This cabinet card features a young man who appears to be in the midst of some intense studying. His desk is stacked with many books including the Annual Encyclopedia of 1879. He has a foot stool at his feet to help him relax during his studies. Is this gentleman a lawyer? The answer is lost to history. There is a statue figure on his desk. It may be a pen and inkwell set, but its actual purpose is unknown. Perhaps the vast and unpaid research department (all cabinet card gallery visitors) has an opinion about the statue that they can share in the comment section. The photographer of this cabinet card is John H. Scotford and his studio was in Lansing Michigan. He was active as a photographer in Michigan, Missouri, and Oregon in the 1870’s and moved to Tacoma, Washington where he worked between 1885 and 1893. He next worked as a photographer in Portland, Oregon between 1892 and 1898. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
The man’s posture and footstool is unusual for a formal portrait, and I wonder if it reflects an injury or other medical condition. It just doesn’t look like something the photographer would pose.
The chair is also on casters — don’t know how common that was at the time.