The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-26
Jimmy Singer S Mistake
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Young Jimmy Singer, down on Cher
gy street, was only fourteen years old,
but had come to have great admirn-
ton for the law. He knew that GER
tain detectives took their whack, and
be heard a professional bondsman AT.
firm that the police got . divvy on all
his cases. As for pool room men, gam
blers and pickpockets, Jimmy knew
that they owned The town. Now and
then there was patrolman or detec-
tive who would not shut his eyes when
there was case of pocket picking or
con game, but a complaint to certain
politicians soon brought about trans
fer. At the age Of fourteen Jimmy
was to be apprenticed to cobbler. He
bolted from home in consequence. He
had made up his mind as to his future
career. He had decided to stand in
with the law.
Jimmy had no sooner bolted than he
began to look around for job. 1t SO
happened that couple of young men
who had just graduated In law had
formed partnership and hung out
their sign. They didn't want police
court cases, and they didn't want to be
classed among the shysters, but the
want OF better patrons forced them TO
appear ia the lower courts quite often.
Jimmy made their acquaintance there.
He didn't catch them at any shyster
tricks, and he heard certain policemen
sneering at their straightforward way.
The boy didn't give the lawyers credit
for this. He simply took it that they
had a trick up their sleeves and were
the sort OF men he was looking for.
In a month after he knew them he
was their Office boy. lie didn't care
how humble the beginning as long as
the aroma of law hung about the place.
He didn't ever expect to be leading
member Of the bar, but he felt that he
could pick up enough law to enable
him to do as others were doing.
one day the boy picked up pointer.
The partners had been consulted about
a big case. II they could win 1t, they
had their start on the road to success.
The bar to the winning was certain
papers in the hands OF certain citi-
zen. If they had those papers, their
case was sure. Without them 1t was
no use to take a single step Jimmy
felt that the success of the firm would
be his success, while failure would
send him adrift It was perfectly nat
ural that he should sit up and take mo-
tice. He couldn't figure out how the
pnpers We're TO be got unless be got
them. The only way he could get
them was by robblng the house. II
didn't take him i've minutes to come to
a decision. II might be going little
further than the police when they per
1ured themselves or a little further
than the shyster lawyers when they
1uggied a case. but he would take the
risk. He spotted off the house, hung
4 around for a few days and then one
night effected an entrance and secured
Tie papers. He hadn't had much pre-
SIminary experience in the burglar
NEssinegs. but he brought of this trick
80 an old hand. He didn't even leave
half burnt match behind for de-
taefive to pick up and examine through
microscope ana announce that It had
EIan scratched on the right leg Of
ID headed boy with d eockeye at ex-
z@sly the hour Of midnight.
Jimmy had to lie to get the papers
$50 the hands OF the firm, but that
sIz|A't trouble him in the least He
81 heard shyster lawyers lie thou
&zzA times over. He claimed to have
8 them on the street, and the
attorneys drew long breaths
81 l.keIared that Providence was sure
*,Rh them. They won their case
mapped into Easy street Jimmy
.2AS was not forgotten. He was
||=I.| "a the back and called lucky
s. dog aud bis salary raised. and
szz k his learning law so fast he
S Il ave held down bis job indef-
ss.|Sas After be had been at II six
..z.I| Ms he began to give legal advice
Is express legal opinions around
HSarfs. IN fact, he arranged 70
A Is with the police on certain
EAlI AN0iU ta0 toAI SA-t- -- ~~-=--
IS. delEver the goods. This brought
ks6t strained relations and an ex-
@..z4re ana the law firm and the
nhl o. law had to part company.
S2 thence forward FOR the next
s years Jimmy travelled Re tray
h as lawyer. as a plekpocket as
zsn nan. and now and then bur
+ bit for a change. No. i wasn't
N|ary The law says that entering
So oecunIed dwelling before sunset IS
* robbery. aud Jimmy never let
sud fimaam him. At the end Of
xss years Be retnrned to town 70
s. s great mistake. The sun got u
zats< IS s. down or 1lnmy's watch
|ea minutes Of or the witnesses
#z<s falsely. At any rate, be. was