Being in a
communicative mood, I said, "Well, since you name it, I sometimes say
a little prayer myself." The Hebrew was attentive, and seemed not a
little surprised. "This is especially the case in the morning," I
added. "But once upon a time my mind wavered a little between business
and prayer, and I found myself in the midst of my devotional exercise
saying, 'Gentlemen of the jury.'"
"Thank God!" cried A'Becket, "our friend Hawkins is not a Unitarian."
I often wonder how I was able to get through the amount of business
that pressed upon me and retain my health, but happily I did so. One
great factor in my fortunate condition of health was, perhaps, that I
had no ridiculous ambition. What was to come would come as the result
of hard work, for I was born to no miraculous interpositions or
official friendships.
Having dropped gambling, I set to work, and after a long spell of
_nisi prius_, in all its phases, had engaged my attention, a new
sphere of action presented itself in the shape of Compensation
Cases--an easy and lucrative branch, which seemed to be added to,
rather than have grown out of, our profession; but whatever was its
connection, it was a prolific branch, hanging down with such good
fruit that it required no tempter to make you taste it.
Railway, Government, and Municipal authorities were everywhere taking
land for public improvements, and where they were, as a rule, my
friend Horace Lloyd and myself were engaged in friendly rivalry as to
the amount to be paid.
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