“One of his numerous impecunious but devoted admirers had been in difficulties and had come to him for advice on a law point. It was not an easy nut to crack and Mr. Kern spent the greater part of two days looking up the authorities and had given him a decision that fit the case and ended the trouble. The client was fully grateful and asked the amount of his bill. “Not a cent,” was the reply. “The client was one of those self-important individuals. He insisted. “‘There is no charge; it’s all right. Good luck to you,’ protested Mr. Kern. “‘Now I’ll tell you, John,’ said the benevolent client with the air of one who was conferring a great favor, ‘I never get anything without paying for it. Here’s a quarter and if you’ll stand by me I’ll bring you some more business some time.’ “So saying, he laid the twenty-five-cent piece on the table and Mr. Kern was so flabbergasted he let him go without saying another word. “Mr. Kern’s honor shines through all his professional transactions with an illuminating glow. I know an instance where a well-to-do man employed Mr. Kern as attorney in an alienation suit. The man was not altogether to blame; there were extenuating circumstances, but enough guilt to make the outcome exceedingly precarious if the aggrieved party carried out his threat to file suit, to say nothing of the notoriety. Mr. Kern was not one of those lawyers who believed in fostering litigation. In this case, as many others, he advised settlement out of court. His client virtually turned over his fortune to Mr. Kern with authority to affect a settlement on the best terms possible. “After exercising his wonderful powers of diplomacy and persuasion he (this was in his early days at the bar) returned to his client. “‘What would you say if I told you that I had settled your case for $10,000?’ he asked. “‘I would say it is pretty high, but you have performed a real service for me and I’m glad to get out of it.’ “‘What would you say then if I told you I had settled for $8,000?’ “‘That would be better; I would indorse that settlement right from the start.’ “‘Then,’ persisted Mr. Kern, ‘what would you say if I told you I had settled for $5,000.’ “‘I’d be tickled to death.’ “‘Well,’ said Mr. Kern, ‘at the risk of a sudden termination of your earthly career I will tell you that this whole matter has been adjusted and that you are to pay only $1,000.’ “And then, to top it all off, Mr. Kern charged him a nominal fee, finding his reward mainly in the satisfaction of having got somebody out of trouble.