Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-12-03

, l. Il II
on the following day. He looked around th
court and selected me. [ could not tell why h
should make such a choice. l. beardles
youngster, Impractical at the bar; perfectl,,
unknown. I felt difhdent, yet delighted, ant
could have Rugged the rascal
Before leaving the court, he gave me ont
hundred dollars in bag as q retaining fee
could scarcely believe my senses-lt seemed iikt
a dream. The heaviness of the fee spoke bu
lightly in favor of his innocence-but that wa
no affair Of mine. I was to be advocate, no
judge or jury. 1 followed him to the Jail, ane
learned from him all the particulars of the case
from thence went to the clerks Office, and took
minutes of the indictment. | then examined
| the law on the subject, and prepared my briet
in my room. All this occupied me until mid
night, when [ went to bed and tried to sleep. Il
was all in vain. Never in my life was I more
wide awake. A host of thoughts and fancies
kept rushing through my mind; the shower Of
gold that had So unexpectedly fallen into my
lap, the idea of my poor little wife at home that
l was to astonish her with my good fortune
But the awful responsibility had undertaken,
to speak for the first time in a strange court,
the expectations the culprit had formed of my
talents-all these, and crowd ofsimilar notions,
kept whirling through my mind. tossed about
all night, fearing the morning would find me
exhausted and incompetent-in a word, the day
dawned on me miserable fellow.
''I got up feverish and nervous. | walked
out before breakfast, striving to collect my
thoughts and tranquilize my feelings. 1t was a
bright morning. bathed my forehead and my
hands in beautiful running stream, but
could not allay the fever heat that ragged within.
| returned to breakfast, but could not eat A
single cup of coffee formed my repast. It was
time to go to court 1 went there with throb-
bing heart. believe if it had not been for the
thoughts of my little wife in her lonely house,
| should have given back to the man his hundred
dollars, and relinquished the cause. took my
seat, looking, am convinced, more like culprit
than the rogue I was to defend.
''When the time came for me to speak, my
heart died within me. rose embarrassed and
dismayed, and stammered in opening my cause.
went on from bad to worse, and felt as if /
was going down hill. Just then the public pro-
secutor, a man of talents, but somewhat rough
in his practice, made a sarcastic remark on
something had said. It was like an electric
spark, and ran ingling through every vein in
my body. In an Instantly difidence was gone.
My whole spirit was in arms. I answered with
promptness and bitterness, for felt the cruelty
of such an attack on a novice in my situation.
The public prosecutor made kind of apology.
This, for a man Of his redoubtable powers, was
a vast concession I renewed my argument
with fearful glow, carried the cause triumph
antly, and the man was acquitted.
& This was the making of me. Everybody
was curious to know who this new lawyer was,
that had SO suddenly risen among them, and
bearded the Attorney General at the very onset.
The story of my debut at the inn on the preced-
ing evening, when had knocked down bully
and kicked him out ofdoors, for striking an old
man, was circulated with favorable exaggera-
ton Even my beardless chin and juvenile
countenance was in my favor, for the people
gave me far more credit than deserved. The
chance business which occurs in our courts came
thronging upon me. Twas repeatedly employed
in other causes, and by Saturday night, when
the court closed, and had paid my bill at the
inn, l found myself with hundred and fifty
dollars in silver, three hundred dollars in notes.
and horse that l afterwards sold for two hun
dred dollars more.
"Never did miser gloat more on his pelf
and with more delight. l locked the door of my
room, piled the money in a heap upon the table,
and walked around it-sat with my elbows on
the table, and my chin upon my hands, and
gazed upon it.. Was I thinking of the money?
Mo- was thinking of my little wife and home.
'Another sleepless night ensued, but what a
night of golden fancies and splendid air castles.
AS soon as the morning dawned, I was up,
mounted the borrowed horse with which had
come to court, and led the other which had
received as fee. All the way was delighting
myself with the thoughts Of surprise had in
store for my little wife; for both of US had ex-
pected nothing but that should spend all the
money I had borrowed, and should return in
debt
"Our meeting was joyous, as you may sup
pose; but played the part Of an Indian hunter,
who, when he returns from the chase, never for
a time speaks of his success. She had prepared
q snug little rustic meal for me, and while it
was getting ready, seated myself at an old
fashioned desk in one corner, and began to count
over my money and put it away. She came to
me before I had finished, and asked me who
had collected money for.
'sFor myself, to be sure" replied l with af-
fected coolness, 81 made it at court
"She looked at me for a moment in the face
I tried to keep my countenance
and play the Indian, but it would not do. My
muscles began to twitch-my feelings all at once
gave way, caught her in my arms, laughed,
cried, and danced ut the room like crazy
man. From that time forward we never wanted
money"