ood many unsuccessful
attempts I produced a document sufficiently technical to satisfy
almost any layman and probably calculated to defeat every wish of
the testator. Of this, however, I was quite ignorant, and do myself
the justice to say that, had not that been the case, I would not
have attempted what I now know to have been an impossible task for
one of my lack of legal education. I carefully engrossed the will
in long hand on fresh foolscap, ornamented it with seals and ribbons
and, returning to the hotel, superintended its execution. My client
asked my how much was my fee and I modestly replied--as I never
expected to see him again this side of the grave--that my charge
would be one hundred and fifty dollars. He nodded, and indicating
his pocketbook, told me to help myself, which I did, regretting
not having asked for more. That night he died, and my impromptu
will was forwarded to California and became the subject of a
litigation lasting over eleven years and costing several hundred
thousand dollars.

It thus happened that my eagerness to begin to build up my material
fortunes, coupled with the necessity of having a technical connection
with a regular firm of lawyers, resulted in my leading a sort of
double legal existence. In the morning I was a mere drudge or
office devil, in the afternoon I was Counsellor Quibble, head of
his own office and my own master. Having now a capital of one
hundred and fifty dollars I was in a position to put one of my
schemes into practice, and accordingly I drew up with great care
the following instrument, copies of which I had struck off by a
theatrical job printer near by:

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THIS AGREEMENT made this . . . . day of . . . . . . . . , 1878,
between . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , of the City and County
of New York, party of the first part, and Artemas Quibble, Esquire,
of the same, party of the second part, WITNESSETH:

That the said party of the first part in consideration of one dollar
to him in hand paid upon the first day of each month by the party
of the second part, hereby covenants and agrees to employ at a
reduced rate the said party of the second part to look after all
the legal matters that my arise in his business and to recommend
said party of the second part to his friends and acquaintances as
a suitable person to perform the like services for them; in the
latter event the said party