New-York tribune., 1899-06-11
SQUIRE SLAUGHTER.

AN Oll-IlME l. u i l1I>-'7l - / - h|-A W i'@'
shall never forget the morning when in
response to an unintelligible roar passed INTO
the inner office and stood in the awful presence
of Counsellor Enoch Slaughter. He sat at his
plain. hat-topped desk with a pad of yellow
legal cap before him; to right and left, on chalrs
and floor were law books spread open with
leaves turned down and pages marred by inter-
lincations and marginal notes.
The counsellor's nimsy black, working coat
was hunched up around his neck, his narrow
string tie was under his left ear; the rim oil
red hair. which gave his bald spot an insular
rather than a continental aspect, stood erect and
defiant. like the British Grenadiers at Waterloo
Evidently had disturbed the lion at the most
dangerous moment-when he was digesting.
so YOU are the young sprig," Mr.. Slaughter
shouted squinting his small, nhamed eyes at
me like an ogre about to crunch, "who wants
10 studv law with us? Hey? Well, 50 you
shall. but after the good old fashion. We have
no higher education hmlams here; you must
get down to first principles Just take that pile
of books to the bndery, and when you return
sweep down the steps"
obeyed, though the thoughts of my dignity
as a senior at the university but year ago
surged in my breast. Thenceforward. such legal
erudition as | acquired with Messrs. Slaughter
& Marchmont came through indirect assimila-
tiUn.
Judge Marchmont Enoch Slaugnters partner,
whose private office the other side or
the large middle room which we clerks occupied
as slaveys in common, was pcrtly gentleman
generous Of smile and fully as suave in manner
as the other was brisk in affairs. His mental
poise always seemed on tiptoe lest he might in
advertently tread on ones feelings. used to
wonder at first. why he had chosen the law
rather than the ministry for a profession. one
day | heard the partners quarrelling over the
division of retainer, that is. l heard Mr..
Slaughter quarrelng. one would think from the
ferocious sounds that IL Judge Marchmont
escaped with the skin of his teeth that would
be all the integument he would have left. In
a few moments however, he emerged from Mr..
Slaughters Office and passed into his own.
as rosy and beaming the dawn, and as wide
awake AS our gaze met, it seemed to me that
his left cyelid quivered not fortuitously At all
events judging from the size of the check which
he presently sent me to the bank to deposit, he
had secured considerably more than an equitable
share of the fee. In time l came to have no
more doubts to the prudence Of his choice
of a vocation than he evidently entertained
himself.
Such being the peculiarties of the partners
It naturally occurred that it the Judges
part to receive clients and make arrangements
with them He was wont to explain his
sumption Of this duty in parable, saying that
to his mind there were inherent difficulties in
conducting a delicate negotiation in ten-acre
lot and that Brother Slaughter never could
member that ne wasn't on his native hills sum
rnoning the hands to dinner; OF all of which
had the following practical illustration:
One day, when asserting blanks in the
middle room, a little. old man. whom | recog-
niZed as Mr. Midas. the richest in
town popped in. in manifest state Of nervous
agitation. | had scarcely communicated the
untoward intelligence that he Judge out
when ne plunged incOntinenty into Mr.. Slaugh-
ter's Office where that worthy was engrossed in
piling up skyscraoer Of a brief for the dunn
founding of the Court of Appeals 1t is easy
to anticipate explosion when one nitro
Sycerine needessly disturbed and l must say
chat | quaked in my seat as l listened. This is
what heard:
Squire Slaughter Squire Slaughter" piped
1r. Midass shrin voice; I've got a case-the
greatest case ever brought. There's $4,000 in
81 for you. down at $1,000 if you'll only
take il: I'll draw my check this very moment;
Ilr'-
"Blankety blank you!' roared Mr.. Slaughter.
ado you think I've got nothing else to do than
20 hear you blather about money? Tell me In
few words just what you want, get out for
q blank. blank, old idiotw
The door opened. and poor Mr.. Midas fed
Through precipitately, with his hands in the air,
crying "Oh a dreadful man, What a dreadful
man" and in a few moments I heard the Squire
1iscordanty humming. THE Shining Shore over
his work like a sawmill run out of oil, but in