious smile, and began to think that he too might be better employed out among the walks. Did he think then of a former summer evening, when he had half broken Mary's heart by walking there too lovingly with Patience Oriel? Sir Louis, if he continued his brilliant career of success, would soon be left the cock of the walk. The squire, to be sure, could not bolt, nor could the doctor very well; but they might be equally vanquished, remaining there in their chairs. Dr Thorne, during all this time, was sitting with tingling ears. Indeed, it may be said that his whole body tingled. He was in a manner responsible for this horrid scene; but what could he do to stop it? He could not take Sir Louis up bodily and carry him away. One idea did occur to him. The fly had been ordered for ten o'clock. He could rush out and send for it instantly. "You're not going to leave me?" said the squire, in a voice of horror, as he saw the doctor rising from his chair. "Oh, no, no, no," said the doctor; and then he whispered the purpose of his mission. "I will be back in two minutes." The doctor would have given twenty pounds to have closed the scene at once; but he was not the man to desert his friend in such a strait as that. "He's a well-meaning fellow, the doctor," said Sir Louis, when his guardian was out of the room, "very; but he's not up to trap—not at all." "Up to trap—well, I should say he was; that is, if I know what trap means," said Frank. "Ah, but that's just the ticket. Do you know? Now I say Dr Thorne's not a man of the world." "He's about the best man I know, or ever heard of," said the squire. "And if any man ever had a good friend, you have got one in him; and so have I:" and the squire silently drank the doctor's health. "All very true, I dare say; but yet he's not up to trap. Now look here, squire—" "If you don't mind, sir," said Frank, "I've got something very particular—perhaps, however—" "Stay till Thorne returns, Frank." Frank did stay till Thorne returned, and then escaped. "Excuse me, doctor," said he, "but I've something very particular to say; I'll explain to-morrow." And then the three were left alone. Sir Louis was now becoming almost drunk, and was knocking his words together. The squire had already attempted to stop the bottle; but the baronet had contrived to get hold of a modicum of Madeira, and there was no preventing him from helping himself; at least, none at that moment. "As we were saying about lawyers," continued Sir Louis. "Let's see, what were we saying? Why, squire, it's just here. Those fellows will fleece us both if we don't mind what we are after." "Never mind about lawyers now," said Dr Thorne, angrily. "Ah, but I do mind; most particularly. That's all very well for you, doctor; you've nothing to lose. You've no great stake in the matter. Why, now, what sum of money of mine do you think those d–––– doctors are handling?" "D–––– doctors!" said the squire in a tone of dismay. "Lawyers, I mean, of course. Why, now, Gresham; we're all totted now, you see; you're down in my books, I take it, for pretty near a hundred thousand pounds." "Hold your tongue, sir," said the doctor, getting up. "Hold my tongue!" said Sir Louis. "Sir Louis Scatcherd," said the squire, slowly rising from his chair, "we will not, if you please, talk about business at the present moment. Perhaps we had better go to the ladies." This latter proposition had certainly not come from the squire's heart: going to the ladies was the very last thing for which Sir Louis was now fit. But the squire had said it as being the only recognised formal way he could think of for breaking up the symposium. "Oh, very well," hiccupped the baronet, "I'm always ready for the ladies," and he stretched out his hand to the decanter to get a last glass of Madeira. "No," said the doctor, rising stoutly, and speaking with a determined voice. "No; you will have no more wine:" and he took the decanter from him. "What's all this about?" said Sir Louis, with a drunken laugh. "Of course he cannot go into the drawing-room, Mr Gresham. If you will leave him here with me, I will stay with him till the fly comes. Pray tell Lady Arabella from me, how sorry I am that this has occurred." The squire would not leave his friend, and they sat together till the fly came. It was not long, for the doctor had dispatched his messenger with much haste. "I am so heartily ashamed of myself," said the doctor, almost with tears. The squire took him by the hand affectionately. "I've seen a tipsy man before to-night," said he. "Yes," said the doctor, "and so have I, but—" He did not express the rest of his thoughts. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Anthony Trollope (2002). Doctor Thorne. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3166/pg3166-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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