a man of parts. For, to
obtain the hand of his bride, an only child and an heiress, he had to
give test of his mettle by ignoring his fortune, studying law, and
getting his license before marriage, and binding himself to live the
first year afterward on the proceeds of his practice; a device of the
time thought to be a wholesome corrective of the corrupting influence
of over-wealth in young domesticities.

Although he had already chosen the sea for his profession, and was a
midshipman at the time, with more of a reputation for living than for
learning, such was he, and such, it may be said, was the incentive
genius of his choice, that almost before his resignation as midshipman
was accepted, his license as a lawyer was signed. As for practice, it
was currently remarked at his wedding, at the sight of him flying down
the room in the reel with his bride for partner, that his tongue was
as nimble as his heels, and that if he only turned his attention to
criminal practice, there was no man in the country who would make
a better prosecuting attorney for the State. And with him for
prosecuting attorney, it was warranted that sirrahs the highwaymen
would not continue to hold Georgia judge-and-jury justice in quite
such contemptible estimation, and that the gallows would not be left
so long bereft of their legitimate swingings. As for fees, it was
predicted that the young fellow as he stood, or rather "chasse'd,"
could snap his fingers at both his and his bride's trustees.

He did turn his attention to criminal law, was made prosecuting
attorney for the State in his county, and, before his six months
had passed, was convincing the hitherto high and mighty, lordly,
independent knights of the road that other counties in Georgia
furnished more secure pasturage for them.

It was a beautiful spring morning. The young wife bade him a hearty
good-by, and stood in the doorway watching him, gay and _debonair_,
riding off, on his stout black charger Beetle, in the direction of the
town in which court was to be held that week.

She herself feeling as full of ambition and work as if she also were
prosecuting attorney, with a perennial spring of eloquence bubbling in
her brain, turned to her domestic duties, and, without going into
the detail of them, it suffices to say that, according to the
grandmother's estimation, one morning's list of duties for a healthy
young bride of that period would shame the week's work of a syndicate
of the