Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/149

Rh in spite of ourselves. When he finished, the handclapping was tremendous. This made him red in the face, and he took a seat in a corner, and didn't have another word to say all that evening."

His course at the Albany Law School over, McKinley took his way to Warren, Ohio, there to be admitted to the bar. This is a trying ordeal to all would-be lawyers, but he passed without trouble, and received his sheepskin, as it is termed, with a great number of classmates. Then he went home.

"Did you pass, William? " asked Mrs. McKinley.

"I did, mother," he answered.

"And now you are an out-and-out lawyer?"

"Yes—but I haven't any clients yet. I've got to wait for folks to get into trouble before they can help me earn a living."

"Well, folks will get into trouble quick enough, don't you fear," answered the mother. "But, William, I want you to promise me one thing. Don't ever take a law case that isn't clean."

"I'll promise that."