Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-01-15
SeIseteG Wiseellauy.
THE BARRISTER.

REGRET to say that my story is of the
shop, SLOPPY! use the word regret ad-
visedly, weighed down by the melancholy
reflection that somehow or other, when
ever am called upon to make myself
agreeable and entertaining, / always fly to
professional sources for inspiration. The
only excuse can offer upon the present
occasion is that this particular railway,
conveying me as it does round circuit
twice year, awakens many remini-
scensces, one of which, connected with
the Spring assizes at Reading some years
ago, comes back forcibly to my mind.
1t was in the earlier days Of my Bar ca
reer, and briefs were far from being as
plentiful as blackberries in autumn-in
fact, l had ,begun seriously to contem-
plate pawning my wig and gown, and
emigrating with the proceeds to British
Columbia, or some equally distant and
desolate locality. Fortunately for me and
society generally, which sooner or later
must recognize my distinguished merits
by placing me on the woolsack, I aban-
doned the idea of British Columbia, and
went to Reading. A bsnefcent fate re-
warded me for my courage in the shape of
big brief with small fee to defend two
men for conspiring TO cheat young gen.
tleman, with more money than brains,7 by
gambling with him and using loaded dice.
1t was case that had excited good deal
of interest in the neighborhood, partly
from the very remarkable way in which
the cheat had been discovered by a
stranger who happened to be in the room
where the play was going on, and who,
suspecting that all was not right, had with
large carying-fork pinned the hand of
one of the conspirators to the table. Un-
derneath it, sure enough, were found the
loaded dice, which he had manipulated
up and down his sleeve so skillfully that
the verdant youth found himself some
five hundred pounds to the bad. As
counsel for the defendants the aspect of
the case was far from inviting, and, as the
very beery solicitor who instructed me
observed, 1t looked uncommon fishy."
In that remark entirely concurred, and
folded up the papers with hopeless sigh,
curslng the lll-luck that always brought
me the deadest cases. In the present in
stance there was little for me to do but
to sit by and hold my tongue-a process,
by the way, anything but satisfactory to
one fond Of hearing the sound of his own
voice. Apart from professional regrets, l
could not help feeling that this precious
pair of rascals thoroughly deserved all
they were likely to get, and the longer
they were shut up the better for the COM
munity at large. as va8 bFa
The trial came on in due course, and the
two prisoners were placed at the bar. AS
looked at them / was much struck by
their gentssmanly appearance and dress;
but then remembered that all that was
part of the stock-in-trade of persons OF
their class, and turning to my brief pre-.
pared to do battle. As this is but sub.
sidiary portion of my story it is needless
for me to linger over the details of the
trial. They say that lucky fate often
follows on the footsteps of rogues, and in
this instance, by some objectionable care
esmess on the part of the constable, the
oaded dice which had been found under
he hand Of one Of the prisoners were not