The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-14

brated murder trial, and then when he
has produced generous glow in the
breast of his listener he suddenly asks
the loan of 81, and before the vic
tim can cool off the transfer is effected.
Then he gets up and makes his exit,
firmly believing he has succeeded in
mystifying the clerk as to his GRAND.
But all of us, down to the office boy,
have penetrated his cunning play long
since.
"There is another kind of broken
down lawyer that comes bustling in with
companion, who sits down in the ante
chamber while his partner interrogates
the firm. This relic of better days pre-
tends to be on the trail of an awful
damage case-man killed, horrible de-
tails-which he is working up for our
firm to handle. He must go out to see
some witnesses and needs twenty-five
cents for car fare. This sort of thing
continues for week, or until he gets
liquor enough to make him fit sub
ject for an asylum, and then we see no
more of him for month. He has never
brought us case yet.
"Our women clients are source of
special study to me. Some are mere
talking machines and by the time one
of this class has made us three visits we
have learned all about the family history
for several generations, We incidental
ly make the acquaintance of her neigh
bors, soon know their different peculiar
tiles and eccentricities, and also dis
cover the utter depravity of the people
ON the other side. She always wants to
tell us whole lot of stuff that we can
not possibly use as evidence, and when
we say so she appears deeply hurt and
wants to know why we can't use it. The
more we explain the more suspicious
she becomes of the law and of her law
yers. We tell her very explicitly that
her case will not come up for three
months, but this makes no difference TO
her, for she comes in regularly three
times every week to learn if the date has
been changed and how the affair is pro-
crossing. She always pretends that she
happened to be passing and thought she
would just drop in to see us, but we
know that she came down town for this
special purpose.
"Then there is the woman who calls
to put her case in our hands, and, before
she has been in the Office five minutes
we discover that she had really en-
ployed another lawyer, but feeling sure
that he is going to sell her out she is de-
sirous of making change. We assure
her that it would be unprofessional in
us to take her case before she was set
tied with the other attorney, for whom
we have very deep regard. Then she
gets up, looks as if she believed us to be
in collision with him, and stalks out of
the Office in high dudgeon.
But the most extraordinary woman
o1i 80, cl, Lot 10. 10 4 oil
the talking, does exactly as she is di-
rected, pays promptly, without any bag
Cling, and goes away perfectly contented
with what has been accomplished. If a
lawyer has large practice and numbers
many female clients, in the course of
ten years he may perhaps find two
women belonging to this class of clients.
But they are as scarce as an honest In
dian Agent.
"a neighborly sort of caller is the
man who rushes in to borrow little
law, Just as his wife might drop in next
door TO get cup of sugar or to beg the
loan of a dishpan. He will begin, per-
haps, by commenting upon the price of
real estate, recommend the purchase of
few lots in desirable suburb in which
he is interested, and then, suddenly
stating very intricate proposition of
law, asks frankly for an opinion upon it.
Very likely it is a matter that would re-
quire days research among the proper
authorities, but he asks for it in about
the same tone 1 would ask you for a
match. 1t is suggested that this will
take some time to look up, whereupon
he observes: ooh, well, no hurry old
man; I'll look in next day, or, better
yet, you might let me know when you
come to the house. You promised, if
you remember, to call in and see the
baby's new tooth Then, in his breezy
way, he yells an adieu and escapes.
"a queer sort of customer is the
man who has his first lawsuit. He usual
ly consults the Office boy to learn ii the
lawyers are honest before he confides his
case to the firm, and after he has made
all of the arrangements and been in
formed that the trial will not take place
for six months he goes away after the
date has been given him six successive
times. But we see him twice week
thereafter until the day set for trial, and
each time it is to make suggestion that
he thinks of vast importance and
which he is afraid will be overlooked by
his attorneys and consequently defeat his
case.
"a most depressing clients the young
woman in deep trouble, dressed in
black, who is invariably accompanied by
six female acquaintance, who sit just
like row of .mourners outside the rail-
ing while the object of their solicitude
interviews the head of the firm. She en-
tiers the privete Office with the air of a
victim descending into Hades. Once in
side she tells most narrowing tale of
domestic infelicities, during the recital
of which she sheds copious flood of
salty tears. The senior partner patient
ly hears everything and then suggests
that he send for her husband. To this
she demurs at first, but finally gives a
reluctant consent Then the husband
arrived-not bad sort of fellow at all
and after little talk reconciliation is
effected and both 60 away supremely
happy, leaving the mourners to get
home the best they can. Three nights
later the senior partner sees his fearful
client in box at the opera, gayly
dressed, with a face wreathed in smiles
which are reflected in the features of
her husband who sits in the opposite
chair. Then the lawyer smiles inwardly
and makes few mental reflections.
''Some of our callers are young stu
dents from provincial towns who are
anxious to get into a well-known law
yer's Office, where they may have an OPP
portunity to distinguish themselves.
They usually bring letter of recon-
mendation written by their local minis
ter-the very poorest passport they could
present If they only knew it. Everyone
is dressed in precisely the same style.
They stalk into the Office wearing a
shiny suit of black diagonal, a black
SLOUGH hat and black necktie. They
affect a Websterian manner, stand about
In picturesque ,postures and try to con-
vey you'll-regret this aspect when the