Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 22.pdf/551

 The Lawyer's Seven Ages By K. EKAIBARAYYA ‘ [The Vakils. or native Hindu counselors. practising in the High Court at Madras, India. held their annual meeting in April of this year. the in being not unlike that of one of our own bar association meetings. The fol owm verses were read by a member. for which we are indebted to the Madras Lam jouma .—Ed.]

HE legal world is also a stage,

And the lawyers are but actors—for others. They have their minor and their major roles,

And one lawyer in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At ﬁrst, the devil,

Toiling and mailing in his master's chambers; Then the brieﬂess junior with his tattered gown And helpless, hopeless face, creeping unwilling From court to court. And then the senior, Paying measured compliments, with soured abuse And scorn for the devilish work. Then the leader, Full of strange schemes to cleanse the profession,

Jealous of its honor and quick to crush for a fault, Seeking of title and place but what is thrust To spite the crowd. And then the acting Judge, Silver stick in front and four thousands a month, Courteous and kind and pleasing high and low, Awaiting conﬁrmed bliss and judicial rest: And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts And finds him ﬁrmly set, a mighty mass Of experience with wrinkled wisdom grave, A hundred thousand disposals to his credit,

Accustomed now to hear without exertion, With ﬁngers’ ends dispensing Justice

And counting the years and months.

Last scene of all

That ends this strange and splendid history Is titled ease in dark oblivion,

Sans work, sans rest, sans golden links to life.

Personal Reminiscences of the Walhalla Bar I.

HOT AIR EARNS A FEE

By R. T. James, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, WALHALLA, S. C. “

EST we forget,"lseizethepresent moment for recording a few per-

sonal recollections of incidents in the practice of some of the members of the