Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-12
A Young Lawyers First Case.

before jury is worthy of the deepest COM
miseration. Take him, for instance in the
Criminal court, before which 1he has a case.
While the prosecuting attorney is tying the
first witness in bow-knots and untying him
again the amateur sits listening, endeavoring
to look as unconcerncd as marble statue in
a thunder storm. lie throws in timd OBJ
jcc,lons every time he thinks he secs hold,
and as each one is overrulcd by the court, he
puts on stern look, US much as to say,
'rll knock the wind out of that in the
Supreme Court" When the prosecutor,
usually an old, able attorney, dryly says,
Take the Witness" the youthful aspirant
tremblcs little and endcavoIs to swallow
something that is sticking to his throat
He feels that every eye in the room is
upon him and that they are as hot Us stove
lids
He fires few intiatory questions at the
witness, and warns as he proceeds, until
he is brought up standing by, "Oh! your
Honor, we object to such irrelevant Ques-
tions," followed by a few scalhing remarks
the objection, and advises the young
lawyer TO keep within bounds, which sets
him to wondering where In the thunder the
bounds are. Objection follows objection,
and each one is promptly sustained. He
wonders why it is that II free and indie.
pendent people will tolerate such one-sided
justice. He plunges ahead bindly now,
until he becomes so confused that he does
not know whether he is practicing attorney
with gilt sign, or f1y-wheel on steam
wood Finally he rams out of ques-
tions, and with sigh of relief or something
tells the witness "rhats all" So he grinds
through and at last the prosecutor rises and
proceeds to address the jury in majestic
,tt,ln Az t,a, In nj nl c N "a
evidence adduced by the defense into rartl-
cles fine enough to be Incorporated into cod.
fish balls. The youthful Blackstone wrestler
begins to feel uneasy as mis- mind reveris to
| the fact that in 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 splcn-
did speech the next day after a nights
fighting on the evidence. Hestres to re.
member what the witnesses swore TO, h'i
cannot recall the evidence to save his lie.
The prosecutor finally winds up with grand
peroration, and as he says, And in conclus
ion, gentlemen of the jury" the youth ner'
vously fingers his moustachc, and wishes he
had never begun the abominable business
Cold chills are lingering him all over thu
back, as if measuring him for new shirt
and his spinal colHmn acts AS il it was tree
and wanted to sit down awhile. Like
Banquo's ghost, the lump in his throa
won't stay down. by an obstinate majority
and he swallows it and wonders what he II
going to say and how long it will take hin
to say it. AS the prosecution calmly
takes its seat, the young lawyer rises ant
moves to the front. He darcs not look a
the audience, and tries to imagine there j
no one in the room but himself and tn
twelve sphynx-like forms in the iury-box
The eyes of each Juror arc fixed upon him
and he would almost relinQuish his hope o
heaven If some one would raise cry OF hr
to divert their attention until he gets
start.
Finally he slRuGs his shoulders and man
ages to remark, "Gentemen of the lswa
lows jury" Very good. he then survey
them moment, and every man in the bo
thinks he is endeavoriug to read thei
thoughts; but he isn't. He is wishing /
gracious he could read his own thoughts
At last he strikes out and got
for them their intelligent looks, and how
feels about that his clients interests al
safe IN their hands. AT the same time
feels serious doubts as to their safety in b
own hands. lie worries through his speeC
with an average of two swallows at th'
, lump to the sentence. The prosecute
Q closes the argument, and the case goes
the jury, who retire to n secluded room
chew tobacco and ask each other what the
q thought of it. 1t so happened the films
r testimony against the accused warrants
! verdict of mot guilty :" whereupon Il
- amateur grasps his clients hand and whi
); pers: at was hard fight but l got "
y y out of u" Then he rises. loads up enoul
u law books TO swamp mud scow, casts
c lrium ,hant look at the prosecuting aitornr
g who smiles pleasantly in return, and wall
= slowly and maiestically down the aisle to t
= door with as much dignity as if he owned
,. Western railroad.