The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-23

NN-f- 'r@tf% NV TWINS ttiAt ElNI
his shelves an imposing air, aud litter his
table as with M appearance of business,
call up visions Of dead-and- buried lawsuits.
ghosts Of Iong-departed plaintiffs and
defendants who win never enter the legal
tilt-yard more, ,--estates rent into rayelings
by the lingual dexterity Of cunning and
voluble lawyes,--together with body Of
established principles of law and equity,
that leave all parties to an issue as much
in the fog as before the attorneys and
judges eonspired to develop such confusion.
Justice Courts furnish one Of the staple
entertainments Of country town, or vii
lage. On rainy days, they are peculiarly
interesting. The male part of the popu-
lation is in state Of what is styled "high
eoekolorum," On the occasions when
these are held, there is leisure enough for
everybody, no matter what his trade or
occupation. The men cant work out ia
the held the tanners would hardly keep
dry around their sloppy watts In the oozy
yards; there is no wood to be hauled to
the back-door; and the only talk at the
store IS Of approaching Court.
This is held either in the open barroom,
or the more spacions hall above stairs, In
this particular Court it is where Mr.. Jens
kins awakes to sense of his individual
glory. In the frowning presence of the
Justice of the Peace, and Of that mlscel-
laneous tribunal whose applause he Graves
with such eagerness, he beats, cross
examines, aud habitually bullies timid
witnesses, male and female, and returns
to his coop Of an Office after the day
work is done, secure Of the fame for which
he strives and about which he fondly
dreams.
If you could but behold him in that no
ticcablc hall Of justice, thus invested with
the high sense Of his own Importance, gaz
ing so yacantly over the crowd Of staring
spectators, running his hand so carelessly
through his hair, hurting his high-kcyct
interrogatories at the abashed witnesses
Watching every chance 10 convulse the iot
ready auditory with laughter, bold ant
brazen in his address, rarely, if ever
thrown off his guard, compelling the vii
lagc Shallow behind the table to shrinI
into the proportions Of submissive inferior
ity, running over at the mouth with lega
phrases and the technical lingo Of lcga
instruments, reclining entirely upon BIZ
own dignity, assured that, Of all the rest
he is nearly the largest toad in the entir,
town puddle, and, in fine, quite satisfied
with his cause, his audience, himself, ant
his prospects for the future
The character Of the country lawyer
oceapation cannot, Of course, yield an,
large share Of refined social enjoyment
He cannot well afford, from the very ma
ture of the case, to put his seusibilitie
out to school. He lives, and must hop
to live, chiefly upon the unhappy differ
enccs and discords of the limited worl,
around him. The more his neighbon fal
out, the better it is for him. He watche
for new chances for lawsuit as sharpl,
as cat waits at a rat-hole. As for th
finer sentiments Of local friendship, he cal
i'll afford to indulge them. They are lux
uries which cost too much
This is the thoroughbred pettifogger
The work he performs is small drudgcry
at the most. 1t may be necessary, mucl
Of IL; but that necessity even does not re
deem it from the imputation of meanncss
Yet, if such reflection ever stings him
be is eonsoled with the thought that he |
pursuing profession pursuing Il Jus
as much greater mon have done befor
him, aud with brand of ambition blazin,
somewhere in his heart. He isstrugglin.
for name scanning the political hori
zon, from time to time, as mariner conc
up on deck and studies the clouds; living
among, and altogether upon, his fellow
citizens. yet not IF them, in any true an,
hearty sense.
He is in the full blaze Of his glory il
the County Court term, II he canno
bring case before that court, he is es
tecmed bnt ''scant pattern" Of lawyer
1t is at that bar the country lawyer is il
full feather. The quiet little shire tow
of the county, at these court terms, over
flows with rustic humanity, come to lool
after its own and into everybody 5 else bus
iness. The accommodations Of the pai
Of rival taverns are put to their severes
strain. Through the days, all the STALL
in the stable and the stands in the horse
sheds are occupied. The judge, lawyers
and witnesses, saying nothing Of th,
hangers-on who attend court as regularly
as they do muster,--have monopoliset
stables and dormitories. The town car
ries its head crectly now. Writs, sum
mons, capiases, copies, mittimuses, execu
tions, and the whole Of that sort Of lega
paper-work, fly from hand to hand like
ballots at tight election. Sleepy crowd
stand or sit through the proceedings il
the court-room, or discuss, out Of doors
the merits Of the cases and the lawyers
as they come on. There is stream o
male and female witnesses going up ans
down stairs; and the lawyers are march
ing them in and out Of lobbics and ante
rooms for preparatory drill in the soienc
Of giving in testimony. Ii looks as !
large boys were playing at trials, and nc
altogether like serious men. transactinl
serious business.