The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-04
LAWYER LIKED DIME NOVEL.
Judge Isaac G. Parker and "seth
Jones From New Hampshire"

From the Chicago Inter-Ocesn.
when I was a law student in the offics
OF a young attorney said New York man,
my first lessons In oratory were learned
| by listening TO my preceptor read seiec-
| tons from Seth Jones' the dime-novel
hero. The lawyer was afterwards Judge.
Congressman, and, at the time Of his death.
a United States District Judge of Arkansas.
having been appointed by Grant In the lat
ter's second administration. You may have
heard of him. Isaac c. Parker. for some OF
his decisions made his name familiar TO the
bench and bar Of the country.
Il was a STRIPPING when Parker swung his
sfingle in st. Joseph. Mo. He was young
wait. After l had been in his office short
time he quickly discovered, think. that 1
required some sort OF diversion IN order TO
whet my appetite Tor WendelIs blackstone
in the first volume OF which he drilled mo
as assduously as any student was ever
drilled in the primaries.
"Beadle's dime novels were the only easy
reading for boys in that town. The dealer
who had them on sale disposed OF them
surreptl.iously. Novels Of any sort were not
countenanced then by the best society.
Cards were the DEVILS device. but dime
novel was the broad road TO destruction.
The boys who bought and read them formed
a circuilting library. the principal books OF
which were from Beadies press. The read
ing-room was In a hayloft. Here the vol
umes were concealed when not In hand. I
carried our only copy Of Seth Jones to
Parker's law office one day, and while on an
GRAND I left it hid under my Blackstone.
When I returned Parker was reading It.
/ think 1 read more pages OF Blackstone in
that hour than was my wont. for the rea-
son that Parker held on TO my Beadie dur
ing that time. As l remember the story.
when the star character in the novel is con-
fronted by another who inquiries Who is
Jones rom from New e H amp This in the
estimation of Parker was the dramatic sit
uation in the story. and he jumped from
IL -kaI- IL xx-fsh d.
clamatory effect. l shall never forget how
his reading impressed me.
Finally j had to return Seth Jones' to
a cent. A few days after Parker asked FOR
II. and when / told him had returned IT
he wanted to know where another copy
and he sent me to purchase copy. The
dealer refused to sell II to me without an
order This was his rule. forced by stern
that they were thereby encouraging their
progeny In forgery. l returned to Parker
with the information and he wrote an order
for one copy OF Seth Jones' which laid
before the bookman with a good deal OF
pride. When he looked at the order he said
II. for Parker's chirography was not the
kind one could read even when II was care
fully written. Again returned to the Of
fee with the order. and crestfallen.
Parker was furious. He. picked up a
pound weight. which was his paperholder.
and. putting il in his pocket. left with the
mans eyes open until he could read Chi
nese. l remained to contemplate the right
eous assault soon after Parker returned
with the novel and laid the weight back in
It's place. He was my idea OF hero at
that moment.
Now ne said. opening the novel. we
shall resume our Seth Jones' readings
After he read several pages h. turned to
me snd asked:
'' What was it that other man asked Seth
Jones2'
who IS Seth Jones?' replied. moro
promptly than ever had answered a ques-
tion about priinosenture. or any other sub
iect in Blackstone.
This was Parker's cue. He threw down
the book. and striking heroic attitude, he
Numbered: I'm Seth Jones from New
Hampshire"
II continued in Parker's ONCE for q year.
] followed his successful career to Its close
He was powerful pleader. a fearless turist
and a representative of more than average
ability, having served three consecutive
terms in Congress. I frequently heard him
on the stump, but In all his effort he never
impressed me as he did when ne used to
turn from his examination OF Blackstone
and exclaim with dramatic force: I'm Seth
Jones from New Hampshirer