Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1867-12-18
THE VOLUNTEER COUNSEL,

JOhn ldyIor was licensed, when a
youth OF twenty-one, to practise. at the
bar. Hewas poor. but well educated
and possessed extraordinary genius
He married beauty who afterwards
deserted him for another.
On the 9Th of \ pril, 1910, the court
house in Clarksville, Texas, was crowd
ed to overhowing. a il exciting case
was to to be tried, George Hopkins, a
wealthy planter had offered a gross
insult to Mary Ellison, the young and
beautiful wife Of his ovefseer The
husband threatened to chastise him
for the outrage, when Hopkins went
to Ellison's house and shot him in his
door. The murderer was arrested aud
balled to answer the charge. This
occurrence produced great excitem Mt,
and Hopkins IN order to turn the tide
tof Indignation had circulated reports
against her character, and she sued him
for SANDER. Both suits were pending
for slander and murder.
The interest became deeper when
1t was known that Ashley and Pike
of Arkansas, and s. S. ePreatiss of
New Orleans, by enormous fees, had
been retained to defend Hopkins
Hopkins was acquitted. The Tex
as lawyers were overwhelmed by their
opponents. It was fight of dwarf
against giants.
The slsnder suit was for the 9th,
and the shrong of spectators grew in
numbers as in excitement. Public
Iopinion was setting in for Hopkins
his money had procured witnesses who
served his powerful advocates When
the slander case was called, Mary Ell
lison was leh without an Attorney
all had withdrawn.
Have you no counsel?" inquire ed
Judge Mill, looking kindly on the
plaintiff.
No sir; they have all deserted me,
aud am too poor to employ any
more" replied the beautiful Mary,
bursting into. tears. 81
= In such A case, will not some
chivalrous member of the profession
volunteer p said the Judge glancing
around the bar.
The thirty lawyers were silent
| will. your honor" said voice
from the thickest part of the crowd,
behind the bar.
Atthe sound of that voice many
started-it was So unearthly, sweet
and mournrul
The first sensation was changed IN
to laughter when tall, gaunt, spec
trail figure elbowed his way through
the crowd and PLACED hiInstf within
lhr bar His clothes looked so shah
sv that the court hrsitated to let the
case proceed under his management
Has YOUR name been entered on
Jhr rolls of the State p demanded the
Judge.
1t IS immaterial," answered the
stranger, his thin, bloodkss alps scurl.
.ng NJ with q Sneer.
Here is my license from the high
st tribunal in America !" and h.
handed the Judge broad parchment
The trial went on.
He suffered the Witnesses to tell
their own story, and he allowed the
defense to lead off. Ashley spoke
irSt, followed by Pike and Prentiss.
The latter brought the house down III
cheers, IN which the jury Joined.
1t was now the strangers turn -
He rose before the bar, not behind it.
aud 50 near the-Jury that he might
touch the fort man with his long.
bouv finger. lie proceeded to tear
10 pieces the, arguments of Ashley,
which melted away at his touch like
frost before a sunbeam, every one
looked surprised Anon he came to
the dazzling wit of the poet lawyer
Pike. Then the curl of his lip grew
SHARPER ,his smooth face began to kin
die up. and his eyes to open, dim and
dreary no longer, butvivid as lightn-
ing, red as fire globes, and glaring as
twin meteors. The whole soul was
in the eyes; the full heart streamed
out of the face. Then, without be-
slowing an illusion to Prentiss, he
turned short round on the periured
witnesses of Hopkins, tore their testi-
mony into threads, and hurled IN their
faces such terrible invectives that all
trembled like aspens, and two of them
ded from the court house. The ex
citement of the crowd was becoming
tremedous. Their united life and
soul seemed To hang upon the burn
ing tongue of the stranger, and he in
spired them with the power of his
passions He seemed to have stolen
natures long hidden secret of at
traction. But mis- greatest triumph
was to come.
His eyes began to glance at the
assassin Hopkins. as his lean taper
finger assumed the same direction.-
He hemmed the wretch with a wall
of strong evidence and impregnable
argument, cutting off all hope CT es-
cape He dug beneath the murderer's
feet bitches of dilemma, and held up
tGe slanderer to scorn and contempt
OF the populace Having thus girt
him about with circle OF FIRE, he
stripped himself to the work of massa-
ere.
Oh then IL was a vision both glorI-
ous and dreadful % behold the orator.
His actions became as imperuous as
the motion Of the oak IN a hurricane.
His voice became a trumpet flied
with wide whrlpools, deafening the
ear with the crashes of power. and