Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1854-05-17
A Professionai scar.
~ AN OLD LAWYER.

u
A Professaonal Scar.
~ AN OLD LAWYER.
Your kind letter, Henry came duly to hand
snd you will be surprised to learn that care,
less question Of yours will draw forth enough
to cover sheet: What caused that scar on
my templep
1t a professional scar. Harry one that l
have carried every since my earliest practice /;
and although have now arrived ut tolera.
Bile old age, and have many. many intimate
friends, it is a most singular fact that you are
the first and only person Tint inquired into its
origin. can tell you all about it, but must
avoid names aud places, for the parties most
interested IN the incident are yet living, and
am under strong bonds Of secresy.
In the year. after passing through long
examination before grave judges and shrewd
barristers, was pronounced a properly quail
fed person to appear before jurles and courts
for others as we'll as myself, aud at once pro.
ceeded to large southern city. where. BY a
modest little sign over the door Of modest
little Office, l announced my readiness, to COM
mence the practice Of law. For three months
waited, but alas M business came. and
sat in my Office on dteary night. at about II
o'clock, in this very comfortable position my
money was gone entirely my board bill was
w uc Ydiu III VIC iuy rent tue u ay
following !; and absolutely feared to go to my
boarding house, aud waited In what seemed
the forlorn hope that something in .he way of
fee might appear either dropping from the
skies, or suddenly appearing OH my desk -
Outside, no step was heard and us | occa
sionally glanced through my window, tho
flame OF the street light, moved by he wind
would seemingly move me homeward but
would not go. A foots'ep sounded ic my en-
- n nd md N fhtrd o,I
light tha, my heart beating prevented my coun-
ting them; and then little delicate knock. l
compelled my SILT 10 say Come in with a calm
voice. althougRI expected to be INSTANTLY vis-
avis with young woman the door opened,
and saw--an old one,
/ had only time to move towards chair be
fore she was in the centre OF the room and spea-
king
Il have no time to sit. Young nan you are n
lawyer are you good for anything 4
My insulted dignity was controlled by an
effort, and l answered that ] fattcred myself
| that possessed some talent E,r my profession
or should not have chosen it,
.,ssli s's' go \ s1'' ss sFH:.sI~ -<~
Here again 1 vel6 .-.a TO renaak that 1t de
pended so'newhitS Gp. its nature but | saw
from her impatient manner that she wanted NJ
trifing Before i finished the sentence, sh'
interrupted me with a fsrceness of manner OK
ceeding her former rough one, saying.
i want will drawn quick hurriedly
but SO strong that all the d--ais in HI
cant undo i'll Gan you do it T. and she fair
ly glared at mo with impaticnce for my an.
swer.
Now you know, Harry, that my legal edu
cation was obtained entirely IN a surrogate 3
office, and you may presume that on the law
and forms OF last wills aud testaments felt
myself sufficiently posted up. ! therefore as.
sured her thai could draw viii which, al.
though could not wafran. it to pass the orde
sl she mentioned, would, was sure, be proof
against the efforts Of all The lawyers In Chris.
tendon.
And now her manner changed from the fierce
and bold to the anxious and hurried.
Come, then quick quick young man, and
you shall poke. one thousand dollars for your
nights work l. she exclaimed.
| And amazed and bcwildered as was,
| found myself at the neighborng corner. step
| ping nte hack before the startling but com
| Portable words, 'One thousand dollars for you
| nights work had ceased ringing In my ears
| My conductress followed me. and without or
de We were ratified furiousiy along the streets
/ TO thc---Hoase then the largest hotel in tht
! city My visions Of one thousand bright dol
lar, kept my tongue bridled, and was lee
silently up two.Hights Of stairs into a suit o
rooms comprising parlor aud two bed rooms
! The parior however, was occupied by q bed in
| whirh lay an old and evidently dying man. 4
servant was with him, but he left, upon mo
| ton from the hand Of my companion, who ap
| preached the bed and said,
Il have an attorney, here Sir shall he pro
coed 2
The old man'a eyes Frightened ur. and afte
glaring on me for moment, he spoke:
III you can draw my will, do do it; quick
| now, for must save my BREATH
] / turned to the table where ] found paper
peus, lux, and everything necessary and b.
tho light of two sperm candles in heavy silve
candle sticks was soon busily engaged at th
| will.
4 will not trouble you with the details, mol
| in fact, do remember them, but 1t 10 enoug
to say that large amount OF pr operty, rea
and personal, bonds, NOR cages, etc. were LEFT
in the words Of the will to my good and laitl
'fui housekeeper, Apgcfiao------, n taken q
gratitude for her long, faithful and meritcriou
4 service But the concluding words of the will
shall never forget they were written fron
his own mouth, and made me shudder -
wrote them There is something fearful yes
devilish this deliberately recording. il
what purports to be your last written wish.
curse upon your own offspring And l fel,
( as / wrote it, an Involuntary desire to tea
!, the paper into fragments, and to rush fTon
the room, but the thousand collars were lik
so many anchors, and staid and wrote
II leare to my daughter DoRA all the satisfactioi
she can obtain from my hearty curse. When rag
ulip about her in her only home, the street. an
doqs share Nth her the refuse Of the gutter, che ma
regret that shs disobeyed him ,ohe ones loctd Ae'
but ,cho, dying. cursed her,"
There was something like . chuckle in tn
direction o. old Angeline ~ the dying wretc
dictated these fearful words but as looke'
. aud saw the stern fare as rigid ~ marble,
concluded must have been mistaken. coul.
, not however. divsst myself Of a certain feel
! ing that all was wrong. A rich old man, &C
, com panied by an old housekeeper. and dyin
| in strange city her anxiety 10 have the vii
SO strong the curse on his daughter, and th
. large fee, all conspired 10 make me feel that
was being instrumental 10 in the accomplish
. meat of some villainous object. Again Fined
} ilated the destruction Of the paper, and agai
| my fee aud my wants conquered. The wi
j was finished. and read over aloud, the ol
| man groaning. and the old woman looking q
) occasional assent ; bat when read the teri
, bic curse, a new actor appeared on the scene
/. 'Oh tear it | tear it Oh God you know ne
/. what you 6oP
!. The plaintive tones Of The voice touched M
, heart even before my eyes behcld its owner
] but when saw her, heavens and earth viii
!. an angel che vas The language is yet undi
e covered, Harry, that is competent 70 give yo
. 4 description Of that face the eyes dsncin
!. with excitement, YET liqlid with tssrs u
!. nouth proud ~ Juno's YET compressed wit