Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-13

hac0al.
The respective signs of two lawyers
were painted on the jambs of doorway on
the ground floor Of two-stOry brick
house on the left hand side of Toulouse
street, going toward the river, between
Royal and Charities streets. One, dingy
and weather-stained, read, SOLVER RAJ
chal, AvOcat, Abogado;" the other, fresh
and clear, advertised "Lucien Massey,
Attorney at Law A third sign, bright
Attorneys at Law, Avocates,' raised the
presumption that the owners Of the two
first named signs had recently entered
into partnership.
The Notary Bousquet announced to the
public from the same door jambs that he
also occupied the said ground floor.
Two rooms constituted the ground floor.
The first was lighted very brightly or
dimly-according to the SUMS position
by the glass front and street floor; the sec
ond, back of the first, opened upon small
paved court, walled in by high buildings
on all sides; consequently this court was
dark and dank, and the room was darker
| and banker, where, at his paper-strewn
desk. Oliver RACIAL was driving a sdueaky
quill through the formularies of petition
to the Honorable City Court of the city of
Lafayette. OF medium size, vigorous,
neither stout nor slender, nerYOuS-biliOus,
was Oliver kachal; his complexion a
little muddy, but his eyes clear and spark
ling; his actions and looks quick and de-
cisiye. As lawyer, he was astute; not
comprehensively versed in the books, but
profound in knowledge of men and things;
unexcelled in criminal Jurisprudence.
He was esteemed by the members of his
fraternity, an ornament to the profession:
and all who knew HIM or of him held him
good man and a gentleman-One who
ought to live forever and be rich all the
time.
The front room contained two book
cases, wherein were the State reports,
few English elementary works. the older
commentaries on the code Napoleon, and
the treatises of Domat, Pothier ct ais
The mantel was decorated with a huge
clock, supported on one side by bust of
Chief Justice Martin, and on the other by
one of the First Consul dusty. Two
wretched battle scenes hung upon the
walls, and the cObwebs hung from them.
The pieces of furniture were neither nu-
merous nor in superior condition.
In the gloomiest corner Of the room sat
the salloW, thin, asthmatic Notary Bous-
quet, who had little to do but engage in
reflections, the mysteries of whose nature
will, in this world, never be unfolded; in
whose un0btrusiyely private career the
passing of an act and the attesting the
authenticity of an instrument with his
awful paraph were epochal milestones.
At the desk nearest the street door sat
that eminent jurispert of the future, Luz
Glen Massey, reading what the ever-in-
teresting Duranton has to say concerning
'tSubrOgation COnventionelle.v Two years
ere this he had received from the Supreme
Court his letter of marque and reprisal,
and had sailed forth upon the troublous
seas of the law profession with all the
usual incipient zeal and enthusiasm. Two
years study and harasS found him in his
original impecuniosity, with but just the
smallest nucleus of a clientele. How
ever, he had been rewarded with a part
nership of Racial, who saw in the hand
some, polite, clear-headt l, scholarly fell
low an able cOadjutOr.
But how could one, the morning after
NJ rdi Gras, read Durantol, or anybody
ell ? on subrogation or any other subject?
H. could one feel otherwise than sleepy,
yet nervous and excitable! How could
one think of anything but dominos,
masks, dancing, wine and ladiess One
must keep saying in mind; Gabrielle,
Gabrielle, Gabrielle, and imagining all
sorts of joyous and blissful incidents.
That accursed Gaspard Racial! The
recurrent name decharmed all his love
phantasmagOria and recalled the hard ac-
tuality of the situation.
If he but had the profound acquaintance
with the law of Livingston, or the bril-
liancy of a Mazureau-with his ever Wi
dening circle of ardent friends-he could
soon acquire a truly remuneratiYe prac-
tice. But he was so young and obscure.
Why had he not been born the son Of a
wealthy planter, merchant prince or
banker. A ridiculous plant for him to
make, he knew; and he would have been
well satisfied with his lot and share of
fortune had he not been in love with Ga
brielle. ALL if he were only rich, what
would Gabrielle not have, and what would
he not do for her-tO minister to every
phantasy. just to think, she had been to
beautiful Paris twice: and he. he could
not hope to take her there for some time
to come, should she become his wife-un-
less it might be upon the golden wings of
her dOwry-her dot. "DamnatiOnr' as
the Americans said; must he reconcile
himself TO the brutal idea-fact, that she
would come to him with a doWry or sep
arate estate, and he bring to the marriage
establishment nothing except his brain
that counts for so little. Even this would
rudely brush away the iridescent cobWeb
of felicity and magnihcence which he
daily and nightly spun for Gabrielle's
sweet enlightenment. But, now suppose
that NJ. lie Pere should seek to prevent the
marriage. He was opposed to it; he ia
Yored that eXecrable Gaspard RACIAL,
with his bags of silver. Then mademOi-
selle would bring no dowry with her-he
was sure she would come to him in any
event. But, blessed name, what could
please him better than for her to have not
a cent, and for some miracle of good luck
to make him a miniature Cresus. These
are not days Of miracles, nor OF Aladdin's