Charles P. Daly. Wherefore he apprenticed himself to a master carpenter, and surrendered his days to faithful, untiring work. But he was neither like the idle apprentice of Hogarth, nor him whom we read about in the early chapters of Ainsworth's novel of Jack Sheppard, who both wasted nights and leisure moments. There was a literary society in his neighborhood which he joined; and not far away was the library and readingroom of the Mechanics and Traders' So ciety, to which by its by-laws he had entrance. In the one he learned to de bate; and in the other he tasted the Pierian spring and drank deeply. His logical force, compactness of statement, cleverness of illustration and elocution at length became remarked by a frequent visitant of the debates, William Soule, who had a law office in the neighborhood. The latter advised the young debater to study law, and offered him money with which to enter college. But young Daly was then, as ever throughout life, indis posed to incur an obligation. In a short time after the offer the master of the ap prentice died, and within a year and a half of the time when the articled term would expire. This death however, as ad vised Mr. Soule, immediately terminated the contract of apprenticeship. The busi ness was left in financial and confused embarrassment, which harassed the widow. Young Daly's sympathies were touched, and he fulfilled the remainder of his term and to a large extent by his attention relieved the business embarrassments, and those of the widow. But when finally and honorably re lieved of his service, he accepted the long de ferred offer to enter the law office as junior clerk at the salary of three dollars a week. The office itself served him for residential chambers, the restaurant of the well known Windust, kept in the basement of a site long afterwards successively occupied by Barnum's Museum and the second "Herald" building, afforded him economical but
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agreeable provender. It was the resort of pundits and wits much as had been the famous Fleet Street tavern to which Johnson, Boswell, Fielding and Goldsmith resorted. At Windust's came fresh oppor tunities for the young law clerk to study human nature, and to acquire that tact which * is often of more service to the lawyer and the judge than mere booklearning. At that time, early in the thir ties, legal apprenticeship was tedious. Law was then a full profession and not, as some cynics claim it to be now in New York City, with guidance of codes and encyclopaedias, a trade. The term of study was then pre cisely that which was awarded to Jacob in serving for Rachel. Young Daly was how ever more fortunate than he who wrestled with the angel, for whereas Jacob was de ceived, student Daly was not put off with a Leah. He had so grasped time by the forelock that he became ready for ex amination long before, as card players have it, the " seven was up." Samuel Nelson was then Chief Justice of the State Court, and he readily granted a motion (A. D. 1839) for reducing the term of Daly's service by one half. The young attorney had again attracted notice, that of lawyer Thomas McElrath, then an alderman, who proposed a partnership. The latter how ever became three years later a business colleague with Horace Greeley in found ing the "Tribune newspaper"; and this connection dissolved the law firm of Mc Elrath and Daly. The youngster then re moved his " shingle " to the office of William Bloomfield, an elder member of the Bar. The new law firm of Daly and Bloomfield in its success fully realized the pleasant surname of the senior partner. The latter however soon, but with perfect magnanimity, felt the truth of the old cou plet : — "To teach his grandson draughts his leisure he'd employ, Until — at last the old man was beaten by the boy."
