Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-09-20
THE YOUNG LAWYERS FIRST
CASE.
JUsr WHAT THE On FELLOWS HAVE
ALL BEEN THROUGH.

The young lawyer conducting his first
case before jury is worthy Of the deep
est commiseration. Take him, for in
stance, in the criminal court, before
which he has case. While the prose.
cutting attorney is tying the first witness
into bow knots and untying him again,
the amateur sits listening, but endeavor-
ing to look as unconcerned as a
marble statue in thunder storm.
He throws in timid objections every time
he thinks he sees hole, and as each one
is overruled by the court he puts on a
a stern look, as much as to say, iii
kno,k the wind out Of that in the su-
preme court" When the prosecutor,
usually an old. able attorney, dryly says,
Take the witness the youthful aspi-
rant trembles a little and endeavors to
swallow something that is sticking IN
his throat. He feels that every eye IN
the room is upon him, and that they are
as hot as stovelids. He fires few initiatory
questions at the witness, and warns as
he proceeds until he is brought up standing
by, "Oh yonr honor, we object to such
irrelevant questions" followed by few
scathing remarks from the prosecutor.
The court snstains the objection, and
warns the young lawyer to keep within
the bounds, which sets him to wondering
where in thunder the bounds are
Objection follows objection, and each
one is promptly sustained. He wonders
why it is that a free and independent
people will tolerate such one-sided JUS
tice. He lunges ahead blindly until he
becomes so confused that he does not
know whether he is practicing attorney
with a gilt sign, or Ay-wheel on a
steam wood.saw. Finally he runs out
of questions and with sigh OF relief or
something tells the witness. That's all.
So he grinds through, and at last the
prosecutor rises and proceeds to address
the jury in a mastery style. AS he
progresses he picks up the evidence ad-
duced by the defence into particles fine
enough to be Incorporated into Goldfish balls
The youthful Blackstone wrestler begins
to feel uneasy as his mind reverts to the
fact that in a few moments he must de-
liver his maiden speech. He wishes the
prosecutor would hold his grip and keep
it until time to adjourn court, feeling
satisfied that he could make splendid
speech the next day after nights tight
ing on the evidence. He tries to re-
member what the witness swore to, but
canno, recall the evidence to save his life.
The prosecutor finally winds up with a
grand perrora,ion, and as he says: And
in conclusion gentlemen of the jury the
youth nervously fingers his mustache, II
he have one about him, and wishes he had
never begun the abominable business.
Cold chills are lingering him all over the
back. as if measuring him for new
shirt, and his spinal column acts like it
was tired and wanted to sit down awhile.
Like Banquo's ghost, the lump in his
throat won't down by any obstinate ma
iority and he swallows at it and wonders
what he is going to say and how long 1t
will take him to say it. AS the prose-
cutor calmly takes his seat the young
LAWYER rises and moves to the front. He
dare not look at the audience, and tries
10 imaeine.there is no one in the room but
himself and the l2 sphinx forms in
the iurybox. The eyes Of each juror are
fixed upon him, and he would almost
relipouish his hope of heaven if some one
would raise a cry of fire to divert their
attention until he gets start. Finally
he shrugs his shoulders and manages to
remark. "Genlemen of the Swallows
jury" Very good. He then surveys
them a moment, and every man in the
box thinks he is endeavcring to read theiI
thoughts, but he isn't. He is wishing
to gracious he could read his own
thoughts. At last he strikes out and
goes for them about their intelligent looks
and now be feeles that his clients inter.
ests are safe in their hands. At the same
time he feels serious doubts as to theil
safety in his own hands. He worries
through his speech with an average o.
two swallows at that lump to the SEN
tence. The prosecutor closes the argu'
ment, and the case goes to the jury, who
retire to secluded room to chew tobac'
co and ask each other what they thought
of it. 1t SO happened that the films!
testimony against the accused warrants
a verdict of not guilty, whereupon tn
amateur grasps his clients hand ant
whispers, alt was a hard fight, but
got YOU out of it." He then rises, load
up enough books to swamp mud
scow, casts triumphant look at the pros
ecuting attorney, who smiles pleasant!
in return, and walks slowly and majesti
cally down the aisle to the door with a
much dignity as if he owned western
railroad. Oh, you can't deny it, evel
you old veterans-you've all been there