The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-06-06
MY FIRST CLIENT.

and counsellor-at-law Of The Stale Of New
York, WAS sitting il my scantily fur
nished office and wondering how many
months. Or years perhaps, would have to
wait Tor The pleasureof beholling client
walk ia to consult me on some important,
or even lrihing legal matter. ! was feel
lug very melancholy; and could see the
castles that l had built ia the air when |
was a student vanish one after another.
To add to my gloomy thoughts the small
sum Of money which bad saved 10 de-
pend on while watched aud waited for
my first client was fast diminishing. and
my future began to look very doubtful.
A light knock at the door reused me
from my thoughts. Who Can it be? Cer-
talnly not one of my young friends, be-
cause they never took time to knock, but
would dash in hastily, close the door after
Ehem with bang, snen make themselves
at home aud tell me most seriously that
they just called in to see If had found a
client. Very considerable, indeed. a cli-
entS Why, | must be mad to think of
such a thing. 1t is probably Some unusu-
ally polite beggar or canvasser who makes
u Practice of knocking at doors on the
ground of policy. However, there was
nothing to BE- gained by trying to surmise
who it was, so extended the usual invi-
tation-" come in.
In response to the invitation man, a
perfect stranger to me, entered. He was
about The middle age, and from his APP
pearance judged that he had just re-
covered from severe illness. ! noticed,
also, that he was someW hat lame. His
clothes had seen their young days, al
though he kept them in as neat condi-
ton us seemed possible.
!" Are you The iawyer?' he asked, in a
rather low tone.
was rather surprised at the question,
far was vain enough to think that my
visitor must have concluded from my pro-
fessional bearing that | was the lawyer,
and was iuelined To believe he was quiz
zing me. However, 1 answered in the
affirmative, aud waited for him TO state his
business.
His statement, made az plainly and
briefly as possible, was to me OF the great
est importance. He desired To- bring an
actioA against certain railroad company
(namlng very wealthy corporation) for
damages Oh account Of injuries he had
sustained Ia q collision, and he was recon-
mended to consult me. He had just come
from the hospital, where he had been for
some weeks. He could procure sufficient
evidence of tue accident and OF the COM
panys carelessness to establish his case.
Sucn was his story, In substance.
When lie had finished his statement he
asked; " VIII you take the case2"
Will ] take the case2 Il he but knew
what my thoughts we're only short time
previous he would never have asked The
question.
Yes" Ireplied. = will examine into
it, and ii you will come in tomorrow
about this time viii tell yen the result of
my examination.
As the appointed hour the mex, day my
first and only client called. told him
that l had made alight examination of
The law, and considered that he had good
case, and in short time all arrangements
were made about Its prosecution. My
client then explained to me his financial
condition, which ~As so bad that had 70
advance him some money from my little
store. felt that the money SO loaned
him would be repaid, although dependent
upon the success oil my first case.
Ny law library, AS might naturally be
supposed, was very small; and 1t being
necessary for me 10 examine a great many.
cases, | procured letter from one OF my
friends. who was member Of the Law
Institute, which admitted me to the law
Library. felt proud when entered the
Hbrary-one Of the best in the country
with its thousands Of volumes containing
cases OF every question OF law that has
ever been adjudicated. saw there law
yers who were recognized as leaders 10
The profession. There could be seen, also.
the young lawyer looking very wise, and
who, like myself, WAS preparing for his
first case; and The young man who had
not received his diploma assisting his en-
ployer 10 searching for cases in the books.
| began my examination OF the books
treating on my case. and worked very
induslrlously. The more books | exam
lned the stronger my case appeared, and
began to look forward to the day when
La a