The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-09-04
THE PRESS.
From the London Society for August.)
MY First Client.

year, and was seated withssmy friend Frank
in our chambers in the temple.
Frank had been called on, the same day as
myself, and we had agreed to make our pro-
iessional start together. To that end we had
become joint possessors of a set of chambers
at No. ~ Fig-Tree court, and OF boy named
Blobbs, who was known as our "clerk",
though bis tender years and seedy garments
made the dignified appellation sound almost
irOnical. His style of dress was peculiar,
and gave one the idea that he had several
brothers of various sizes, and had borrowed
an article Of dress from each-his boots be-
longing to the eldest and his trousers to the
Youngest, There were sundry other boys
on our staircase, with whom Blobbs.was con-
stantly having little differences and fighting
them out upon the landing; indeed this,
whit occasional expeditions to Prosper's for
purposes, formed the staple of
his professional occupations. When he first
his duties, we had started him
with pint bottle Of ink, a ream of draft pa
per, and gross of pens; and we had en-
joined him to employ all his leisure time in
copying precedents. He began with great
yigor, and copied about page and half, in
q large school-boy hand, the first morning, but
he never got any farther. The ream Of pa
per dwindled, somehow, and the ink disap-
peared to an extent which even the numer-
Gus little black devils, with which Blobbs had
embellished his domain, failed to account for,
until, one morning. detected him in black
ing his boots with it, and polishing them
with the pen-wiper. Still, as boys go, Blobbs
was not a very bad specimen; and, as we
really had no work for him to do, we were
not disposed to be extremely angry with him
for not doing it.
Fortunately, Armitage and myself were
both, to a considerable extent, independent
of our profession, for to all appearance, our
profession was quite independent OF us. We
had been called, as have mentioned, very
nearly year, and neither of us had been ia
vored with brief; nor did there appear to be
any particular likelihood that we ever should.
We had friend, Charley Larcombe, who
had recently been articled to a solciror, ard
who had promised that when he was out of
his articles (which would be in abolt four
yearsl and had passed his examination
(which might be forty) he would ''give us a
lit" This rather vague prospect really ap-
peared to be our only chance; but with the
natural sanguineness fyouth, we still looked
for briefs, though we had not the faintest
notion where they were to come from. In
truth, in the very early days of our profess
sional career when we had only been barris-
tiers tor week or two, we used to watch
with anxious solicitude, any person Of legal
aspect who was seen to cross the court in the
direction of our staircase but we found that
the person of legal aspect invariably stopped
short at the chambers of Cocksure, O. c.,
which were i'm nedately below ours, and the
approach of stranger had now ceased to ex-
cite more than casual interest. Our perso-
nal habits too, had degeneraied. At the out
set of our career we had unanimously agreed
that anything of an unprofessional character
in our surroundings should be rigidly tabooed.
In.particular we had decided that our break
fast should always be over, and its remains
cleared away before 8 a. M, and that smok-
ing should not, on any account, be permitted
in the room destined for the reception of eli
ents. In accordance with these virtuous re-
solves, we were, or, should rather say, we
had been always to be found by half past
each seated in the Iigidest of arm-chairs,
wearing the blacklist of frock coats and the
stiffest of shirt collars, attentively perusing
ponderous law books, and making copious
notes with the assistance of a gigantic pew
ter inkstand, polished to a positively dazzled
brightness. But this halcyon state of affairs
was too good to last. We had screwed up
our virtuous resolves TO too extreme ten
sion and they had gradually sunk down again.
Who was first to give way is a moot point.
My own idea is that all would have gone well
had not Armitage insidiously suggested our
allowing ourselves just one cigarette after
breakfast; while he will have it that the thin
end of the wedge was introduced by my sur
reptitiousy reading an occasional French
novel under cover of "Coke on Littleton."
However this may be-, we had speedily fallen
away from our original high standard. Not
clients which we had originally expected, we
had become much less particular in our hab-
its. The large law books were left unopened,
the hour of breakfast had become later and
later, and short pipes and tweed Jackets had
become the order of the day until luncheon,
and, sometimes, fear, even till dinner-time.
In our earlier days, we had made it a point
of honor that one or other of us should al
ways remain in chambers, so as to be ready
for anything that might turn up, but, now,
we had made nothing of putting up the delu-
sive notice, "Return in five minutes,'' and
departing together for the rest of the day.
In order however to keep up the pleasant fic-
ton that we still expected to have clients,
backed himself for 95 to get the first brief,
with the proviso that (if ever the bet should
be decided) the winner was to stand dinner
to the loser, in order to commemorate the
event. Imagine our emotion, therefore,
when, on the morning of my story, soon af-
ter 10, heavy step was heard to ascend the
staircase and pause at our door; and when
Blobbs (who had been, according to his usu-
al habit, settling little difficulty with Cock
sure's boy upon the landing) rushed in, and,
in hoarse whisper said, frantic with excite
ment: ga gentleman for Mister Browne
And he've got bundle O. papers," I must
say that Armitage's behavior did him credit.
My landing the first prize must naturally
have been disappointment to him; but in
the most magnanimous way he exclaimed
I'll hook it into the next room, and leave the
coast clear for you.''
And he bolted accordingly into his bed
room. would have given much to have
been able to assume more dignifed attire,
and to straighten things generally. before the
entrance of my client, but it was out of the
question. had only just time to pitch the
end of my cigar in the fire, open one of the
big law books upside down, as I afterward
discovered), and to compose my features into
the most professional expression compati-
BILE with flannel jacket and carpet slippers,
when the visitor entered. he was short,
puffy little man, middie-aged and of good
naturally intellectual cast of countenance.
He wore shabby white hat and greasy black
gloves and his trousers we're shorter and his
uluUTciid idttCE tudu 10 ScucTdlly
desirable in those articles; but, notwith-
standing, there was an air of snug respecta-
bility about him, a. d the bundle of papers
tied with red tape which he carried, had an
emineptly busiDess-like appearance. He
began:
81 must apologize for disturbing you at
this early hour, Mr.. Browne" (he was evil
IDENTIFY not high class practitioner); "but
the fact is, / have come to beg your assist
aDce in very urgent case"
tried to look as if very urgent cases were
matters of the most ordinary occurrence in
my professional experience. "Ah," said,
"quite so. Take seat, Mr.. -"
'sWard, Sir; Gibbins & Ward, of High
street, Bloomsbury. You have heard the
name, daresay. Gibbins is dead-has been
dead some years in fact; but we keep up the
old name. you knew"
didn't know in the least. bad never to
my knowledge heard of Gibbins & Ward, but
it would not do to admit the fact. Not to
know Gibbins 6 Ward would clearly be to
argue myself unknown. / took my cue ac-
cordingly.
ooh, yes; Gibbins &c Ward, most emil
nent firm! I am delighted to have the pleas
ure Of making your acquaintance, Mr..
Ward"
"You are very kind, sir. Well, sir, as I
was saying, or rather as was about to say,
I have become connected with case, a very
peculiar case-indeed a most peculiar case;
and, hearing of you from my old friend Mr..
uY;cr;o~ %b,,,rbk %bot fv,nrob Tn, a