The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-06-08
From the Knickerbocker of March.
A Professional Scar.
BY AN OLD LAWYER.

A Professional Scar.
BY AN OLD LAWYER.
Your kind letter, Harry, came duly to
hand; and you will be surprised to learn
that careless question of yours will draw
forth enough to cover a sheet: what
caused that scar on my temple :"
1t is a professional scar, Harry; one
that have carried ever since my earliest
practice; and although I have now ar
rived at a tolerable old age, and have
many, many intimate friends, it is most
singular fact that you are the first and
only person that ever inquired into its
origin. l can tell you all about it, but
must avoid names and places, for the par
ties most interested in the incident are
yet living, and I am under strong bonds
of secresy.
In the year., after passing thro'
long examination before grave Judges
and shrewed barristers, [ was pronounced
properly qualified person to appear be-
fore juries and courts for others as we'll
as myself, and at once proceeded to
large southern city where by modest
! little sign over the door of a modest little
office, l announced my readiness to com
mence the practice of law. For three
! months I waited, but alas no business
came, and l sat in my Office on dreary
night, at about eleven o'clock, in this
very comfortable position; my money was
gone entirely; my board bill was to be
paid in the morning, and my rent the
day following; and absolutely feared to
90 to my boarding house, and waited in
what secured the forlorn hope that some
thing in the way of fee might appear,
either dropping from the skies, or sud
denly appearing on my desk. Outside,
no step was heard; and as | occasionally
glanced through my window, the flame
of the street light, moved by the wind
would seemingly move me homeward !!
but I would not 60. A footstep sounded
in my entry; a second, and a third, and
more, but SO slight that my heart beating
prevented me counting them : and then
a little knock. l compelled myself to
say come in with calm voice, altho'
I expected to be instantly vis-a-vis with
a young woman; the door opened, and L
saw-an old one.
I had only time to move towaad chair
before she was in the centre of the room
and speaking;
"I have no time to sit. Young man,
you are lawyer; are you good for any
thing ?"
Ny insulted dignity was controlled by
an effort, and I answered that | tiattered
myself that possessed some talent for
nv profession, or | should not have chos-
en- it.
"Well,' well, no gas; can you draw
paper?"
Here again [ veutured to remark, that
it depended somewhat on its nature; but
saw from her impatient manner that
she wanted no triding. Before finished
the sentence, she interrupted me with
ferceness of manner exceeding her for
mcr rough one, saying:
"I want will drawn quick! hurried
ly! but so strong that all the dis in
h-ll can't undo it. Can you do it!' and
she fairly glared at me with impatience
for my answer
Now you know, Harry, that my legal
education was obtaind entirely il sur
rogate's office, and you may presume that
on the law and forms of last wills and
testaments I felt myself sufficiently posted
up. 1 accordingly assured her that l
could draw will which, though [ could
not warrant it to pass the ordeal she
mentioned, would, l was sure, be proof a
gainst all the lawyers in Christendom.
! And now her manner changed from
the fierce and bold to the anxious and
| hurried.
"Come, then, quick quick young
man and you shall pocket one thousand
dollars for your nights work she ex-
claimed.
And, amazed and bewildered as was,
l found myself at the neighboring corner
stepping into hack, before the startling
but comfortable words, Gone thousand
dollars for your nights work?' had ceased
ringing in my ears. My conductress fol-
lowed me in, and without orders we were
ratified furiously along the streets to the
-IlOuSo Iutll IHo ldA SOSO HOpOI III tHo
city. Ny visions of one thousand bright
dollars kept my tongue bridled, and |
was led in silence up two flights of stairs
into suit of rooms comprising parlor
and two bed rooms. The parlor, howev-
er, was occupied by bed, in which lay
an old and evidently dying man. A SER
want was with him, but he left upon
motion from the hand of my companion,
who approached the bed and said
81 have an attorney here, Sir; shall
he proceed 7"
The old mans eye frightened up, and,
after glaring me for a N oment, he spoke:
If you can draw my will, do it; quick!
now for must save my breath"
| turned to the table where | found
paper, pens, ink, and everything neces-
sary; and by the light of two sperm can
dies in heavy silver candlesticks, | was
soon busily engaged at the will,
| will not trouble you With the details,
nor in fact do I raman,har the,n hut n