The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-08
ALL IN A BUNCH
How Worcester's Le-
gal Lights Do Con
gregate.
7 ONE BUILDING HAS 10.
They Reverse the Story Of.
the Spider and the
81 Fly

sWiA you walk into my parlor?'' said
the spider to the fly.
What If the poor little fly had three
Nscore and ten parlors to choose from,
what tten7 Would he leave them all
Ealone. or would some particular spider
prove especially attractive?
RI In this city there is one building that
houses 10 lawyers within its massive
walls. No doubt 1t seems Unjust and
kcruel to compare an attorney with a
spider, but the legal profession are ac-
customed to abuse and injustice. They
have become case hardened to calumny
and they bear it all with spirit of res
ignation and il the truth be known
rather enjoy it. From time beyond mem
spfy of man, as Blackstone has it, the
a spider and the fly metaphor has been in
constant use. The lawyer has been rep
resented as sta1 ding at the door of his
hingy room, rubbing his hands in silent
giee, as he sees SOME helpless victim
coming in for advice and legal assist
ance. But The times have changed. and
now the lawyer OF today prides himself
upon an office modern in it's appoint
nients and furnished with easy chairs
and roll-top desk Nor do they get in
some house or block all by themselves
With the idea that If there is no one else
ct thAir Profession Within five min
utes' walk Of Them they can get the
more business. To the contrary, today
II very city one finds lawyers
s. ..9 gether in some big block,
Usually one OF the best on the street,
and they do not fear competition from
their many heighbofs. If they win a
client, it is by means of their reputa-
ton and not BECAUSE there is no one else
who Can give legal advice. Worcester
had lawyers block" before they
nearly all moved into the State Mutual
building. A Few years ago the Walker
r. building was the home of myriad OF
the green bag fraternity and today
their Weather beaten signs hang outside
their former offices like tablets above
the graves of departed ones.
They silently tell Of the former ten
ant who has gone into broader field OF
work and who, let it be hoped, is still
higher on the ladder of legal fame.
Every professional man knows that out
side appearance counts for much and
a shabby lawyer or seedy looking
/. doctor may often whistle for clients and
patients, while their rivals who have
: invested a. little money in some good
clothes and attrictive offices, will be
worked to death with business,
Perhaps in the days of our grand"
fathers a shiny coat was looked on as &
sign Of grace in the parson, but today
the parish take a pride in seeing their
pastor looking well fed and decently at
tired 1t is certainly noticeable that TIE
lawyers always try to get in the best
and highest building in the city. and
whilesthg offices may not be any better
or more comfortable than many others
in the CITY, still no one can deny that
the State Mutual towers above all the
other buildings In the city and has the
largest number of offices used by pro-
tessiUnai people. OF the 70 or more
lawyers iii the building, some have a
large practice, some are doing fairly
well and others are still waiting for
business to come to them; yet none look
40 busy or have their desks Uttered over
with more papers, for that is little
harmless deception that makes up their
stock in trade, so to speak, and evil
dence Of heavy business is sure to i'm
press the prospective client.
No doubt one reason why profession
al people like to get in Lawyers row.
In all the large cities Is that they can
always find all the conveniences there
right at hand. BARRIERS, bootblacks,
restaurant, book stores billiard parlor
and in some blocks in New York, Chi
cago ana Boston, perhaps it would not
be difficult to find another bar down
near The ground floor, where one can
find mental refreshment after long
hours Of work on some perplexing tech
nical point. In the State Mutual there
IS a. BARRIERS shop, fine restaurant,
Western Union telegraph. bootblack,
/, tailor, cnirG 0odists and, if one is a
member of a1ne Commonwealth club, q
chance to nave game of billiards after
the work Of the day is done and the
early darkness of winter comes on.
Just at the entrance of the block is a
list of all the people in the building. al
alphabetically arranged so that one can
easily find the party they are in search
of. 1t smales no difference to a LAWYER
how many more of his profession are In
the building His business depends upon
his rerutatlon obtained in years of long,
hard work, and clients search him ouT
because he has done business for taer,
before, or else for some friend who has
recommended him. There is no doubt.
howeS er, but what the young practi-
toner may wait month after month
without his door being opened except
by the letter carrier, and as a rule he
tries TO get in with some older man
who. perhaps will throw a few crumbs
FROM his ,overstoeked table of cases to
the wretcn starving for want of a client
There are still a number Of lawyers
in other blocks around town. In the
Five Cents Savings Bank buildings are
a number of the legal profession, and
among them the two best known mem