Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-03-27
A LAWYERS EXPERIENCE.
ny AN ENGLISH BARR1sTER.

year, and was seated with my friend
Armitage in our chambers in the Tenn
pie. Frank had been called" on the
same day as myself, and we had agreed
10 make our professional start together.
To that end we had become joint pos
sessors of set of chambers ct No. 81,
Fig-tree Court, and of boy named
Blobbs, who was known as our clerk,
though his tender years and seedy
garments made the dignified appellation
sound almost ironical.
At the outset of our career we had
agreed that everything of an unprofes-
sional character in our belongings should
be rigidly tabooed. In particular, we
had decided that ollr breakfast should
always be over, and its remains cleared
away before 8 a. M, and that smoking
should not on any account be permitted
IN the room destined for the reception
of clients. We were Cor should rather
say we had been) always to be found by
haIf-past nine, each seated in the rigid
est of arm-chairs, per11sing ponderous
law-books, and making copious notes
with the assistance of gigantic pewter
inkstand, polished to positively daz-
cling brightness.
But this halcyon state Of affairs was
too good to last. Not having been
troubled with that rush of clients which
we had originally expected, we had be-
come less particular in our habits. The
iaw-books were left unopened, the hour
Of breakfast had become gradually later
and later, and short pipes and tweed
jackets had become the order of the day
until luncheon, and sometimes even till
dinner-time.
In order, however, to keep up the
pleasant fiction that we still expected to
have clients some day, we had made a
bet. Each of us had backed himself for
five pounds to get the first brief, with
the proviso that (if ever the bet should
be decided) the winner was to stand
dinner to the loser. Imagine our
emotion, therefore, when, one day, soon
after 10 a. M, a heavy step was heard
to ascend the staircase, and pause at
our door; and when Blobbs, our
juvenile "clerk," rushed in, and, in a
hoarse whisper, said, frantic with ex-
element, "a gentleman for Mister
Browne! And he've got a bundle O.
papers.
must say that Armitage's behavior
did him credit. In the most magnani-
nous way, he exclaimed, "Good for you,
old man! Go in and win. I'll hook it
into the next room. and leave the coast
clear for you'll"
And he bolted accordingly into his
bedroom. I had only just time to pitch
my cigar in the fire, open one OF the big
law-books (upside-down, as I afterwards
discovered), and to compose my features
:, the most professional expression
,patible with flannel jacket and
carpet slippers, when the visitor en-
tered. He was puffy little man, mid
dle-aged, and of good-natured, unin-
tellectual cast of countenance. He wore
shabby white hat and greasy black
gloves, and his trousers were shorter
and his umbrella fatteT than is gener-
ally considered desirable; but there was
an air of SNUG responsibility about him,
and the bundle of papers which he
carried had an eminently business-like
appearance. He began:
Il must apologize for disturbing you
at this hearty hour, Mr.. Browne" Che
was evidently not high-class practi-
toner; "but I have come to beg your
assistance in very urgent case"
/ tried to look as if very urgent cases
were matters of the most ordinary oc-
currence in my professional experience.
@Ah," said, "quite SO. Take seat.
Mr.. -"
"Ward, sir; Gibbons & Ward, of High
street, Bloomsbury. You have heard
the name, I daresay. Gibbons is dead
been dead some years; but we keep
up the old name, you know"
I didn't know in the least, but it
would never do to say SO.
aOh, yes; Gibbons & Ward, a most
eminent firm! am delighted to have
the pleasure of making you acquaint-
ance, Mr.. Ward"
@You are very kind, sir. Well, as ]
was saying, or rather, as 1 was about to
say, have become connected with a
case, very peculiar case, indeed, q
most peculiar case; and hearing of you
from my old friend Mr.. Virgins, I
thought that, though I'm stranger to
you myself, / might venture to call and
ask you to assist me in it.
@Dear me-" I thought, whoever
would have thought of old Virgins"
(my hairdresser) Sending me client !"
And on the principle that one good turn
deserves another, I mentally resolved
to 60 and have my hair cut the very next
day. I replied:
Il shall be very happy, Mr.. Ward.
Have you the particulars in writting?'
No. sir; but I'll tell you in half-a-
dozen words the state of the case. The
party I represent is a Mrs. Podgers
and you'll agree with me that she has
been very badly used. She was the
daughter Of an old fellow named Club,
ID the oil and color trade, man re-
puted to be worth mint of money.
When she married Podgers. who was q
pork butcher in small way of business,
Podgers naturally wanted to know what
the old man would do for them. A
little ready money would be very ac'
ceptable; and as Susan CHATS Mrs.
Podgers) was the only daughter, and
would naturally come in for all the old
mans money at his death, they didn't
see why he shouldn't give 'em little at
once, on account like. But old Glubh
wasn't TO be had in that way. No. he
says; if ron marry Susan, when ! die,
you'll have all I've got, which may be
Zen Thousand OF it may be twenty; but
r.m not going to undress before go te
bed. IS the saying isl So upon that
and quite relying On Il that the old char
would keep fis word, Podgers goes and
zss4z-<a6 gFhar All knew the old mar