New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-30
4. LADY OF THE LAW.
HER FIRST AND LAST CASE.
Cnpurfqht 1855.


with French heels. and. inclined to think, changed
her complexion In the evening. But she was bright,
independent sort or g who had no Idea or marrying
home or depending upon a husband for support she
was firm believer IN womans right TO earn her own
living and she believed that all professions were open to
her. At time she thought OF preaching. nut gave
that up because there pleasure In doing all the
talking Win nobody to talk back at you. She deesed
the practice OF medicine because she hated housekeeping
and said she had Just lief pu up pickles IA pills She
wouldn't lecture because everybody lectured aud ther
sue had mover been able 10 shoot anybody or Jump on
bridge ar do anything else to get stsrt the PLATFORM
So sho real law. She enthusiastic She was
close studan and was admitted to after credit
able examination. She opened cosey little Office and
walled With cOmmcnabe patience for fees ana clients
This cay work. All that Miss Lawy ClEtteree
had to do to sit in her office ton hours day end
read law books engage In abstruse needlework;
nobody ever disturbed her. Success seemed TO smile
upon her from the start She had elegant leisure
than tie Oldest lawyer 10 that bar.
bnt all things TO tho woman who waite and one
day a client TO Lawyer Clatteree. He came
because she was "a woman and would give her legal
counsel and eloqnence chcap. She accepted very
modest retainer, indeed, and made mental meinoran-
dun OF tho rest OF her fee that neatly turned her cents
hair white when he learned of it.
Lawyer Clateree's first caso though not OF National
Importance. interesting one. Her client
Webster Bluegrass while driving across field belonging
TO virginia Nonsuch splnster. over dog belonging
TO Jared wlteman, who joined farms with Miss Nom
sue jared rushed TO hts dog, for tho anima'
past rescre and sheed Mr.. Bluegrass entrenched
his load OF hay with aud .cods aud language,
all about equally hard until the grrison made sDrtie
Webster bluegrass slid down from the bf. and chased
Mr. Wenan around the load thrice before he got close
enough to reach him with pitchfork handle. after
which things went hard with Mr.. Witeman, and for
about five minutes be didn't know whether his next
friend the doctor Besides tho principals
Miss Nonsuch the only witness TO the tournament.
Lawyer Catteree sat up nights with that case but
when 1t finally called for trial she was rosy and
confident as June morning and young Farmer Bluegrass
rather proud 81 his attorney and didn't seem tn care
much whether she lost. When Miss Virginia
was called to the stand evident that her
sympathies with the who owned the late dog
and Joined farms with her on the northwest Miss
Clatteree had tried to prove from vnrious weishty
decisions OF learned lurists. that Witemns dog lind no
right IN strange field but siss N0nsuch testified t'at
bluegrass hal less sht there. having been told
moro than once to keep and not IL highway
and short She testified that TO the beat Of her
knowledge Bhcera,s the in every wayin
driving her field in running the dog and IN
coming down from tho hay ana assauiting "iseinan'
She got along pretty well until Miss Clateree got
chance 10 puyerize her on cross examination. The
crowded court waited In beatless silence for
Lawyer Clatieree to win or lose her first casc.
what Is your name o. asked Lawyer Catterec with
terrible conposurc.
"girziula Nonsuch" answered the witness, dcfanily.
a. though sht expected Lawyer Clatcrce would attempt
20 prove that 10 George W. Mackenzie.
Married or single r.
81 am unmarried" snapped the witness.
"wllat Is your ageT
Objected TO by opposing counsel, which brought on
spirited discussion Lawyer Clatcreo claiming that she
wanted 10 show that the witnesses memory and powers
Of oborvauon anectrd b. age. Rnled ont by To"
court amid much expressive pnntOmne by the witness
"who made that bonnet r. asksd Lawyer Clatteree
Objected TO and oyerrulcd Lawyer Catterce asserting
that .he wanted 10 the witness either made
htrelf or paid money for g. thu, indicating In either
ease falling mental power and utter lOss OF tsse ana
discrimination. By this time tho witness was furious
~we said Miss Cl0iteree. fitting back her chair aud
by sudden effort overwhelming tho impulse 70 pat her
feet upon the table IN the most approved awyer-like
fashion, tell the Jury what you know about this fight
How nd Witemsn begin 10 r.
-IIo didn't begin II at all. bluegrass began r."
.Mr Bluegrass " you please. witness. You swear,
then positively that you Mr.. bluegrass make an
unproyoked assault upon this man Wlteman :"
YES. al on. mean yea. amt accustomed. Your
Ionor~-turLlng 10 tho Court 70 ses a woman
kerchcd M among lot men. passin' herself oil for
hwyor-oh. myl" Aud the witness famed herself with
furious ygor.
Never nina what you're accustomed TO- witness"
said Lawyer Cat;ereo calmly, aud don't fan too hard
your curis Won't stand IT, Now when you saw. or thor
when you say you saw Mr.. Buegrass descend from his
load 81 hay aud assault this person with pchfork' dld
you have your spoctacles u
don't wear glasses" said the witness shortly
Answer my question" replied the rclcutless lawyer
objected 20, but allowed by the Court wheE the
witness triump hantly answered No." with Joyous
eleam In her eyes that made every body augh except
tho counsel for the defence.
Mi.ald them probably. and in the excitement OF the
moment didn't notice their absence non MIS-. NON
such-ook at me, witness and don't Brighten the jury
by smiling ut thom-ten the jury II you please. how
large was th. neld across which NJ. bluegrass was
drlvng at the time this Wi,eman made the attack upon
Mr. wltcman didn't attack him at all. He only
Don't put. word. into my mouth. witness. What
was the sZe OF that field ." go
the Held where Mr. Bluegrass defended his life
against tho brutal assag. Of eowsr,lly runlan'"
"This comes of mislaylng your spectacle witness
nSt se 81 the Sa Is sS s place
Irs ten, acre moving ,. sav lea. tnan that %
No. r-oh, excuse mo, gentlemen lshoud say no.
Isay no." =. ~ ..,, r..vor c1ot,.rso
inslnuatIngly, quite common weakness with young
ladies o. your have heard my own srandma vnn
self and these mon when thoy we're lighting y
You were sitting the porch OF your house at one
side this ned. and they were fighting close to the line
feuce the other side v
And yet" said Lawyer Clatteree, rising to her feet
and King IL we're the witness with just tho
daintlest forchnger with It's rosy tip clouded with
gloom OF ink and yet-look at the juryyou say you
saw this light distinctly from the time Mr.. bluegrass
was srnck from the load OF hay and knocked TO the
ground by rock hurled by this ruhan hlteman fou
cav You clearly and distinctly saw this nght, aud even
recognized the men and beard their voices across ten
acre field You swear IN this " go,
do" said the witness FIRMLY. but looking little |
surprised. A., -. a., 49,, . , |
and then nc and then back mt the jury again
That will do" sho said and sat down, victory shining
ON her clear, hopeful brow. 80
WELL when abe went before the jury with her case |
LAWYER Catteree mado IL turn on that ten acre field
ghe described the witness stricken In that sho
coud not-the had thattol her own agej she
dwelt upon the limitations OF human vision; OF AZ the