Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-12-04
SHE EVERY THURSDAY
from my scat as if electrified by the little piece

from my scat as if electrified by the little piece
of gold. sd #a
Where did you get this money, sir p
A transient CLEAN of former fire shone in
the old mans eye. t
I" do not see, sir, what that has to do with
my case" @
BY heavens p shonted colaring the old
man and fairly lifting him ont of his seat if
you do not tell me this instant"
Just at this moment my Office door opened
to admit my learned and eloquent brother
| Flourish s.
W hat that eminent counsel. thought of the
scene, do not care to guess The personal
appearance of my client was not suggestive Of
any temptation to felonious assault. nor did
his manner Indicate any provocation which
could have called for chaStisement and those
two suppositions being impossible Flourish
stared with undisguised amazement at nv un-
professional conduct His presence brought
me to myself, and, with many apologies, | en-
planned that this coin, which, as my hearers
would notice, was peculiarly marked and for
lnery been III my own possession and that
was anxious, for particular reasons, to trace
| It's subsequent history The old man hesitat-
ed, and Stammered, and cast so many side CLAN
ces at the door, that began to think we had
fallen upon one of the chief conspirators- =
Here Mr.. Flourish came to my assistance, with
his bland smile, and most melihuous tone,
and IN live minutes had drawn from my client
all that he knew about it. Assuring myself
that he would attend and testify to the same
facts on the following day, | dismissed him.
and then rapidly recounted to Flourish the facts
of the case. The hard old lawyer listened
compiaiSantly, and when had finished drvlv
expressed an opinion that the youAg woman
should he acquitted
had conceded hope, while telling the sto-
ry Of interesting Mr.. Flourish sufficiently in
the case TO induce him to undertake the man
agcment of the defence. For that task felt
myself disqualified by other causes beside nv
want OF experience in criminal law was H.
| able to be called as a witness for the proSecu-
ton, and was most important one for the de-
tense and above all, | felt that my own per-
SOnal sympathies were too strongly excited for
the prisoner to manage the affair with reuui-
site GOODNESS aud skill Flourish, however,
who saw in the case nothing but very com
monpace incident of criminal practice, was
not easily to be persuaded. The scnsibilities
OF an elderly lawyer, in large practice, lie We
ry far down, and are covered by thick rind
Of worldly wisdom.
Consider, my dear sir" said he, how ma
ny cases of this kind are occurring every day,
and how precious my time is to me. Pom my
word, my clients would be in a pretty mess if
spent my time on petty affairs like this
Petty affair to you, Mr.. Flourish, | know,
but not to that young girl the fate of whose
whole life here, and perhaps hereafter, hangs
on that trial. One hour of such assistance as
yours may save her."
Really, Qudanl,- -"
" If such fee as could offer out of my
own pocket would tempt you-"
. 1t would tempt me- sir, if you offered it.
1t would tempt me to kick you out of your
own office, and then go home, feeling that |
had broken friendship with the softest- t-hearted,
slmplcst-hcaded fool at the bar Why, man,
you would turn the whole fraternity into gang
OF knlght-errantS roaming up and down Wall
street seeking to set this crooked world straight
again"
And so they ought to be- Mr. Flourish
Hum | can't say I'm ready to give an
opinion on that matter But the girl | see.
is fairly on my hands. I'll just step down and
tell my young men to put one or two things
off till next day, and come back to go over the
case again with you"
Glorious old Flourish The sensibiltic,
are there, after all, hard as it is to find them.
Beneath all his rich clients, and worldly wis
dom, and long briefs there is true mans
heart beating. still, as there is in the bosom Of
many a hard faced, wrinkled old lawyer beside.
Fraud and wrong, and heartleSSnesS there arc
among us, God knows ! But He and He on
ly knows, also the deeds that have been done
in secret in those dingy, dusty Offices which
shall stand forth effulgently when the great
book is opened at the Judgment day