The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-26
The Young Lawyers First Case.
Just What the Old Fellows Have All Been
Thro gh,



The young lawyer conducting his first case
before jury is worthy Of the deepest commits
GRAFTON. Take him, for instance, in the crimi-
nal court, before which he has case. While
the prosecuting attorney is tying the first wit
ness into bow knots and untying him again,
the amateur sits listening, but endeavoring to
look as unconcerned as a marble statue in
thunder storm. He throws in timid objections
every time he thinks he sees a hole, and as
each one is overruled by the court he puts on q
stern look, as much as to say, "I'll knock the
wind out of that in the supreme court!" When
the prosecutor usually an old, able attorney,
dryly says, "Taks the Witness" the youthful
aspirant trembles 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 wit
ness, and warns as he proceeds until he 10
brought up standing by, "Oh, your honor, We
object to such irrelevant questions" followed
by few scathing remarks from the prosecutor.
The court sustains 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 won-
ders why it is that free and independent poo
pie will tolerate such one-sided justice. He
lunges ahead blindly now until he becomes 80
confused that he does not know whether he is
q practicing attorney with gilt sign, or fly
wheel on steam wood-saw. Finally he runs
out of questions and with a 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 mas
terly style, As he progresses he picks up the
evidence adduced by the defense into particles
fine enough to be incorporated into Goldfish
balls. The youthful Blackstone wrestler be-
gins to feel uneasy as his mind reverts to the
fact that in a few moments he must deliver his
maiden speech. He wishes the prosecutor
would hold his grip and keep it until time to
adjourn court, feeling satisfied that he could
nights fighting on the evidence. He tries to
remember what the witnesses swore to, but
cannot recall the evidence TO save his life. The
prosecutor finally winds up with grand pero-
ration, and as he says: "And in conclusion,
gentlemen of the jury" the youth nervously
fingers his moustache, if he happens TO have
one about,him aud wishes he had never begun
the abominable business. Cold chills are I'm
gering him all over the back, as If measuring
him for a 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 majority,
and ne SWALLOWS at IL ana WONDERS WnaL ne is
going to say and how long it will take him to say
it. As the prosecutor calmly takes his seat the
young lawyer rises and moves to the front. He
dare not look at the audience, and tries to imag-
inc there is no one in the room but himself and
the II sphinx-like forms in the jury-box. The
eyes of each juror are fixed upon him, and he
would almost relinquish his hope Of heaven IL
someone would raise a cry of fire to divert their
attention, until he gets start. Finally he
shrugS his shoulders and manages to remark,
Gentlemen of the (swallows) jury" Very
good. He then surveys them a moment, and
every man in the box thinks he is endeayoring
to read their 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 he
feels that his clients interests are safe in their
hands. AT the same time he feels serious
doubts as to their safety in his own hands. He
worries through his speech gith an average of
two swallows at that lump to the sentence
The prosecutor closes the argument and the
case goes to the jury, who retire to secluded
room to chew tobacco and ask each other what
they thought of it. 1t so happened that the
flimsy testimony against the accused warrants
a verdict of not guilty, whereupon the anna
leur grasps his clients hand and whispers, ut
was hard fight, but got you out OF itP' he
then rises, loads up enough law-books to swamp
a mud-scow, casts triumphant look at the
prosecuting attorney, who smiles pleasantly in
return, and walks slowly and majestically
down the aisle to the door with as much digni-
ty as if he owned western railroad. Oh, you
can't deny it, even you old veterans-you've
all been therei