Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/26

 The Young Horteusius. cessor, he reached successively, in his pro men, and used in that historic trial known fessional career, three stages, which may, as the ' Impeachment of Warren Hastings.'" perhaps, be best illustrated by anecdotes. Industrious investigation coupled with ex At the first stage he was very diffident. He perience slowly developed the young man's had been a lawyer less than a year, when a character, and proved indispensable auxil case of some importance was brought to iaries as business increased. In the pleni him. His first purpose was to try it alone; tude of success he was wont to smile as he then he concluded to take and did take a recalled his early wailings against fortune. senior. When the day set for the trial ar One day he happened to read a novel which rived, he abandoned his last purpose of was attracting considerable attention. It opening the case to the jury, and contented contained an exaggerated allusion to the himself with reading a deposition. And yet professional success of a young attorney. his mother observed, soon after the trial, to The statement seemed so unreal (and withal a neighbor, that William conducted the case so amusing) that he thought he would modify very well. it so as to make it consistent with the truth. At the second stage he was bolder, but This summary of his youthful experiences very frank and innocent. He had learned may fittingly close with the statements, both to try most of his cases himself; but he original and modified, in parallel columns: — made curious mistakes, and indulged occa As it should be. As the Nai'rt gires it. sionally in amusing observations. His first divorce case came to him at this stage. In June, 187-, a young During the latter part of When the judge asked him what his charge the month of June, 187-, lawyer, named , was by sitting in his office reading was, — meaning, of course, his complaint, — a young lawyer, name, was sitting in his of the only business letter he he replied promptly and innocently, " Fifty fice, in Boston, reading a had received for a week. dollars." letter. . . . He was a He laid it down despond At the third stage his deportment was graduate of Harvard Uni ently, wondering if he he had studied law should ever earn six per characterized by boldness, largely assumed, versity; in an office in Boston, but cent interest per annum up and unfortunately not sufficiently tempered had been admitted to the on the large sum expended by common-sense. As attorney in a case bar after studying consider by his father on his^educaably less than the prescribed tion. A graduate of Har involving about thirty dollars, he filed in time. During the six years vard, he had studied law in terrogatories which the judge severely previous to (he opening of Boston, and had been ad our story he had been stead mitted to the bar after criticised. "I consider these interrogatories very ily gaining ground in the studying exactly the pre practice of his profession; scribed period. He had poorly drawn," said that gentleman. so that when the reader few clients, and just as he "Does your honor know upon what forms makes his acquaintance he was contemplating closing was considered one of the the office, and placing on these interrogatories were modelled?" in most promising of the the door a notice, " Return quired the young Hortensius, with a pom younger lawyers . . . He to morrow morning," an pous air, as his eyes snapped and the color turned to his other letters. old friend of his father's He had been engaged in entered, and asked him to rushed into his cheeks. reading and answering these take his acknowledgment "I do not." a half hour or more, when to a deed. The visitor's Drawing himself up to his full height, an elderly gentleman en motive was a double one : young Heffinger rejoined, in a dignified tered the office, and asked he wanted to patronize the son of his old friend, and ." tone : " These interrogatories, your honor, for Mr. also to avoid paying the were copied almost verbatim from those ordinary fee of twenty-five cents for the service. drawn by one of England's greatest states