The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-02-04
PER SEVERANCE.
BY CHARLES READE.
From HTPer'S Weekly.

! was met at the door by 4 respectful l,
woman and a chubby faced boy with ;
| bright eye. He knew the woman slight
ly-a widow tias kept a small stationer's
shop in the town. She opened her bust
ness at once. "Oh. Mr. Gritty, | have
brought you my Robert; he gives me NJ
| peace. his heart is so set on being in q
lawyers office. But there! ave no,
! got the money to apprentice him. Only
we thought perhaps you could find some
! place or other for him. if it was ever S,
small. Then she broke off. and looked
appealingly. and the boys cheeks and
eyes were fired with expectation.
Most country towns at that time pos
sessed two solicitors that might be called
types: the old established man. whose
! firm for generations had done the pacific
/ and lucrative business-wills, sett e.
mentS. partnerships. mortgages, etc.
and the sharp practitioner, who was the
! ADLER of the two at litigation, and had to
! shake the plum tree instead of sitting
under it and opening his mouth for wind
tails. Mr.. Gritty was No. ..
But these sharp practitioners are very
apt to be good natured. and So looking
at the pleading widow and the beamns
boy. he felt disposed to oblige them. and
rather sorry he could not. He said his
was small office, and he had no clerk )
place vacant; land indeed il had. he
is too young-why he is mere child"
81 am twelve next SO and So. said the
| boy. giving the month and the day.
You don't look it, them" said Mr..
Gritty. incredulon>ly.
Indeed but he is. SIR" said the
widow: he never looked his are, and
writes Il beautiful hand"
But | tell You have no vacancy, -"
said Mr.. Gritty, turning logged.
well. thank you, sir. all the same, :"
said the widow. with the patience of her
sex. Come. Robert, we mustn't de.
tain the gentleman.
So they turned away with dsappoint-
ment marked on their faces, the boy S
especially.
Then Mr.. Chitty said. in hesitating
way, ITO be sure. there is vacancy,
hut 1t is not the sort of thing for YOU
Nv hat is it, sir?" asked the widow.
well. we want an office boy"
AN Office boy. What do you say,
Robert? | suppose it is beginning,
sir. What will he have to doo''
why, sweep the office. run errands,
carry papers; but that is not what he is
after. Look at him-he has got that c, e
Of his fixed on a counsellors wig, you
may depend; and sweeping country at
t"rney $ office is not the stepping stone
TO that. He added. warily. AT least
there is no precedent reported
La, no, sir" said the widow: "he
only wants to turn an honest penny, and
be among law papers,
"Ay, ay: to write 'em and sell EN-,
but not to dust en-
For that matter, sir, believe he'd
rather be the dust itself in your office
than bide at home with me-"
Here she turned angry with her off
spring for half moment.
And SO | would" said young master.
'toutly. indorsing his mothers hyperboe
very boldly, though his own mind was
not of that kind which originates meta
phors SMILES, and engines of inaccuracy
N general.
Then say no more" observed Mr..
entity; only mind. it is half crown
week-that is all
The terms were accepted. and Master
Robert entered on his humble duties.
He was steady. persevering, and push
ing. In less than two years he got pro-
noted to be copying CLERK. From this
in due course he became a superior clerk.
lie studied, pushed, and persevered, till
at last he became fair practical lawyer,
and Mr.. Chitty's head clerk. And so
much for perseverance.
He remained some years in this posi-
ZION, trusted by his employers. and re-
pected too; for besides his special gifts
law clerk. he was strict in morals,
md religious without parade.
In those days country attorneys could
,ot fly to the metropolis and back to
Inner. They relied much ON London
attorneys. their agents. Lawyer Chitty's
,grnt was Mr. Bishop, judges clerk;
but in those days u judges clerk had an
insufficient stipend. and was allowed to
Ike it out by private practice. Mr..
Bishop was agent TO several country at
'nrneys.
Well. Chittv had a very heavy case
coming on at the ASST s. and asked Mr.
Bishop to come down, for once in a wav,
md help him in person. Bishop did SO,
md in working the case. was delighted
with Chittys managing clerk. Before
'"aving. he told Mr.. Chitty he sadly
| wanted a managing clerk he could rely
on Would he "blge him. and part with
this young man? Gritty made rather
wry face. and said that Young man was
y pearl II don't know what should
do without him; why. he is my nlter rgo."
However, he ended by SAYING generously
that he would not stand iii the young
mans way.
Then they had the clerk in and put
the question to him.
Sir said he. 1T is the ambition of
my h art to 90 to London
Twenty four hours after that our hum
iic hero was install d in Mr.. Bishop
office. directing large business in town
and country. He filed that situation for
many years. and not to be well known in
the legal profession. \ brother of mine,
who for years was one of firm of Snlic-
tors in Lncoln's Inn Fields. remembers
Kim we'll at this period, by meeting him
sometimes in his own chambers, and
sometimes in Judges chambers. My
brother SAYS he could not help noticing
him. for he brStled with intelligence.
and knew "a deal of law. though he look
cd only IA boy.
The best of the joke is that this clerk
afterwald turned ont to be four years
older than that solicitor who took him
for boy.
He was now amongst books as well as
with lawyers, and studied closely the
principles of law while the practice was