The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-25
WATCH FOR A CHANCE.
And Whom 1t Comes Mako Good
Uso of 1t.
An illustration Of Lost Opportunity e
Relatcd ~ n Successful Man--How
Famous New York Lawyer
Get HIS start.

Not long ago fonr old friends sat
down to little dinner together in New
York One 81 them aas famous
lawyer They naturally fell 10 talking
over old times, and, as men ~ fifty are
rather apt To do, whether rightly or
not, they agreed that young men now
alays are not what they used TO be.
n have had striking illustration Of
that fact to-day" said tire lawyer, with
ii shrug 81 Impotence. "A young fell
low has had desk in my Office for per-
haps six months. He seemed bright,
and came to me with a recommends
tion from q man In whom have conf
denee He said that If would only
give him chance, that was NIL he
wanted He was willing to do any
thing, and all that sort Of talk. Well,
nothing but routine work has happened
10 come In. to be thrown into that boys
way, until about week ago, when ]
was short for time to look up some
points about an important case
which is taking up most Of our
attention at the ofllco just now
Here, thought |, is the chance for our
Young friend Let's see If there is any
stuff In him sat down by him and
explained that should like him to
hunt mp all the evidence he could find
bearing on this subject. After having
tna,ie the thing as plain MS the nose on
i man's face, I added: Now, II yon
want rs know anything further about
this matter, come right to me. There
ii no immediate hurry said. as 1
turned away; but inside Of week we
dlalI want everything connected with
Mis- point of the case put into perfect
order. He said: All right, sir, and /
dropped the whole affair of my mind,
for have been completely absorbed in
an entirely different part Of the same
case To-day II occurred TO me that
hadn't heard anything from him, and
that by tomorrow or next day the pa
pcrs ought to be in hand. went
around and asked him how he was get
ting on He told me. with considerable
hesitation. that he had been meaning
to come and tell me that--he hadn't
exactly understood and so forth.
Then why didn't you come 70 me. as !
told you 70 do?' l asked him, pretty
shortly. He stammered out o lot moro
about its being q big job for little fell
low of his inexperience; and then
fairly roarcd: i was trying to give you
some experiencef Then got away as
fast as could. was afraid that
/ should say something that !
should be sorry for, But that young
man Is done for as far as / am con-
cerned shall get rid of him as soon
as possibly can. What chance he
hadl Just such n chance as had at his
agc--only seized It. knew It was a
he didn't know chance when he saw
it,
,'Iow was II that you got your,
start?' asked ono Of the party. II
don't believe you ever told us.
eOh, 1t isn't much Of story" said
the great lawyer, modestlyI but II
meant good deal to me just the same
was fixed something as this boy is--
the one have been telling you about
in the office of law firm who were do-
ing big business. had had clerks
work for about six months, andwas be-
INNING to think that never should
get chance to do anything else, though
had seize every opportunity that ]
could make or find to tell the head men
If tho firm that, u WAS ready TO try my
hand at anything they had mind TO
rive me Summertime came around.
ana things were as duh as dull The
rest were all going off on their vaca-
tons, and at last my turn came.
packed my trunk early in the morning,
and had written my friends to expect
me by tho first train that left that city
after office hours that night felt
pretty blue when wrote, too. knew.
they would ask me how was getting
N, and | wasn't getting on at all !
had made up my mind that had been
a fool to think ever should beNable to
10 any law business anyway ! thoughts
with some show Of reason. that II !
really had any stun in Inc some Of these
mart mon at the Office would have
found II ont by this time and would
iava given me something to do.
NAH, noon passed. and It ran along
. t;.acc O'Clock It was hot day,
sal | was beginning to think