t a great deal is to be said for the place which does not
know them.

E.C. REYNOLDS.

THE LADY LAWYER'S FIRST CLIENT.

TWO PARTS.

I.

Mrs. Tarbell sat in her office, pretending to read a law-journal, but
really looking at her name on the office door; and she was not without
justification, perhaps, seeing that it had taken her six years to get it
there. Furthermore, though it was six weeks since it had been lettered
upon the glass panel, she had as yet found nothing to do but look at it.
She was at last a lawyer; she had triumphed over prejudice and ridicule;
and a young lawyer has three privileges,--he may write Esquire after his
name, he is exempt from jury duty, and he can wait for clients. Mrs.
Tarbell had always been exempt from jury duty, and her brother told her
that, historically speaking, she ought to be called _equestrienne_, if
she was to have any title: so it seemed that it was only left to her to
wait for clients and contemplate her sign. The sign read,--

Ellen G. Tarbell,
Alex. H. Juddson,
Attorneys-at-Law.
Commissioner for Colorado.

Mrs. Tarbell had been a Miss Juddson before her marriage with ---- Tarbell,
Esq. (of Hinson & Tarbell, mourning goods), and Mr. Alexander H.
Juddson was her brother. When Mr. Tarbell died, his widow told her
family and friends that she was going to read law.

Mrs. Tarbell had always been a woman of progressive notions, but this
was going too far. Her family and some of her friends were short-sighted
enough to attempt to argue the general question,--namely, ought women to
have Rights? When Mrs. Tarbell proved to them that they were both unfair
and illogical, they then said that, though they had no objection to
other women making lawyers of themselves, they did not see the necessity
in her case.

Mrs. Tarbell replied that she must get a living; and it was quite true
that the late Tarbell had failed a few months before his death, leaving
his widow rather poorly off; for he had not put his property in her name
before making an assignment. And Mrs. Tarbell went on to say that, as
she could not be a nurse, and would not be a governess or keep a
boarding-house, she would read law. It was reported at the time that Mr.
Juddson said he hoped his sister would go and read law, if anywhere, in
Colorado, for which State it was he, of course, who was the
commissioner; but, whether this report were true or not, Mrs. Tarbell
stayed at home and pursued her studies under hi