The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-14
WATCH FOR A CHANCE.
And Whom 1t Comes Mako Good
Uso or II.
An Illustration 81 Lost Opportunity -
Related ~ Successful Nan-itow
Famous New York lawyer
Got Ills start.

I'll
Not long ago four old friends sat
down TO d little dinner together In New
York. One OF thcm was famous
lawyer They naturally fell 70 talking
over old times, and, Us men Of fifty nre
rather apt to 40, whether rightly or
not, they agreed that young men now
ndnys IRE not what they used u be.
n have had striking illustration Of
that fact to-day, said tho lawyer, with
shrug OF impatience a young fcl.
low has had desk in my Office for per-
haps SIX months. lie seemed bright,
and came 10 me with rccommendae
ton from d man In whom have conf.
dence. lie said that II would only
give him d chance, that was all he
wanted. He was willing 10 do any.
thing, and all that sort Of talk. Well,
nothing but routine work hns happened
u come IL to bo thrown into that boys
way, until about d week ago, when !
was short for time to look up some
points about an important case
which lis taking mp most OF our
attention ut tho office Just now.
| Here thought I, IS the chance for our
young friend. Lots see u there - any
stun In him. | snt down by him and
explained that should like him 70
hunt up all the evidence lie could find
bearing on this subject After having
made the thing as plain rs the nose on
a mans face, added: Now, II you
want to know anything further about
this matter, come right to me. There
Is no immediate hurry said. MS l
turned away; but inside OF week we
shall want everything connected with
this point Of the case put into perfect
| order lie said: All right, sir, and +
dropped the whole nffnir off my mind,
| for have been completely absorbed in
an entirely different part Of the same
ease. To-day II occurred to me that /
hadn't heard anything from him, and
that by tomorrow or next day the pa
pers 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 TO me, as
told Won to do2' asked him, pretty
shortly. lie stammered out n lot more
about its being big job for a little fell
low Of his incxpcrience; and then !
| fairly roared: i was trying to give you
some experienced Then ] got away as
fast as could. was afraid that
i should say something that !
should be sorry for. Bnt that young
man Is done for as far as am com
cerncd I shall get rid Of him as soon
\ as I possibly can. What chance he
hadl just hucl. ii chance as had ut his
| a0c--only seized Il. knew 1t was q
| chance. This fellow acted as though
he didn't know chance when he saw
4 it."
.How was il that you got your
start?'' asked one Of the party. II
don't believe you ever told us. /"
"Oh, 1t isn't much Of story" said
the great lawyer, modestly; but il
meant q good deal to me just the same.
| was fixed something as this boy is--
the one have been telling you about
ia the Office Of law firm who were do-
i ing d big business, / had had clerks
i work for about six months, and was be-
ginning to think that I never should
get chance to do anything else, though
I had seize every opportunity that I
could make or find 70 tell the head men
Of the firm that was ready to try my
hand at anything they had mind to
give me Summertime came around,
4 and things were as dull as dull The
rest were all going OF on their vaca-
tions, and at last my turn came.
packed my trunk early I'M the morning.
ahdNad written my friends TO expect
me by the first train that left that city
4 after Office hours that night felt
pretty blue when wrote, too. knew
they would ask me how was getting
on, and wasn't getting on at all. ]
had made up my mind that had been
4 fool to think ever should be able to
do any law business anyway Thought
Il with some show Of reason, that II
really had any stuff in me some Of these
smart men at the office would have
found It out by this time and would
have given me something to do.
| Well. noon passed, and 1t ran along
TO three o'clock. It was q hot day,
and III was beginning to think