The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-07
BalliWelI'S Pupil.

OSO, duu uuObC CCCuuICdA LII ldW cIbs Neither barrister nor attorney, he hung between heaven and earth in the lonely superiority of special pleader, he was very comic old man, full of personal peculiarities, which made him famous as an excentricty beyond even the walls of the Temple. Though possessed in fee of pair of gray whiskers, he had lost his life interest in the original hair of his head, and now wore chestnut wig. This he would take off, to wipe the perspira- tion from his brow, after prolonged mental exertion in drawing a plea, and replace without that accuracy of position which alone will compel from a frivolous world outward be- lief in the reality of glossy chestnut head of hair worn by a man who owns to sixty seven. He also per- sisted in taking snuff, and this he did with an old-world grace and ease that made one feel that he must have learned the art as he sat on his grand fathers knee, listening to tales of the days of good King George. So hard ened was he in the habit of snuff talk ing that, before commencing piece of work which appeared to him likely to be protracted and difficult, he would place his snuff-box with the lid open in front of him, SO that he might dip into it at will when it was necessary for him to pause and reflect. In dress, too, he affected antiquated fashions. His knotty, furrowed neck was en- circled by heavy black stock, and he flourished silk bandanna handker- chief. A pair of heavy gold folders hung from broad black riband across his frilled shirt, and he still wore a blue trock coat of smooth cloth, tight trousers and gaiters, and a broad brimmed beaver hat. I have heard his older pupils-many of them in that day were gray haired judges say that there was only one way to get at his heart, and that was by means of story. A good story teller might win his affections at once, and the few intimate friends that he pos sessed were nearly all of them noted rdconteurs. His laugh, which, ran over long and somewhat cranky gamut of human cachinations, was one of the oldest characteristics of this stre age man. In all his manners and customs he belonged to bygone gener- atiOns; and all this, combined with a habit he had of thinking aloud, and his peculiar fondness for Shakespear- ian quotations, made us sure that no generation was so bygone that it would not have acknowledged him to be character.
 At the time at which was his pu- pill, there were only six of us, and, for the amount of work in chambers, we all thought that number might be de- creased by five without the survivor receiving more practice in the exer- else of pleading than was likely to make him proficient in that branch Of the law. Looms, Halliwelps clerk with something of Homeric ardor would tell the plodding pupil of to- day of golden age when thirteen pupils drove unwearying pens over much foolscap in the dreary pupils room, how three "devils" worked all day correcting these embryo pleaders efforts, and how Halliwell himself within that silent, classic court of the temple, whose sponsor was 6 useful but humble hydralic apparatus would burn the midnight oil and never seek his pillow until two in the morning. But in these effete days oi judicature acts and judicial commit tees such things were not. The will ness of Halliwell was no longer re- quired, and he, good, simple minded man, had found himself reduced tc drawing easier pleadings, taking fewer pupils, and spending his time and money over the law reports of ar ungrateful age-ungratefu in that il has swept away the means of amassine wealth from Halliwell and reduced the fees of Looms.
 But, in spite of all this, old fellow, who had been educated themselves 1T Halliwelps chambers still sent theii young friends to him my fathers old friend, Lord Oldun, the ex- chancellor himself an old pupil of Halliwell- had recommended me to go there. H. had been there, he said, and he did not think any young man could make 8 better beginning. This conclusion was more characteristic of his lord. ship's political opinion than satisfac. tory to me, who knew that the pro- cedure of the courts had altered some. what in the last fifty years; but I da. tifally followed his advice and paid Halliwell my hundred guineas to bs ffee of his chambers for year.