fect of reducing the price, and in another view the improvement in the quality might have been expected to raise the price. To find which view prevailed, the reader who does not know is referred to the existing table, and recommended to compare it with its predecessor."
The condition of the bar in the United States is quite as bad in this respect as in Scotland. Thousands of newly fledged attorneys are every year added to its ranks, and but few, out of the many, will ever find substantial returns from the legitimate practice of the profession. If the ranks of lawyers are to be swelled by such yearly accessions, it becomes a serious question as to what will eventually be the result, not only to the lawyer but to the law.
The remark of Milton that "most men are allured to the trade of law, grounding their purposes not on the prudent and heavenly contemplation of justice and equity, which was never taught them, but on the promising and pleasing thoughts of litigious terms, fat contentions, and flowing fees," has, we fear, considerable truth in it, as applied to some of the aspirants for legal honors of the present day.
LEGAL INCIDENTS.
VII.
A DISCOMFITED WITNESS.
When Abraham Lincoln was practising at the bar before Judge Davis (afterward Justice of the United States Supreme Court), says the "New York Call," a rather startling incident happened at one of the neighboring villages. Some kind of a religious meeting was being held. The weather was warm, and the church windows were open. Somebody outside threw a live duck through the window, to the great consternation of some of the congregation and the merriment of the trifling.
It was a flagrant and malicious breach of the law which protects religious meetings. Suspicion fell upon two young men of respectable family who were not in the church, hut were known to be in its immediate vicinity at the time of the outrage. One of these young men went to the county prosecuting attorney, and swore out an affidavit against his companion. The case was brought before the local squire; but under legal advice the young man waived preliminary examination, and was held under quite considerable bonds to appear at the next Circuit Court at Springfield. The parents of the accused were in very great distress at the vexatious and degrading predicament in which their son was placed. They went to Lincoln and offered him a retainer.
"Are you satisfied that your son is innocent?" was Mr. Lincoln's first question.
The parents said they were satisfied of it.
"Then," said the future President, " let me have an hour's private conference with the boy, after which I will tell you whether or not I will accept your retainer."
The young man duly appeared at Mr. Lincoln's office, and an interview of the most private nature took place between them.
When the day of trial arrived there was a full court-room, for the friends and neighbors of the parties concerned flocked to Springfield to be present at the trial. The prosecutor was a very little man, who lisped abominably. He did not feel himself big enough for the case; so he employed a lawyer
