Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-07-17
THE BEST BOOK 10 READ FIRST
By JUDGE CLARK,

"Ths best book to read 6rst?" said
Judge T., repeating the question l
put on entering his Office IS q law
student.
"That's the best book to read first,
and last, too be added, laying his
hand on a we'll thumbed liking
James Bible on which less dust
bad been suffered to accumulate than
| have often seen on the same volume
on professors parlOr table.
But 1 didn't come here to learn
to preach l answered, little pert
ly.
Eyes, you did" replied the Judge.
"Aud the better you preach every
time you get before q jury, the better
you'll succeed.
"Tll prove IT, said be, quickly,
noting ny look ofiDcredulity.
And wheeling round his chair,
bringing his leg to cross, and using
his ear for pen rack, he proceeded:
"The srst year after my admis-
sion. | was elected States Attorney.
| Ny maiden case was one of petit lar
ceny, Bill Dawkes, one of those
triaiug, good sort of fellows, so called
because good for nOthing-bod been
| found in recent possession Of o car
csss of mutton, which the owner bad
| left hanging out over night, aud
which non suit jnrcnt1nn, that is to
say, turned up missing in the
morning
IL drafted the indictment with great
care, charging, with painful parucu-
Ilarity, that oue William Dswkes, yeo-
man, not having the fear, etc, but
moved and seduced by certain per-
sousco whom II was then common to
include in cyerv irdictment IS an SC
eesscry before the fact, on etc, at
etc, one carcass Of mutton of the
value. etc, ofthe goods, chattelS aud
personal property of Pelatiah Pott@,
cut of the possession, aud against the
will OF the said Pelstiah, feloniousiy,
and with force Of arms, did steal, take
and carry away.
What's The natter asked sharp
Ily, When my friend Bob e., burst out
laughing on hearing toe read over
this, my first professional production.
"Ii's the best joke af the seas'pG
said Bob, with another gueaw.
"Wbat is?'
Why. that pun-calliug 3 sheep
thiefa ycomau.
My office was scene OF confusion
at the end Of FIVE minutes. Bob's
head had gone through the glass
door Of my book case; two OF my
three chairs lay with broken legs; and
Bob and | had pair Of black eyes
| between us 1t was a month before
either spoke TO the other.
/ But I'm wandering from the
point. Iu due time the prisoner was
brought up for trial, Old PoI,ioz ap-
pearluS ior tue ueiou'e' -,
"Old Z, was character. The
only law book he Ind ever read Vas
Swans Treatise for Justice OF the
Peace" but in that, and the scrip
lures, be was powerful He had a
esy Of quoting and applying the lat
ter Which. io a religious community,
madcit difficult to oppose him without
ipcurriug a suspicion of orthodoxy.
. His forte lay in carrying the jury
whom he generally succeeded in con-
yluclug that be aud they were on
one side, and his adversary on the
other. His style aud grammar were
original.
Il had set my heart on winning
that case. If could only beat Old
POLLOK before jury, my cap would
be fea,hered.
Il had carefully written out my open
ing; and When | read it over to Mel
Inc Wyune. to whom was paying
attention at the time, she said itwa
real nice, which, l knew, was feml-
niue for "bully'-an eucomium l
felt not a little proud of
when the Sc came on, | spoke
nv niece without a blunder.
cited many authorities to prove that
be in whose possession stolen proper
t. is found soon after the theft Is IN
law. presumed to be the thief. l Va'
nrepared to prove, 1 said, that the
property in question had disappeared
! st the dead hour of night, when al
, honest people were in their beds anc
had been found, at early dawn, II
the suoke house Of DaWkes, the de
q fcudsnt.
Wputmy witness ou the stand, anC
proved the ownership, value and iden
tity of the property, its mysterious
, disappearance and subsequent reap
nearance ia the constructive possess
ION of the prisoner, and rested.
"Old PoIfoH sat in solemn silence
biseyes closed. and his red bsndan
5 over his head. He asked no cues
tious aud called 20 witnesses. va
> disappointed at the old fellows CIV
iuC in so easily. 1t would take ava
half the glory ofmy triumph;
But was reckoning without ID
Is host !;
"Old Pollok slowly got upon h'
legs. and removing his Uandana, al
taking up the Bible on which tn
clerk had sworn the witnesses, begar
Il aw grieved, my breethering-h
always called the jury his'breetherlns
i am grisved and sore amazed
<. hear such heathenish doctrines IN
" Christian court house as we've Je>
,:.;.;n >, What seZ th