Litchfield enquirer., 1864-06-30
The Silent Witness.
FROM A LAWYERS DIARY.

FROM LAWYERS DIARY
 had spent some years in the West, in th practice of my profession, and was on vis to my friends in New England. Among thos who came frst in the list of friendship, wa Fred Elliot. and I arranged to visit him a soon as could. Fred and had grown u together as boys; and we had entered colleg together and graduated together; and when entered upon the practice of law, hes entered his uncle's store in the capacity of bookkecper with good promise ahead. And there wa another tie between us-a near and dear one near and dear to us who were both orphans and who had few relatives living. Fred hat married my own cousin-sweet Hattie K keene He had married her since went away, thougi, the event had been on the docket long while before. And thus I was to meet two of m, dearest friends under the same roof
 It was just dark when the carriage left me at the door of the house which had been poiyt ed out as that occupied by my friend and which l at once recognized as the former home of old Timothy Elliot, the uncle of whom l have spoken. My summons was answered by light quick step upon the hall floor; and when the door was opened 1 recognized the fair, fond features of my dearly remembered cousin. She was five years older than when saw her last, and grown to be little more womanly, and a more sedate. In fact, she had put on the holi. est of characters of mother. The beauty, the life, the animation, the smiles of other years were not gone but they were ele- vated with, softened by, and blended into that noble character. At first she did not know me but when 1 called her Hattie, as used to do in the older times, she caught me by the hand, and in moment m ore had both her soft, white arms about my neck. She was sister to me in heart and soul, and with sisters love she greeted me.
 We went into the parlor, where an astral lamp was already burning upon the centre table, and where fire was rehecting genial warmth from the polished grate for it was autumn, and the evenings were quite cool.- Upon chair, near the table, sat little boy, ot some three years, playing with the richly ornamented brldle of a rocking horse while upon the carpet was geesome child, not yet able to walk with safety, engaged in tumbling about large martin huff. And these were Hattle's chlldren-two as bright and beautiful things as ever made music in an earthly home She told them l was Uncle Enoch. She had neither brother nor sister, so l was forced to be an uncle to her children. Where had I been! What had l been doing? How had been? Was married? Did ever mean to DC! And hundred more questions of like chafacter were showered upon me before had tune to ask any in return. By and by Fred came. There was cloud upon his face when he entered the rooul-but his wife hurried to Ills side, and kissed him and whispered in his ear, and in a moment he Lrishtci.ed up and wh'n he greeted me, an'i he'd my hand and patted me upon the shoulder, he appeared the same warm and genial spirit as of ol,l. At the tea table he asked after my fuitinvs in th2 Qis tant home 1 had sought ; and when told him had succeeded beyond my most s.nyn;ns ex peciatl0ns, and that material wealth was fast accommodating for me. lie was net only pleased but inlimatcd that such business and such pro- poets would suit h!n.
 laughed outright at what considered the ahsuFdlty of this last idea. IL wuud do very well, told him. for a poor fellow, with only hls hands and his wits to help him, to get off into the Western wilds but for one like him. with an independent fortune at lis command, to think of such thing was simply ridiculous. lie smiled as l spoke, and turned the subject | ot tue conversation.
 Within an hour after we had adjourned to the parlor, ] was suro something had gone wrong with my friend He tried to be cheer fu, to talk of our old prank. and to laugh and joke as in the days of our youth and as a last resort, he endeavored to arouse himself by caressing his sweet children. But it would not dol had seen too much. Hattie succeed ed better than he did and yet as the evening wore on, l could see there was heavy load upon his heart as well.
 1 At length the childran were abed, and the l mother soon followed them. I plainly heard hDr Cbo 1aft tha n groan which could not escape me, burst from her husband bosom. Fred poked up the coals and then took two or three turns across the floor, after which he returned and sat down near me.
 Enoch,' said he, his face now all wrapped in gloom, perhaps you think act very strange ly.'
 I think something is the matter with you, 1 returned. Something must have gone wrong.'
 You are right. Something has gone wrong. In fact he added as shudder crept over his frame, "a storm has burst upon me hich is to ruin me-
 He spoke this so solemnly, and so steadily that l knew there must be some deep meaning to it !; and l asked him if he could not tell me his trouble. Of course he would tell me. He 1 was anxious to tell me, for was lawyer and might possibly assist him.
 You know said he, that went into bus ness with my uncle Timothy. When I was married, he made me come and live in his house he put the whole establishment into our hands, and he then boarded with us. had no money-not dollar but when I had serv ed him one year as book-keeper he gave me a good share in the business. Three years ago he died, leaving me an estate of abou sixty thousand dollars
 Aye 1 replied as my friend came to pause I heard ot all that. There were sixty thousand dollars of good available funds aftel everything settled.'
 And added, you came into possession O it.
 Yes, he answered. There was no will left or, at least such was supposed to be the case and it all came to me, as I was the only blood relation living. Uncle Timothy had one broth CT and one sister. He married when quit young, but his wife died without issue. Hi sister married man named Isaac Staffer- This Staffer had one son living by a forme wife but he never had any children by m aunt. He died at the-end of two years, leavin! :. her no means, and he found home with he brother, taking her step-son with her. In tim she died, and the boy was left in my uncle charge until he was twenty-one. So much flo his sister. The brother married again, an had one child, and that child was myself Yo l knnv of Mp fofbo~ Niad yvhon