scene, and looked at the
man taking his tea, and conversing carelessly, he thought that a life
would be a cheap price for such an opportunity and effort.

Nature had been generous to Wade, and given him a fine, well-balanced,
strong, clear intellect, of a manly, direct, and bold cast, as well
of mind as temperament. He was not destitute of learning in his
profession, but rather despised culture, and had a certain indolence
of intellect, that arose in part from undervaluing books, and although
later a great reader, he was never a learned man. His manners were
rude though kind; he had wonderful personal popularity, and was the
freest possible from cant, pretence, or any sort of demagogueism.
He was as incapable of a mean thought as of uttering the slightest
approach to an untruth, or practising a possible insincerity. He was
a favorite with the young lawyers and students, who imitated his rude
manner and strong language; was a dangerous advocate, and had much
influence with courts. In all these early years he was known as Frank
Wade; "Ben" and "old Ben" came to him years after at Washington.

When he left the supper room Case found an opportunity to introduce
Bart to him. Wade received him very cordially, and spoke with great
kindness of his brother Henry, and remarked that Bart did not much
resemble him.

"So I am generally told," said Bart; "and I fear that I am less like
him in intellect than in person."

"You may possibly not lose by that. Most persons would think you
better looking, and you may have as good a mind--that we will find out
for ourselves."

Bart felt that this was kind. Wade then remarked that they would find
time on Monday to overhaul his law. Later, Bart met Ranney, who, he
thought, received him coolly.

The next day the young men went to church. Nothing in the way of
heresy found foothold at Jefferson. It was wholly orthodox; although
it was suspected that Wade and Ranney had notions of their own in
religion; or rather the impression was that they had no religion of
any kind. Not to have the one and true, was to have none according to
the Jefferson platform.

Monday was an anxious day for Bart. He would now be put to a real
test. He knew he had studied hard, but he remembered the air with
which Henry and Ranney waived him off. Then he was so poor, and was
so anxious to get through, and be admitted in September, that he was
a little nervous when the lawyers found leisure in the afternoon to