nd
on some other Judge criticising what he had done, the Judge
said, with great indignation, "If he thinks Foster is not
qualified, let him examine him himself."

Mr. Foster's first employment had very awkward consequences.
The people in Worcester had the old Puritanic dislike to theatrical
entertainments, and had always refused to license such exhibitions.
But a company of actors desired to obtain a theatre for the
season and give performances in Worcester. There was a great
opposition, and the city government ordered a public hearing
of the petition in the old City Hall. Foster was employed
by the petitioners. The hall was crowded with citizens interested
in the matter, and the Mayor and Aldermen sat in state on
the platform. When the hearing was opened, the audience were
struck with astonishment by the coming forward of Dwight Foster's
father, the Hon. Alfred D. Foster, a highly honored citizen
of great influence and ability. He had been in the State
Senate and had held some few political offices, but had disliked
such service and had never practised law, having a considerable
property which he had inherited from his father, the former
United States Senator. He made a most eloquent and powerful
appeal to the aldermen to refuse the petition, in the name
of morality and good order. He stated the deplorable effect
of attending such exhibitions on the character of the youth
of our city of both sexes, cited the opinion and practice
of our ancestors in such matters, and made a profound impression.
He then warned his hearers against the young man who was to
follow him, whom, he said, he loved as his life, but he was
there employed as a lawyer with his fee in his hand, without
the responsibility which rested upon them of protecting the
morals and good order of the city. It was very seldom that
so powerful a speech was heard in that hall, although it was
the cradle of the Anti-slavery movement, and had been the
scene of some of the most famous efforts of famous orators.
Everybody supposed that the youth was crushed and would not
venture to perform his duty in the face of such an attack.
But he was fully equal to the occasion. He met his father
with a clear, simple, modest, but extremely able statement
of the other side; pointed out the harmlessness of such exhibitions
when well conducted, and that the strictness which confounded
innocence and purity with guilt and vice was itself the parent
and cause of vice. H