The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-21
A Brilliant Young Man.

The worst thing you can do for the
average young lawyer is to send him to
the Legislature. The county paper is re-
sponsible for this. The editor refers to
him as the silvery tongued orator of the
county. Very few young men survive
this imputation. The silvery tongued
orator must keep himself before the
people. He is suddenly awakened to a
realization of his own Importance and
must maintain his position. Until the
paper proclaimed it he did not know
that he was great man. He had often
thought so but he did not know it. His
announcement as candidate for the
legislature came up as a joke. He had
no idea of such 4 thing, but when he
saw that hundreds of men were willing
to give him chance, he threw out his
arms, embraced the opportunity and be-
came candidate. BY going to the
legislature he lost his practice, but he
smiled at this, for to him distinction in
a political way is worth more than the
remuneration of law. He neglects the
law book and studies the ward and
township. His friends make him be-
lieve that he is big man. He does
not think for himself, but allows others
to think for him. The sluggish boy
who was in the office with him is still
plodding along. He could not be elect
ed to the legislature. He is no orator
He tried to make speech once, but
stammered shamefullv. The boys call
ed him mutton head. They declared
that he would never amount TO any
thing. Such taunts as these drove him
to harder study. He knew that he was
not brilliant-knew that he must resort
to books. He read book after book,
yet he had a poor command of language
He knew that he would never become
a speaker, so. in humiliating resigna-
ton, he devoted himself to the study of
the law. People often spoke of his bril-
liant friend. "He will make his mark, :"
they said. "He is SO quick. He can
grasp an idea in a moment. Law is
too dull for him. He is statesman. !"
The brilliant young man goes to con-
gress. The community is loud in his
praise, but in congress he comes
in contact with stubborn old
fellows who have spent their
lives in searching for facts. Fourth-of
July oratory amounts to nothing He
rants, but nc one pays any attention to
him. His pet measure is defeated. His
constituents arc surprised. He comes
home and attempts to explain his
course. He has done nothing-has
made no record Election time draws
near and he announces himself as a can
didate for reelection. The epeople, ever
forbearing, give him another trial. He
docs his best. but his best is nothing.
He comes home at the end of his term
and settles down to the practice of law.
Law books are strange to him. He feels
awkward when he goes into court. The
dull boy who was in the office with him
is a leading lawyer. He is no orator,
but he has a way of stating facts, has a
crisp and lucid manner of expression
that strikes a jury. That big white
house on the hill belongs to him. Every
body says that he is fine lawyer. His
calm, dispassionate arguments before
the supreme court are said to be master
pieces of logic. He ventures nothing.
With him everything is certain. The
brilliant young man becomes cheap
lawyer. With him everything is hap.
hazard. He relies on his oratory, but
his oratory fails him. He takes to
drink. Years afterward he is con.
firmcd drunkard His wife and daugh.
ters support him. His dull friend is in
the United States senate.-Arkansap
Traveller.