ealously and sincerely, and the
one who is finally beaten, feels that injustice has been done. It is
the first task of an advocate to convince himself, and unless he has
already done that, he may not expect to convince court and jury; and
a man must be a poor advocate, or have a very bad case, who fails
to convince himself, however he may fare with a jury. You need never
expect to convince your opponent; he is under a retainer not to agree
with you."

"There is another thing about it," said Wade. "The bar and writers
talk about the ethics of the bar, and legal morality, and all that
nonsense, until there is an impression, both among lawyers and the
public, that there is one rule for lawyers and another for the rest of
mankind--that we are remitted to a lower standard of honesty. This is
all bosh; there can be but one standard of right and wrong; and that
which is wrong out of court, cannot be right in it. I'll have but one
rule. A man who will lie to a court or a jury, will lie anywhere--he
is a liar."

"Will you submit to that rule?" asked Giddings, laughing.

"I always have," said Wade, "and I wont have any other. Now of all
men, a lawyer can the least afford to be dishonest; for a taint, a
doubt of his honor, ruins him; and there cannot be a more honorable
body of men in the world, and never was, than the fair majority of the
bar. The habit of contesting in open court, in the face of the
world, engenders an honorable, manly highmindedness, free from the
underhanded jealousy and petty wars of the doctors. If a man lies, or
is mean, he is pretty certain to be detected and exposed at once. A
lawyer cannot afford to lie and be mean. And besides, I have observed
that there is really no healthy, manly development of intellect,
without a healthy, manly development of the moral nature."

"Now, Frank," said Mr. Giddings, "why not go a step further, and
perfect the man, and say that religion should add its strength and
grace, as a crown?"

"Well, Gid, I've no objection to your religion--that is, I have no
objection to religion--I don't know about yours--but I have known a
good many religious men who were very bad men, and I have known a good
many bad men to get religion, who did not mend their morals. If a man
is a good man, it don't hurt him to join a church, as far as I know;
and a bad man usually remains bad."

"Well, Frank, leave these young men to form their own opinions."

"Certainly; I did not broach the subjec