The weekly Placer herald., 1853-11-12

rode off from my door, leaving nv wife
standing at it, and waving her hand after
me. Her last Ook 40 sweet md becoming
went ~ my heart. felt as il could 60
through fire and water fnr her. lurrived
At the village on q cool October evening.
The inn WAS crowded, for the court was
to commence on the following dav.
| knew no one, and wondered how |, a
stranger, r mere youngster, was 10 make
way in such Il crowd, and To- get business.
The public room was througed with all
the ldlers in the country who gathered on
such occasions. There was So"e drink
ing going forward, with great noise and
little alterCaton. just as entered the
room, saw rough bully Of st fel ow. who
was partially intoxicated, strike an old
man He came staggering hy me, md
elhowed me ~ he passed. Immediately
knocked him down, and kicked hun into
the street I needed no better introduc
tion. In moment had dozen rough
sh.kes of the hand, and invitations to
drink, and found myself quite person-
age in this roueh assembly
The next morning the court opened
| took my seat among the lawyers, hut
felt M n mere spectator, not having any
In the course of the morning man was
put 10 the bar, charged with pas ing roun-
terfrit money, and wa. asked If he WI.
ready for trirl He answered in the neg
ative He had been confined in place
here there were no lawyers, and had
not h ID chance of consulting any. He
was told 10 choose from the lawyers pres
emf, and be rpndv for trial the following
dav He looked around the Court and
s-lrcted me ! could nor TELL why he
should make such selection. |, beard
less voungSter, unpracticed ~ the bar;
pprtpctlv unknown | felt diffidrnt, YET
dplQhted, and could have almest hugged
the rascal.
Before leaving the Court, he gave me
one hundred dollars IN II bag, rs II retain
lug fee. | could scarce y believe my
senses, il seemed ike dream. The
heavinr-s Of the fee spoke but lightly IN
favor uf hi. innocence-but that was no
affair of mine. | was To advocate, not
I Judge or jury. followed him To the
iai and learned from him all the partic-
ulara Of the case; from thence | went TO
the clerks Office, and took minutes of the
Indictment, | then exauned the law ON
the subject and prepared my brief in my
room. All this occupied me until mid
night, when | went to bed aud tried 10
sleep. II was all in vain Never in my
life WIS | more wide awake. A host of
thoughts and fance- kept rushing through
my mind; the shower of gold that h"d 40
unexpecte dIy fa len into my ap, the idea
of my poor lit wife nj home, thnt was
to astonSh bv my good fortune! But the
81 80, | a.. nt.,r m
speak for the first time in strange court,
the expectations the rulprit had formed of
my talents, all these, and II crowd of SIM
i ar notions, kept whirling through my
mind. tossed about all night, fearing
that the morning might find me exhausted
and incompetent-in word the morning
dawned on me n miScral le fellow.
got up frvprsh aud excited, ] walked
out before breakfast, striving 10 collect
my thoughts, and tranqnIlize my feelings
II was bright mornIng-l hathed my
forehead and hands in benutlfu stream,
hut | could NOT allay the fever heat that
ragged within. returned to breakfast but
could not eat, A single cup of coftr"
formed my repast IL was time 10 90 10
court. went there with n thrnhbing
heart believe if it had not been for
The thoughts Of my little wife in her onely
house, | should have given hack the man
his hundred dollars, and relnqnlsh"d the
cause. | took my seat, looking, | ain
convinced, more ike culprit than The
r0gu" | wAs to defend.
When the time came for me tO speak
my heart died within me. | rose emhar-
rasSed and disnayed, and rtanmered in
openny nv cause went on from bad
to worse, and felt a. if was going down
hill. Just then the pub ic prosecutor,
man Of talents, but somewhat rough in
his practice, made n sarcastic rrtnnrk on
snnethiny had said 1t was Ike an e ec
tri. spark, and ran tinyling through every
VEN in my body. In an instant my diff
dpnce was gone. My whole spirit was
in arms. | answered with pr"mp,nes-
and bitterness for felt the cruelty of such
an attark upon u novice in my situation
The public prosecutor made kind of
apology. This. for n man of his rednnbt
able powers, WAS vast concession. !
renewed NV argument with fearful glow,
carried the cause triumphantIy, and the
man was arquitred.
This was The making Of me. Every
body vas curious 10 know who this new
lawyer was, thar had suddenly risen
among Them, and bearded the Attorney
General at the very onset he story "f
my debut ut the inn on the preceding eve
ming, when | knocked down II bul Y and