Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-12-25


must be told was ambitious, my mind
was lofty in its aspirations and could de-
scend to nothing low and grovelling. had
succeeded pretty we'll in one of the learned
professions and determined to try another,
where the chances were, / thought, equally
as great for practising humbuggery and de-
Iception concluded at once to become law
yer; that dignifed name which has the magic
power to introduce one into genteel society,
and under the majesty of whose influence
one is enabled to fleece the people out of
their hard earnings. The more | thought
about the subject the more elevated felt,
until at last | fancied could see myself
surrounded by clients giving large fees for
my opinions, and my name, either for plain
tiff or defendant, entered to every important
suit upon the docket.
Possessed of great confidence and a con-
siderable gift of the CAB, applied, upon the
Recommendation of friend, to the Messrs.
Holdum & Skinum for permission to study
law in their Office. These two gentlemen
were in copartnership and did an extensive
business. They had the reputation of be-
ing able lawyers and had amassed fortune
from their practice. ! don't see how it
could be otherwise, for if ever client was
SO unfortunate as to fall into their hands he
was sure to be held fast by the one while
he was skinned clean by the other. Upon
consultation, they agreed to take me at
such price; to which | demurred, telling
them that was very poor and had to de-
pend solely upon my own exertlons, and
that their charge was too high. After a
little reflection they made out to open their
close hearts and admitted me student upon
terms more reasonable than their first pro-
position Thus installed, went hard to
work, determined to acquire knowledge
of my profession in double-quick time. |
had read in Wirt's life of Patrick Henry
that he had studied law only six weeks,
took that great man as my example, and
firmly resolved to conclude my legal course
in the same space of time. So Blackstone 5
Commentaries were disposed of in one
week, Kent's ditto ditto, Starkie on Evil
dence ditto, Chitty on Pleading ditto, Rus
sci on Crimes ditto, and Craise's Digest
half finished the last week. Well done Joel
Nonsuch, what number of pages have
you read, not one word of which you I'M
derstood, and about which you are as igno-
rant now as the day on which you COM
menced to read.
Feeling full of the law, I informed my
worthy instructors that was about to leave
them and 60 to the West, where | intended to
settle and complete my studies. They were
not little surprised at this, and used many
| saw very plainly that the interest they
manifested in my behalf went SO far only
as to put dollars in their pockets, and | con-
cluded to leave at once; which did after we
had settlement. With full heart ! took
my departure for the West. And who,
whatever may be his situation in life, does
not feel strange and indescrbable emotions
when about to leave the place of his nativity
to take up his abode in land of strangers:
Yes, at such time memory, in spite OF our
efforts to the contrary, will revert to the past
"a thousand pleasing associations crowd
upon the mind which happy home suggests.
We feel the dearest ties are to be severed !;
our eyes become moistened with the tears
of sorrow, and the heart sickens with gloom
and dependency. Having sold my horse
and purchased few elementary law books, |
bid farewell to my native State and was of to
my place of destination as fast as steam and
horse power could carry me. The journey
WINS a pleasant one to me with the excep-
ton of an occurrence, which ! must here
relate, as possibly it may be of some bene-
fit to those who are inexperienced travellers
and who are liable to be imposed upon by
outward appearances. In going down the
Mississippi, was on board the boat three
days, and as time hung rather heavily, was
induced, by the solicitations of an old man,
who seemed perfect gentleman, to take a
game of cards for the purpose of dispelllng
ennui There was with him very genteel
young man, who said he would like also to
take hand if we could get forth person
to make up the game. | proposed to an
other gentleman who was standing by to be
my partner for few games at euka; having
consented, we all sat down to play, at first,
merely for drinks. My partner and myself
in the outset beat every game until we had
won more grog than the whole party could
drink. The old man now proposed, as we
had liquor enough, to play for dollar or
two, so as to make the game more interest
ing. This we readily assented to, thinking
that we had the skill of our adversaries, and
continued to play on. There was nothing
won or lost until, at the old mans sugges-
ltlon, we increased the game to ten dollars.