The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-04-18

informed, Roger Joyce never possessed any
extensive acquaintance with the laws which
he administered. He was called, to the bar as
a matter of form to qualify him for place, but
occasionally walking the "Hafln with an empty
bag might be SO considered, and he was often
heard to declare THAT he always decided
musty statutes, and that so he should continue
to do until the last day of his Judicial ,ex-
istenceg 1t happened,, unfortunately for his
peace of mind, that Mr.. Blatherwell an eminent
Kings Counsel, had lately bought an estate
within the barrister,s Jurisdiction, aud that Mr..
Thomas Pincher, Attorney at Law, his nephew
and agent, occasionally resided at the mansion,
for the doubie purpose of receiving the rights
and suing at the sessions, Ito increase his per
centage by law COSTS such of the tenantry as
We're unable or nnprepared to pay upon what
he pompousy termed his audit day. P1ncher,
who, counting. on his nncle's position, set up
for man of note, and made himself particularly
disagreeable by his arrogant manner, felt
deeply mortified that no attention had been
paid him by the resident gentry on his arrival
in the county This universal neglect he
attributed to the fact that he had not been
invited to Joyce Hail. and for this slight he
sessions lie volunteered his sexYices in com
plicated cases, and lodged appeals against the
adverse decisions of the court; The just de-
ssss 6 s sS
Pincher, flushed with his success, astonished
=
| in which he builied the indgc. The Buit0rs
soon remarked that Che attorney had il all his
own. way, and the result was that Pincher
obtained nearly all the business, and instead
of an occasional torment became fixesl thorn
] in the side of Roger This was too much, and
the HBarrister," resolving to emancipate him
self from such hnmiliating thraldom by one
/ vigorous effort, commenced operations on the
| FIRST day of his present circuit, by sumniarily
oyerrnling eyerp' point of law laid down by
Pincher. In vain did the ineensed attorney
cite presidents from blackstone. He invariably
| received the same .reply--"Put mp your book,
4 sir; this is my court, not Blackstone's, and
4 won't be led by you or him." The discussion
I finally terminated in exchange of strong
personalities, when Pincher retired, saying
: That regarded his Honor, he would take
advice from his friends, but that against such
unconstitutional conduct on the part of the
court, he was determined to appeal for redress
| to higher tribunal"
The joyous manner of the Captain during
dinner made it evident to those who knew his
| habits that he was burdened with some secret,
which the presence of his better-half alone re-
| strained him from disclosing. He kept up q
sort of a running giggle in spite of many dis
when she retired he slammed Mike. u1rncrci
on the back in the exuberance of his spirits.
aaafs7assF
round the decanters to the barrister."
Rogers manner. on the contrarX.-Mas moro
than ordinarily subdued. During dinner he
had spoken little, though he drank much, and
! Mrs. OMahony attributed this marked change
| in his behavior to the recent rencontre with
Pincher, the consequences of which might be
fatal. She did all she could to distract his at
tention from SO disagreeable asubiect. When
ever Pinchers name escaped the Captains lips
| or any else was about to repeat IT, she in
terrupted the conversation, to turn It s1to some
more agreeable channel; but her manner oi
doing so was so abrupt, and the expression ot
her face-wns peculiar, that her object was
| evident, and her good intentions but added tC
| the bitterness of feeling which she wished tc
| alleviate. The Captain, now relieved from re
straint, took his own method to cheer his
friend
Come, Roger, my boy, help YOURSELF that's
good wine, not a headache in a hOgshead of it
Don't be uneasy about that puppy, Pincher; he
can't do anything in the legal way, and h
! wont call you ont, that you may depend on"
" Do you think I'm afraid of the fellow ?
said Roger, indignantly. "No-nor of Blather
we'll, his uncle, neither He may make little o
my law, bHtif lac does I'll be id if~4-a dom
fog the rascal the first time L can lay my hand:
on him.
This dccS&+ation was received with applause
and the Intended mode of proceeding appeared
in the estimation of his friends as the only
course left for the "barrister' TO pursue, SHOULD
his legal knowledge he treated with Gliscour
tesy. To readers of the present day the idea
of supporting professional skill by persona
bravery may appear ridiculous, but it must b'
remembered that, at the period of which We
write ESQ amusingly chronicled by Sir Jonah
Barrin gton), such was the habit of legal func
tionaries filing much higher positions thar
Roger Joyce. 1t was the time when the Irisl
] Lord Chancellor had affair of honor Will
the Master of the Rolls-when Attorney Gene
raj Toler fought his way to the bench, and
clothed in the ermine, adjourned his court fol
an hour to afford a complaining htigant tn,
opportunity of meeting him ain hostile array
upon the Fifteen Acres" and when the Ear
Of Kilkenny and his two sons, las the mos
satisfactory way of termiRating disagreeabl,
business,) called out the Solicitor and leading
lawyers of n gentleman who had the indeIi
cacy to plague his lordship with an inconyenl
ent and expensive Chancery suit. The ap
plause had scarcely subsidized when Mrs. O'Aa
.hoiIy- popped in her head and requested tn,
f'barristerp to follow her for monent&o th'
irawi..ss:.,. Ihors Ine "nustT6ssB" ca