imagined that it had something to say in government。 Miller Gorse was
one of these rulers behind the screen； and Adolf Scherer； of the Boyne
Iron Works； another； there was Leonard Dickinson of the Corn National
Bank； Frederick Grierson； becoming wealthy in city real estate； Judah B。
Tallant； who； though outlawed socially； was deferred to as the owner of
the Morning Era； and even Ralph Hambleton； rapidly superseding the
elderly and conservative Mr。 Lord； who had hitherto managed the great
Hambleton estate。 Ralph seemed to have become； in a somewhat gnostic
manner； a full…fledged financier。 Not having studied law； he had been
home for four years when I became a legal fledgling； and during the early
days of my apprenticeship I was beholden to him for many 〃eye openers〃
concerning the conduct of great affairs。 I remember him sauntering into
my room one morning when Larry Weed had gone out on an errand。
〃Hello； Hughie；〃 he said； with his air of having nothing to do。
〃Grinding it out？ Where's Watling？〃
〃Isn't he in his office？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； what can we do for you？〃 I asked。
Ralph grinned。
〃Perhaps I'll tell you when you're a little older。 You're too young。〃
And he sank down into Larry Weed's chair； his long legs protruding on the
other side of the table。 〃It's a matter of taxes。 Some time ago I found
out that Dickinson and Tallant and others I could mention were paying a
good deal less on their city property than we are。 We don't propose to
do it any morethat's all。〃
〃How can Mr。 Watling help you？〃 I inquired。
〃Well； I don't mind giving you a few tips about your profession； Hughie。
I'm going to get Watling to fix it up with the City Hall gang。 Old Lord
doesn't like it； I'll admit； and when I told him we had been contributing
to the city long enough； that I proposed swinging into line with other
property holders； he began to blubber about disgrace and what my
grandfather would say if he were alive。 Well； he isn't alive。 A good
deal of water has flowed under the bridges since his day。 It's a mere
matter of business； of getting your respectable firm to retain a City
Hall attorney to fix it up with the assessor。〃
〃How about the penitentiary？〃 I ventured； not too seriously。
〃I shan't go to the penitentiary； neither will Watling。 What I do is to
pay a lawyer's fee。 There isn't anything criminal in that； is there？〃
For some time after Ralph had departed I sat reflecting upon this new
knowledge； and there came into my mind the bitterness of Cousin Robert
Breck against this City Hall gang； and his remarks about lawyers。 I
recalled the tone in which he had referred to Mr。 Watling。 But Ralph's
philosophy easily triumphed。 Why not be practical； and become master of
a situation which one had not made； and could not alter； instead of being
overwhelmed by it？ Needless to say； I did not mention the conversation
to Mr。 Watling； nor did he dwindle in my estimation。 These necessary
transactions did not interfere in any way with his personal
relationships； and his days were filled with kindnesses。 And was not Mr。
Ripon； the junior partner； one of the evangelical lights of the
community； conducting advanced Bible classes every week in the Church of
the Redemption？。。。 The unfolding of mysteries kept me alert。 And I
understood that； if I was to succeed； certain esoteric knowledge must be
acquired； as it were； unofficially。 I kept my eyes and ears open； and
applied myself； with all industry； to the routine tasks with which every
young man in a large legal firm is familiar。 I recall distinctly my
pride when； the Board of Aldermen having passed an ordinance lowering the
water rates； I was intrusted with the responsibility of going before the
court in behalf of Mr。 Ogilvy's water company； obtaining a temporary
restricting order preventing the ordinance from going at once into
effect。 Here was an affair in point。 Were it not for lawyers of the
calibre of Watling； Fowndes and Ripon； hard…earned private property would
soon be confiscated by the rapacious horde。 Once in a while I was made
aware that Mr。 Watling had his eye on me。
〃Well； Hugh；〃 he would say； 〃how are you getting along？ That's right；
stick to it； and after a while we'll hand the drudgery over to somebody
else。〃
He possessed the supreme quality of a leader of men in that he took pains
to inform himself concerning the work of the least of his subordinates；
and he had the gift of putting fire into a young man by a word or a touch
of the hand on the shoulder。 It was not difficult for me； therefore； to
