Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-01

matter; but when Sam was alone with h
brothers and sisters he had a hard time
: it, though all was, rs usual, in pei fet
! good humor.
At first Sam had, Of course, TO O
/ through the usual drudgery of LAWYER
, office, in which, if it were possible for an
one 10 shine, he certainly did not. II
blunders were awful, and provoked III
wrath or ridicule, rs the case nigh. be, {
his fellow clerks, who were all well-se;
soned and somewhat ancient men. Br
his uncle never found fault with him. Tb
most he said when some frantic bunol
was brought to his notice was, Sam. d
this over again; you know you can DO
great deal better than that" And. sur
enough, it was done better the secon
time. In short, his uncle began with, ant
in spite of every Encouragement, perse
vered in the plan Of trusting him. An,
by degrees he found the more he trustee
him the better he did, and the more h
treated him us if there was something il
him the more he got out of him, LA,
Sam nothing in him TO begin with the plal
could not have answered; but this wa
just what his uncle believed, namely, tina
there was something in him, but that i
had been Systematically laughed dow
aad sat upon for superficial considerations
and that it could only be brought out bv ;
total change of external influence an,
treatment And now his powers began tc
show themselves and to expand, lust as \
| shrub that has been stunted and blackened
from want OF room and uncongenial sol
begins to throw out vigorous shoots when
transplanted to ground that suits it, and
where it has space TO grow.
SAM" said Mr.. Quicksett, one dav.
eve shall all of us be away the whole
afternoon, and must leave YOU in CHARGE
OF the office. If that fellow Choker should
come, mind, you're not TO let him see
anything"
As the fates would have it, Choker did
come. Perhaps Mr.. Qucksetl knew he
was coming. Possibly Mr.. Choker who
was sharp and not very scrupulous op-
pOnent of his, had made himself aware of
the unprotected state of the office at Gray's
inn, and he brought with him man that
looked every inch prize fighter.
"Is Mr.. Quicksett in-no? Well, it's
OF no consequence, | merely called to see
as Il matter of form one or two documents
in Smith VS.. Jones'"
Then must trouble you to call again
when Mr.. Quicksett is in"
"Quite right, young man," said Chok
er, approvingly; that's the right thing
to say in ordinary cases; but you see this
is not an ordinary case. We've got an
order of the court TO inspect these docu-
ments."
"Where is it?7 said Sam, bluntlv.
you've got it with you, haven't you?"
said Choker, carelessly turning to his
companion. The young athlete fumbed
in his pockets and declared, with great
apparent vexation, that he must have for
gotten to bring it.
:" don't believe you've got it to bring"
said Sam.
"We'll have no nonsense, sir" said
Choker, in passion; "at your peril
refuse TO show us what we want to see"
and the two men advanced on Sam in II
threatening way. But, little as he was, he
never budged an inch. 81 tell you what
it is" he said with all the GOODNESS imag-
Unable, if you two don't leave the office
this minute, I'll send for constable"
There was no need to attempt that diff
cult operation. They were only trying it
on, and with an affectation of injured in
nocence, Mr.. Choker and his satellite
withdrew.
On another occasion, after Sam had
been some months in the office, his uncle
came out of his room one day and bade
him 60 down at once to Judges Chambers
~ al Eto,, IL,
on there. 1t is q thing that requires you
to have your wits about you to do that, for
you come face TO face with shrewd
judge, who cannot tolerate II fool" The
old clerks in Mr.. Quicksett's office appear
ed paralyzed with astonishment at such an
order; and one of them ventured, when
partially recovered, to suggest mistake
on Mr.. Quicksetts part. It's rather Il
difficult case, sir, If you remomber," he
urged.
"All right, Mustay, was the CHEEKY re-
ply; Il know what | am about. The
best way to learn to swim is to be pitched
neck and heels into deep water.n
The suspense was great among the an
clients while Sam was away; but he came
back in due time, and reported that the
CttSe llttu cOllle OH DeloIc inc Judge, anu
that his lordship had made an order in
their clients favor. " Did he ask you any
questions?" inquired Nuslay. ION, yes!
and | answered thcm,h said Sam; but he
did not mention, for he did not know it,
nor will it be mentioned in the memoir of
the learned judge when it comes out,
that, accustomed rs he was to ready an
swors, it had actually crossed his mind for
II moment that the funny little lawyers
clerk would make capital witness-he
was so ready, and said neither more nor
less than was wanted.
Whether IL COED witness would always
make II good lawyer we need not decide !;
but it is certain that, in course of time,
Sam made IL very good one indeed. He
was one of those not uncommon cases
where supposed "decencY is superficial
ouly, and where Il far more grave defcien-
cy is to be found in those who, by con-
stantly laughing at it, run the risk of
making it IL lifelong implicitly. Sans
relatives never laughed at him again after
the first visit he gave them, though they
often laughed with him for his drollery
was ineXhaustible. He never married,
but his sister Mary kept house for him,
and was, perhaps, great deal happier
than she would have been anywhere else
from CaSSeW Magazine.