The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-06-20
Stories Of h Bar.

Perhaps the young men who are fit
ting themselves for lawyers may find in
the following anecdotes, told by the
Boston Advertiser, sundry hints as to
how they should behave themselves in
the Temple of Themis. They will GER
tainly learn from II of the paragraphs
to moderate their expectations of grow
ing rapidly rich by their profession:
Perhaps they may recall the true an
ecdote OF the old Boston lawyer who al
ways returned to his office i'll Scollay's
Building after an early tea, and remained
till eleven, working by the light of three
tallow candles, IL OF which was stuck
conspicuously in his window overlook
ing the square, that its beam might an
nounce to any belated clients that he
was still at his post.
While working late IL evening, he
was surprised by the hurried entrance
o one OF the most successful and res
pected merchants of the town, who
seemed very nervous and breathless.
"Ah! -, said lie. sinking into n
chair, "you don't know how relieved I
feel to find you here. We had private
advices, late this afternoon, that one Of
on heaviest creditors is going to sus-
pond Tomorrow morning. have been
searching high and low for " LAWYER to
get on the first attachment (undnr the
old law, and / had about como to the
conclusion that 1 mist wait my chance
till tomorrow; but you can make out
the writ at once"
This was done. and from that NOM
ent - had all the old merchants law
business, and this fact soon brought
him intoprominence and fortune.
Or they may have been struck with
the happy experience of another old
Boston lawyer (who is said to have en-
tered more cases for trial than any one
before or since his time) who invarib-
ly arrived at his office by, half past
seven in the morning.
On one occasion, he was called upon
at that hour by the late A. Il. Stewart.
of New York, who told him that he had
come to Boston to transact some law
business, andhad brought an introduce
ton to three Boston lawyers; aud as
the other two were not to be found, and
as the matter needed immediate atten-
ton, he should be pleased il MI. -
would take it III hand. This was done,
and Mr.. Stewart remaincd-'s client
until his death.
But such windfalls are rare, and are
certainly the exception. The writer
was conversing on this subject not long
ago with a successful and very observant
IL, ~ ~. rf t1n 1,r.rFn,ciH0 and thn f"1
lowing questions were asked and Il
swerd:
"How many lawyers in Boston make
twenty thousand dollars a year from
their practice 2"
"You can count them on the fingers of
one hand"
"And how many make ten thousand
dollars"
Not a dozen"
How many make as much us five
thousand dollars?"
Perhaps a quarter ofthe active bar
Glow much do the others make?"
"a good many pick up one thousand
five hundred dollars to two thousand
dollars; many work at other things to
help support them. Some live from
nand TO mouth, ana some nearly
starve."
what becomes of all the young law
yers who get admitted every month? !"
"A few who have fathers or relatives
already prominent in the profession, go
in with them, and find enough to do.
A good many, by slow degrees, build up
a fair practice for themselves. Some
keep an office for q few years and do
nothing, and then drift into some other