Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-12-03
The Poor Lawyer,
The Knickerbocker Magazine. some years

contained Washington Irving's EARLY Ex
perience of Ralph Ringwood." This excitin!
story was we'll termed by the editor g a specie
of Mountoy of the West,'' for the lovers Of fRalpl
Ringwood are scarcely less poetical than thos
of Mountjoy himself. Here is the first intro
duction to the lovely maiden who was to hav
so great an influence on his after life:
az had taken my breakfast, and was waitin.
for my horse, when, in passing up and down th
piazza, saw young girl seated near the win
dow, evidentlya visitor. She was very pretty
with auburn hair and blue eyes, and was dressed
in white. had seen nothing of the kind since
had left Richmond; at that time was to'
much of a boy to be struck by female beauty
She was SO delicate and dainty looking, diff
ferent from the hale, buxom girls of the wood.
and then her white dress. it was so dazzling
| Never was a poor youth so taken by surprise
and suddenly bewitched My heart yearned tt
know her. but how was to accost her? l haC
grown wild in the woods, and had none of the
habitudes of polite life. Had she been like
Peggy Pugh, or Sally Pigman, or any other O.
| my leathern-dressed bellies of the pigeon-roost
l should have approached her without dread
nay, had she been as fair as Shurt's daughters
with their looking glass lockets, should not
have hesitated; but that white Dress and those
auburn ringlets, and blue eyes and delicate
looks, quite daunted while they fascinated me.
don't know what put it into my head, but
thought, all at once, would kiss her. Itwould
take long acquaintance to arrive at such a
boon, but might seize upon it by sheer rob.
berry. Nobody knew me here. l would just
step in and snatch kiss, mount my horse and
ride off She would not be the worse of it; and
that kiss-oh, I should die if I did not get it.
81 gave no time for thought to cool, but en-
tered the house and stepped lightly into the
room She was seated with her back to the
door, looking out of the window, and did not
hear my approach. tapped her chair, and as
she turned and looked up, snatched as sweet
a kiss as ever was stolen, and | vanished in a
twinkling. The next moment was on horse
back, galloping homeward, my very heart ting
ling at what had done"
After q variety of amusing adventures, Ring
wood attempts the study of law, in an obscure
settlement in Kentucky, where he delved night
and day Ralph pursues his studies, occasionally
argues at debating society, and at length be-
comes quite genius, and favorite in the eyes
Of the married ladies Of the village.
's called to take tea one evening with one Of
these ladies, when to my surprise, and some-
what to my confusion, [ found with her the
identical blue-eyed beauty whom I had auda-
ciously kissed. I was formally introduced to
QcT, Out ucitAicF oe 40 bCaId4cu ally sigh VI
vious acquaintance except by blushing to the
eyes, While tea was getting ready, the lady Of
the house went from the room to give some
directions and left us alone Heavens and earth
what situation! l would have given all the
pittance was worth to have been in the deep
est dell of the forest. l felt the necessity of
saying something in excuse for my former rude
ness; could not conjure up an idea, nor utter
a word. Every moment matters became worse.
felt at one time tempted to do as I had done
before when had robbed her of the kiss-bolt
from the room and take flight but Twas chain
ed to the spot, for I really longed to gain her
good will.
cat length plucked up courage, on seeing
her equally confused with myself, and walking
desperately up to her, exclaimed:
ssI have been trying to muster up something
to say but cannot. l feel that l am in a hor-
rible scrape. Do have pity on me and help me
out of it!''
ga smile dimpled about her mouth, and play
ed among the bushes Of her cheek. She looked
up with shy but arch glance Of the eye, that
expressed volume of comic recollections we
both broke into laugh, and from that moment
all went on well.'
Passing the delightful description which sue
ceeded, we proceed to the denouement of Ring
woods love afair-the marriage and the settle
ment:
.sThis very autumn was admitted to the bar,
and month afterwards was married. We were
2 young couple-she notmuch more than sixteen
and not quite twenty-and both almost with
out dollar in the world. The establishment
was well suited to our circumstances; low
house with two small rooms, bed, and q table,
q half dozen chairs, a half dozen knives and
forks, half dozen spoons-everything by the
half dozen-a little DELPHI ware everything in
small way; we were so poor, but then SO happy.
sWe had not been married many days when
. court was held in q country town, about
twenty-f miles distant. It was necessary for
me to 60 there and put myself in the way of
business but how was to go? had expend-
ed al my means on our establishment, and then
it was hard parting with my wife SO soon after
However, 60 must. Money must
be made, or we would soon have the wolf at our
door. l accordingly borrowed horse, and
borrowed . little cash, and rode off from my
door, leaving my wife standing at it, and waving
her hand after me. Her last look, SO sweet and
went my heart. felt as if l could
go through fire and water for her. arrived at
The country town on . cool October evening.
The inn was crowded, for the court was to COM
nence on the following day.
81 knew no one, and wondered how I, q
stranger, mere yeungster, was to make way
IN such crowd, and to get business. The public
room was thronged with all the idlers in the
country, who gather on such occasions. There
vas drinking going forward, with a great noise
md little altercatiqp. just as entered the
oom, saw a rough bully of fellow, who was
,artiy intoxicated, strike an old man. He came
by me, and elbowed me as he passed.
Immediately Knocked him down, and kicked
lin into the street. needed no better intro
Euction. In moment Ihad half dozen rough
hakes of the hand and Invitations to drink, and
ound myself quite . personage, in this rough
The nextmoning the court opened-I took
ny seat among the lawyers, but felt as mere
pectator, not having any idea where business
Fss to come from. In the course Of the morn |
ng man was put TO the bar charged with pass
ng counterfeit money. and was asked If he was
eady for trial He answered m the negative. |
1e had been confined in place where there
Tere no lawyers, and had not had an oppor-
UNITY Of consulting any. He was told to choose
tho Io a,,I ho s. 49,,