The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-06-21

ger, mere youngstcr, was 10 make way III
such crowd and to- get business. The pub.
lie room was thronged with all the idlers in the
country who gather on such occasions There
was some drinking going forward with great
noise and little alteration. Just as enter.
ed the room, | saw rough bully OF ielIow'
who was partly intoxicated, strike an old man.
He came staggering by me, and el0owed me
as he passed | Immediately knocked HIM
down and kicked him into the street. need.
ed no better introduction. In a moment had
a half dozen rough shakes Of the hand and invi.
tations to drink, aud found myself quite per-
sonage in this rough assemblagc. :,
The next morning the Court opened-l took
my seat among the lawyers. but felt as mere
spectator, not having any idea where business
was to come from. In the course of the morn
ing man was put to the bar charged with
passing counterfeit money, and was asked II
he was ready for trial lie answered in the
negative. He had been confined in place
where there were no lawyers, and had not had
an opportunity of consulting any. He was
told to choose from the lawyers present, and De
ready for trial on the following day: tie look,
ed around the Court aud selected Inc: could
not tell why ha should make such choice 1,
beardless vou,,g>ter, unpractised at the bar;
perfectly unknown IfeIt diliideut, yet defgh-:
tel, and could have huggcd the rascal.
Before leaving the Court he gave me one
hundred dollars in a bag, as a retaining lee
I could scarcely believe my senses, it seemed
like dream The heavncSs of the, fee spoke
lightly in favor ofhis innocence-bnt that was
no affair of mine. was to be advocate, not
Judge or jury. followed him to the jail, and
learned from him all the particulars OF the case;
from thence went to the clerks office and
took minutes of the Indictment. then exam-
iled tie law on the snbnct. and prepared my
briefin nv rooo. All this occupied me until
midnight VIXEN went to bed aud tried to
sleep. 1t was all in vain. Never in my iIle
was more wide awake. \ host OF thoughts
and .fancies kept rushing through my mind the
shower of gold that had 50 unexpectedly fallen
into my lap, the idea'of my poor lttle wife at
home, that was to a>tonish her with my s"oa
fortune But the awful responsibility ! had
undertaken, TO speak for the first time III
strange court, the expectations the cnlpnt had
formed of my talents, all these, and crowd OF
similar notions, kept whirng throughmy mind.
Itossed about all night, fearing the morning
would find me exhausted and incompctcnt-ln
word, the day dawned Oh mc miserable lei
low. E,a-.
/ got up feyeri>h and nervous. walked out
before breakfast, striving to collect ythonghts'
and tranquil.ze my feeling. 1t was bright
mornug-l bathed my forehead sad my hands
in beautiful running stream, but could not
allav the fever heat which ragged within. re-
1. Z, L., o,t
gle cup of coffee formel my rcpast. 1t WAS
time to 90 TO court. went there with throb-
bing heart believe lit had not been for my
little vile in her lonely h"use,l should have
given back to the man his hundred dollars, and
reDqus!cd the cause. Itook my scat, look
inc. am convinced, r'ore like lprit than
the rocne was to defend When the time
came for me to speak my heart died within
me. rose, embarrassed and dismdycd, and
stanmcred in opening my cause. l-went on
| from bad to worse, AMID felt as if | WIS gong
down hill. Just then, the public prosecutor,
man of talents, but somewhat rough i'll his
rractice,, made sarcastic remark on something
! I.had said. 1T was like an electric spark and
ran tingling through every vein in my body
In an instant my diiiidence was s"ue. MY
whole spirit was in arms. answered W
promptness and bitterness, for felt the cruclt
of such IN attack. upon novice in my Stua-
ton. The public prosecutor made a kind of
apology This, for a man of his redouhtable
powers, Was vast concession. | renewed
my argument with fearful glow, carried the
cause triumphantIy, andthe man was acquitted.
This was the making Of me- Every body
was curious TO know who this new lawyer was,
that had suddenly arisen among them, and
| bearded the Attorney General at the very on
set The story of my debut at the Inn on the
a bully and kicked.shim out of DOORS for strik-
ing an old man, was circulated with favorable
exaggcration. Even my beardess chin and u-
venie countenance was in my favor, for the
people gave far more credit than deserved
The chance business which occurs in our Courts
came thronging upon me-, | was repeatcdly
employed in other causes, and by Saturday
night, when the Court closed, and had paid
| my bill at the Inn, found myself with an hun
dred and fifty dollars in silver, three hundred
dollars in notes. and horse that | afterwards
sold for two hundred more.
Never did a miser G loaf more on his pclf
and with more delight. | locked the door Of
my room, piled the money in heap upon the
table, and walked around it, sat with my elbows
on the table, and my chin upon my hands, aud
gazed upou it. Was thinking Of the money 2
| No-Iwas thinking of my little wifeand home
Another slccpIess night ensued, aud what Il
night of golden faacies and splendid air castles.
As soon as morning dawned, was up, mouEt,
ed the borrowed horse with which had come
to court on, and led the other Which had re-
ceivcd 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 OK.
pectcd nothing but that should spend all the
.--A..x... I hnd horrnwnd and shnnld rntnrn in