b, who had married my sister, Amelia.

I was to study law, but under the laws of Ohio I could not be
admitted to practice until I arrived at the age of twenty-one years.
Our liberal laws presumed that a man of ordinary capacity could
master this profession in two years. What was I to do during the
two spare years? This question was left to the decision of my
uncle, Judge Parker, husband of my father's only sister. He was
a peculiar character, and, as I will have occasion to refer to him
again, I will give of him a brief biography. He was born in Nova
Scotia. His father was a merchant of some wealth who early decided
that his son should be educated in Ohio, and chose for him the
college at Athens. There young Parker not only received his
collegiate diploma, but became thoroughly attached to western habits
and opinions. He studied law with my father at Lancaster, and,
when admitted to the bar, went to Mansfield, where he practiced
law. He was genial, social, and especially fond of the society of
young people. I have often seen him stop on the streets of Mansfield
to watch boys playing marbles. He was conceded to be an able
lawyer, perhaps the best land lawyer and special pleader in that
part of Ohio. But he was not an advocate, partly owing to occasional
stuttering, but in jury cases employed my father until the latter
became a judge of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Parker had for some years before 1840 retired from active
practice, and was engaged with Robert McComb as a general merchant.
During, or about 1842, he was elected by the legislature of Ohio
presiding judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and became eminently
popular, and deservedly so. He was to be my guide and counselor.

A few words in regard to my brother, Charles Taylor, will explain
our relations, the confidence he reposed in me, and my deep
obligations to him. He was then a bachelor thirty years old, with
quite a lucrative practice, mainly in collecting debts due to New
York and other eastern merchants. Our banking system was then as
bad as it could be, exchange on New York was always at a premium,
and there was no confidence in our local banks. Charles was
substantially the banker in Mansfield and surrounding counties for
eastern merchants. He was a good speaker when he addressed a judge,
and his briefs were clear statements of the law of the case, but
when forced to speak to a jury he was exceedingly shy and sensitive.
He avoided jury tria