comprehend Larry Weed's hero…worship； the loyalty of other members of the
firm or of those occupants of the office whom I have not mentioned。 My
first impression of him； which I had got at Jerry Kyme's； deepened as
time went on； and I readily shared the belief of those around me that his
legal talents easily surpassed those of any of his contemporaries。 I can
recall； at this time； several noted cases in the city when I sat in court
listening to his arguments with thrills of pride。 He made us all feel
no matter how humble may have been our contributions to the preparation
that we had a share in his triumphs。 We remembered his manner with
judges and juries； and strove to emulate it。 He spoke as if there could
be no question as to his being right as to the law and the facts； and
yet； in some subtle way that bated analysis； managed not to antagonize
the court。 Victory was in the air in that office。 I do not mean to say
there were not defeats； but frequently these defeats； by resourcefulness；
by a never…say…die spirit； by a consummate knowledge； not only of the
law； but of other things at which I have hinted； were turned into
ultimate victories。 We fought cases from one court to another； until our
opponents were worn out or the decision was reversed。 We won； and that
spirit of winning got into the blood。 What was most impressed on me in
those early years； I think； was the discovery that there was always a
pathif one were clever enough to find itfrom one terrace to the next
higher。 Staying power was the most prized of all the virtues。 One could
always； by adroitness； compel a legal opponent to fight the matter out
all over again on new ground； or at least on ground partially new。 If
the Court of Appeals should fail one； there was the Supreme Court； there
was the opportunity； also； to shift from the state to the federal courts；
and likewise the much…prized device known as a change of venue； when a
judge was supposed to be 〃prejudiced。〃
IX。
As my apprenticeship advanced I grew more and more to the inhabitants of
our city into two kinds； the who were served； and the inefficient； who
were separate efficient； neglected； but the mental process of which the
classification was the result was not so deliberate as may be supposed。
Sometimes； when an important client would get into trouble； the affair
took me into the police court； where I saw the riff…raff of the city
penned up； waiting to have justice doled out to them： weary women who had
spent the night in cells； indifferent now as to the front they presented
to the world； the finery rued that they had tended so carefully to catch
the eyes of men on the darkened streets； brazen young girls； who blazed
forth defiance to all order； derelict men； sodden and hopeless； with
scrubby beards； shifty looking burglars and pickpockets。 All these I
beheld； at first with twinges of pity； later to mass them with the ugly
and inevitable with whom society had to deal somehow。 Lawyers； after
all； must be practical men。 I came to know the justices of these police
courts； as well as other judges。 And underlying my acquaintance with all
of them was the knowledgethough not on the threshold of my
consciousnessthat they depended for their living； every man of them；
those who were appointed and those who were elected； upon a political
organization which derived its sustenance from the element whence came
our clients。 Thus by degrees the sense of belonging to a special
priesthood had grown on me。
I recall an experience with that same Mr。 Nathan。 Weill； the wholesale
grocer of whose commerce with the City Hall my Cousin Robert Breck had so
bitterly complained。 Late one afternoon Mr。 Weill's carriage ran over a
child on its way up…town through one of the poorer districts。 The
parents； naturally； were frantic； and the coachman was arrested。 This
was late in the afternoon； and I was alone in the office when the
telephone rang。 Hurrying to the police station； I found Mr。 Weill in a
state of excitement and abject fear； for an ugly crowd had gathered
outside。
〃Could not Mr。 Watling or Mr。 Fowndes come？〃 demanded the grocer。
With an inner contempt for the layman's state of mind on such occasions I
assured him of my competency to handle the case。 He was impressed； I
think； by the sergeant's deference； who knew what it meant to have such
an office as ours interfere with the affair。 I called up the prosecuting
attorney； who sent to Monahan's saloon； close by； and procured a release
for the coachman on his own recognizance； one of many signed in blank and
left there by the justice for p