Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-14
TRUE TO THE LAST.

TRUE TO THE LAST.
IL happened Just before l went up for my
examination (said old Smith, The finn was
then Snarpus, Ward, Andrews l. Co.; and if
anybody had told me that my name would
ever figure in it as a partner, should have
looked up the law relative to the confinement.
of lunatics, by way of practice, aud for that
persons especial benefit. Well the house is
Ward, Smith u Diggles now, and it may be
Smith, Diggles * Smith before long, If Master
Jack minds his P's and Q's, and chooses TO
work his way on, as his father did before him.
But 20 60 on with my story. | was Just out
of my articles; and for Mr.. Wardle-Crab
Wardle, we mischievOus young clerks used to
call him-OuF managing cOmmOn-laW clerk,
was i'll, poor old Mr.. Andrews (whO under
took that branch of business) asked me TO
remain and do his work while he was away
And glad enough l was of the chance for,
in the first place, it gave me an increase of
salary, which was an important consideration
in those days, and better still, il gave me
practice, and experience, of which stood
even greater need don't mind owning it
now, because I've too good an opinion of Jacks
common sense to think that il will have a bad
effect on him; but when | was his age,
thought, like many another foolish young fell
should take to law as a duck takes to swim
ming without the trouble of learning.
An old schoolfellow and great ehum of
mine vas one Charley Lawrence, ari his So
ciety and example were anything but con
ductive to application. He had $500 wear
of his own, and was waiting for a commission
in the army. Nearly every shilling of my
fortune, past, present, and TO come, had been
sunk in paying the premium and stamp on
my articles with Sharpus, Ward, Andrews 4
Co, and 50 you may suppose that the COM
paniOnship OF gay young scapegrace like
Charley was not the wisest that lawyers
clerk on nothing a year would have chosen.
IL led me into all sorts of scrapes and extrav-
agances; and when, after eighteen months of
racketing about town, Charley was gazetted
full ensign in her Majesty's regiment, and or
dered OF TO India, | found myself in difficult
ties, under which grOaned for many a year
o, but be was right-dOwn good-hearted boy
was Charley; and if | had limited at my
troubles 10 him, they would very soon have
vanished. But Il was too proud for that; and
Charley had troubles of his own at starting,
which prevented his thinking about me.
There was a girl down in Devonshire,
where the family lived-a clergyman's
daughter-With whom he had fallen in love,
and would have married straight off, but heI
father proud man and a devoted worship
per of mammon tout OF the pulpit, had Other
views for her, and gave my poor friend the
cold shoulder. l never could see any beauty
il Laura Tregarven, tine damsel in question
and later on knew her for what she was-a
white blOOded little simpleton, without a sin
gle good quality to maze herself or any Ole
else happy. In Charley's eyes, however, she
was perfection, ami in one of their stolen in.
terviews they vowed eternal love and con
stancy; and Charley carried with him "a
Bengal her solemn promise never, never
never to marry another
Three years passed, and this brings me &c
the time l spoke of when began my story
| had just finished preparing a brief in a
great patent case We had for trial in Guild
hall, and was the last in the Ofice-for it was
late-when in came Mr.. Sharpus with a
couple of deeds in his hand, and, cont Mr.
Smith" be said, " am sorry to detain you
but the stationer has been so much behind.
hand with the engrOssing of this settlement
and it must go of tonight by the mail-train,
would you be so good as TO assist me while /
verify il with the cOnveyancer's draft -
Now this was mere clerks work, and of
fered to do it myself; but he was always con
siderate of others trouble, and insisted upOn
helping. So he took the draft and read il.
while l followed him in the parchment to see
that it was properly copied. Ii was a mar
rage settlement, whereby Lord Thornbury. a
nobleman of seventy years of age, and any
thing but reputable character, settled ESQ.,
600 upon his brice-elect, and this lady was
no other than Laura Tregarven. "Poor
Charley!" thought l, as l walked home.
"How am TO break TO you is rupture OF
all your hopesg" And my difficulty was not
lessened when, a day or tive afterwards |
raaofuaH q laffar him cfas h.
regiment was ordered home, ana bidding me
wish him joy upon his prospect I. again be-
holding his darling, constant Lau. a.
Well, six months passed, and heard no
more of Charley; nor, indeed, had / much
time TO think about him, for poor old War
dies illness ended in his death, and was APP
pointed, Professionally managing clerk in his
stead. The assizes were on, and we had
several heavy cases for trial in different
parts of the country. One of these, the great
cause of Stopperty Ggt. Moss, was entered for
trial at York; and thither / went by mail
for there were no railways in those days
with my briefs and witnesses, and retained
the late Lord Campbell as my leading coun-
sci.
Now, York is a charming old city, in which
stranger can spend day or two very pleas
antly in looking about him. But a clerk in
charge of lawsuit, Master Jack, must not
90 looking about him, or let his witnesses out
of his sight, for he never knows, from one
hour to another, when his cause may be cal
led on 1t may stand half dozen down on
the list; but if you presume on this to go out
for walk, or row on the river, the others
are sure TO break down, or be referred, or
what not; and pretty mess you will be in
then. 1t may remain the very next for trial,
and yeu may be told that the one before it