This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ...and then, when a chance was offered, to try and be a little more than equal to the demands made on me." CHAS. J. BECKER. While traveling in New England a few years ago, I visited New Bedford, Mass., where I met Mr. Chas. J. Becker. This young man executes some of the finest penmanship I ever saw in my life. He is employed in one of the largest and best business colleges in New England. He has held his present position for five years. Mr. Becker was bora in Fitchburg, Mass., in 1858, commenced his life-work in Chas. B. Dennis's Insurance Office at nine years of age; at twelve he wrote a good business hand; at fourteen wrote all the policies and daily reports for that firm--at sixteen his c. J. BECKER. writing showed up to Mr. Dennis so well, that he sent him to Boston to attend Kendall's Normal Writing Institution where he took a three months' course. COLORED LAWYERS. In this chapter, I do not attempt to call attention to anything like all of the successful colored lawyers. I simply select from the hundreds of prominent men practising law in courts throughout the United States, two: D. Augustus Straker and T. McCants Stewart. D. AUGUSTUS STRAKER. D. Augustus Straker was born in Bridgetown, in the Island of Barbadoes, one of the West Indies, on July II, in the year 1842. His early education was fostered by his mother, a pious and industrious woman, who took great pride in her only child, and strove by the labor of her hands to give him a liberal education, his father having died when he was eleven months old. He received a good English education at the Central High or Preparatory School of the island, under Robert Pierre Elliott, of Battersea, England, and afterwards received supplementary training in philosophy from lectures given by...