"A brow half martial and half diplomatic,
An eye upsoaring like an eagle's wing."
John Lyon Howe was the younger son of a planter, residing in one of the
wildest mountain regions in central Virginia. The elder Howe was blessed
with a large family, and cursed with a heavily mortgaged estate--a
combination of circumstances not unusual among the warm-hearted,
generous and extravagant people of the Old Dominion.
John Lyon Howe had been educated in the Law School of the University of
Virginia, where, at the age of twenty-three, he graduated with the
highest honors.
Then, instead of commencing his professional life in one of the great
Eastern cities, or striking out for the broad fields of enterprise
opened in the Far West, young Howe, to the astonishment of all who were
acquainted with the talents and ambition of the new lawyer, returned to
his native county and opened his law office in Blackville, a small
hamlet lying at the foot of the Black Valley, and enjoying the honor and
profit of being the county-seat.
But the young lawyer had strong motives for his actions. He had great
talent, an intense passion for politics, and quite as much State pride
as personal ambition. He wished to distinguish himself; yes, but not in
Massachusetts or Minnesota, nor in any other place except in his native
State, his dear old Virginia.
Sometime to represent her in the National Congress, and to do her
service and credit there, was the highest goal of his youthful
aspirations.
For this cause, he settled in the obscure hamlet of Blackville, and
opened his law office in one of the basement rooms of the county
court-house.
While the courts were in session he attended them regularly, and did a
good deal of business in the way of gratuitous counselling and pleading;
advocating and defending with great ability and success the cause of the
poor and oppressed, and winning much honor and praise, but very little
money, not enough, indeed, to pay his office rent, or renew his napless
hat and thread-bare coat.
Besides his unprofitable professional labors, he engaged in equally
unprofitable political contests.
He took the liberal view of State craft, and sought to open the minds of
his fellow-citizen to a just and wise policy, or what he, in his young
enthusiasm, conceived to be such. He wrote stirring leaders for the
local papers, and made rousing speeches at the political meetings.
He was everywhere spoken of as a rising young man, who was sure to reach
a high position some day. Yes! some day; but that desired day seemed
very far distant to the desponding young lawyer.