Columbia gazette., 1853-12-03
"Thisvery autumn I was admitted tc

the bar, and month afterwards wa
married. We were a young couple
she not much more than sixteen and
, not quite twenty-and both almost with
out dollar in the world. The estab
llshment was well suited to our circum.
stances; low house with two small
!, rooms, bed, and table, half dozer
chairs, a half dozen knives and forks, q
half dozen spoons-every thing by the
half dozen-a little DELPHI ware, every
thing in small way; we were so poor,
but then so happy
We had not been married many DAYS
when Court was held in country
town, about twenty-five miles Distant
1t was necessary for me to 90 there, and
put myself in the way of business-but
how was | to 60? had expended all
my means ON our establishment, and then
it was hard parting with my wife so
soon after marriage. However, go l
must. Money must be made, or we
would soon have the wolf at our door
| accordingly borrowed horse, and bor-
rowed a 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 becoming, went
to my heart. 1 felt as if [ could 90
through fire and water for her | ar
rived at the country town on a cool Oc-
tober evening. The inn was crowded,
tor the court was to commence on the
following day.
| knew no one, and wondered how I,
stranger, mere youngster, was to
make way in such crowd, and to get
business. The public room was throng-
ed with all the idlers in the country,
who gather ON such occasions. There
was some drinking going forward, with
a great noise and little alteration.
Just as entered the room, | saw
rough bully of a fellow, who was partly
intoxicated, strike an old man. He
came staggering by me, and elbowed
me as he passed. Immediately knock
ed him down, and kicked him into the
street. | needed no better introduc-
ton. In moment [ had half dozen
rough shakes of the hand and invitations
to drink, and found myself quite a per-
sonage in this rough assemblage.
The next morning the Court opened
Il took my seat among the lawyers,
but felt as mere spectator, not having
any idea where business was to come
fiom. In the course of the morning a
man was put to the bar, charged with
passing counterfeit money, and was ask
ed if he was ready for trial. He an
swered 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 be
ready for trial on the following day. He
looked around the Court and selected
me. could not tell why he should
make such choice. 1, a beardless
youngster. unpracticed at the bar; per-
fectly unknown. l felt difident, yet
lighted, and could have hugged the ras-
cal.
Before leaving the Court, he gave me
one hundred dollars in bag, as re-
tanning fee. could scarcely believe
my senses, it seemed like dream. The
heaviness of the fee spoke but lightly in
favor of his innocences-but 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 min
utes of the Indictment. 1 then examin-
ed the law on the subject, and prepared
my brief in my room. All this occupi-
ed me until midnight, when I went to
bed and tried to sleep. It was all in
vain. Never in my life was [ more wide
awake, A host of thoughts AMI Eancies
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 was to aston
ish her with my good fortune! But the
awful responsibility ! had undertaken, to
speak for the first time in strange
court, the expectations the culprit had
formed Of my talents, all these, and a
crowd of similar notions, kept whirling
through my mind. I tossed about all
night, fearing the morning would find
me exhausted and incompetent-in a
word, the day dawned on me misera-
BILE fellow.
I; | got up feverish and nervous.
walked out before breakfast, striving to
collect my thoughts, and tranquilize my
feelings. 1t was bright morning.
bathed my forehead and my hands in a
beautiful running stream, but I could not
allay the fever heat that ranged within
[ returned to breakfast but could not
eat. A single cup of coffee formed my