Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-30
A FIRST RATE STORY FOR LAWYERS.

A FIRST RATE STORY FOR LAWYERS.
Whether lawyers, doctors and the other
professions should have distinct depart
ment in newspaper has not been decided
by any of our debating societies or tea
table clubs, but despite Of authority in all
such cases acknowledged, we devote a
part Of a column to the gentlemen Of the
green bag.
Every lawyer Of any note has heard and
read Of the celebrated Luther Martin, Of
Maryland. His great efforts in the case
of Aaron Burr, as well as his displays in
the Senate Of the United States, will not
be forgotten. Trifles in the history are
important, as we hope to show in the
story.
MIR. Martin was on his wav to Annapo-
lis, Maryland, to attend the Supreme
Court of the State. \ solitary passenger
was in the stage coach with him, and, as
the weather was extremely cold, the pas
Sengers soon rcsorted to conversation to
divert themselves from too much sensibil-
ity to the nclcment air The young man
knew Mr.. Martin by sight, and, as he al
50 was lawyer, the thread of the talk
began to spin itself out Of legal matters.
Mr.. Martin" said the young man, "
am just entering on my career as law
yer can you tell me the secret Of your
great success If, sir, you will give me,
from your experience, the key to distinc-
ton at the bar, will
viii what 2" asked Martin.
"Why, sir, will pay your expenses
while YOU are at Annapolis" J." replied the
young disciple.
"Done, responded Mr.. Martin. "Stand
to your bargain, now, and Ill furnish
you the great secret of my success as a
LAWYER"
The young man assented.
"~Nery WE'LL" said Mr.. Martin. "The
whole reason of my success is contained
in one little maxim, which I carly laid
down to guide me. If you follow it you
cannot fail to succeed. 1t is this :: Al
1cans be sure Of your eridence.
The listener was very attentive-smiled
threw himself back i'll a philosophic
posture, and gave his brains to the ana
lysis in true lawyer patience, of" Alwcys
be sure Of y0ur erldenCe."
1t was too cold night for anything to
be made pecuniarily out of the old man s
wisdom, and so the promising adept in
maxim learning gave himself to stage
dreams, in which he was knocking and
pushing his way through the worldt by
the all-powerful words, /" Alcays be Ssre
Of uour eridsnce."
The morning came, and Mr.. Martin,
with his practical studert, took rooms at
the best hotel of the city. The only
thing peculiar to the hotel, in the eyes of
the young man, was the fact that all the
wine bottles and the etceterns of fine living
seemed to recall very vividly the maxim
, about the evidence
The young man watched Mr.. Martin.
Wherever eating and drinking were con-
cerned, he was indeed man to be watched,
especially in the latter, as he was immod-
erately fond of the after dinner, after
supper, and after-anything luxury of
wine. a few days were sufficient to
show the incipient legalist that he would
have to pay dearly for his knowledge as
slr. Martin seemed resolved to make the
| most of his part of the contract. Law
yers, whether young or old, have legal
rights, so the young man began to tIipk
Of the study Of selfprotection. Ii IS
certainly solemn duty. 1t ran through
all creation. Common to animals and
men, it was noble instinct, not to be
disobeyed, particularly where the hotel
bills of lawyer were concerned. The
subject daily grew on the young man. /
was all absorbed to mind and pocket.
\ week elapsed, and Mr.. Martin was
ready to return to Baltimore. So was
the young man, but not in the same stage
with his illustrious teacher.
Mr.. Martin approached the counter in
the bar-room. The young man was an
anxious spectator near him.
"Mr. Clerk" said Mr.. Martin, ssmy
young friend, Mr., will settle my bill
agreeably to agreement"
The young man said nothing, but looked
everything.
81 lie will attend to it. Mr.. Clerk, as we