The state herald., 1892-12-09
THE SILENT WITNESS.

THE SILENT WITNESS.
was spending an evening with
my friend Judge Symonds and had
boon entertained by "reminiscences OF
his carly practice before he had even
dreamed OF promotion to the bench;
among other stories he told me the
history OF his first case about as fol-
lows:
After my admission to the bar
was settled for some time in Corinth.
and found 1t to DO most exasperat-
ingly peaceful town, and aside from
making an occasional decd and one or
two wills had no practice whatever
md but for the kindness Of n maiden
aunt who thought mo the host
'nevvy' In the world. should have
been In very hard straits indeed.
She had moro faith In my future than
]. and TO my frequent expressions OF
dissatisfaction and threats to go about
something else she always replied;
"Wait patiently; you have the
ability and all you need is tho oppor-
tunity. and that will come"
While waiting for this longed-ior
opportunity l formed tho acquain.
tance OF nearly every ono in the vii.
lage md among others Mr.. Ball tho
wealthiest man there, who had fine
farm with comfortable old fashioned
house and capacious barns thereon
which. backed with n good bank ac-
count made him easily tho foremost
man OF tho town. He had been mar
ried. but his wife died in giving birth
to daughter many years before l
became acquainted with him. and the
daughter the apple O. his eye had
died on her twentieth birthday. lcav-
ing him heartbroken.
His only known relative was n
nephew. the only child OF his only
sister and after the death OF his
daughter Mr.. Ball took him into his
homo and treated him in all respects
us son. and although he had never
SO expressed himself 1t was gen-
orally understood by every ono that
Fred Coggin would inherit his uncle's
property. As Fred and l were OF
about the Same age and had many
tastes In common. VIC had become in
innate friends and spent many Of
my evenings at Mr. Balrs house
Mr.. Ball had for servants or hired
help us they are called man and
wife by tho name OF Tozier. who DC.
cupiod part OF the house and farm,
They had lived with Mr.. Bali for
many years almost from the death Of
his wife They were n peculiar ILL
favored pair and wore not liked hy
any one oven among those Of thor
own station in life. the man being Of
morose disposition and the woman
vinegary and peppery; but they did
thoir work faithfully. and wero envied
by many because OF tho good situation
they held.
In the early autumn OF the second
year was in Corinth Mr. Ball con.
tracted bad cold. which. through
negligence developed into pneumonia.
lilo was we'll advanced Ia years and OF
n ileshy habit ana almost before wo
were aware no was III he was In OK :
IRENE danger; no became rapidly
worse, and on the second day became
dolirious and remained SO until his
death. n week later.
After the funeral Fred and entered
upon an examination Of his uncle $
papers to ascerta n II no had loft n
will. and while so engaged Tozier en-
tered the library with u lawyer from
an adjoining town. and TO our aston.
ishment produced paper purporting
TO DO tho last will OF Reuben Ball. es.
ccu,ed ten years before In which no
beeueaihod to his nephew. Fred. Cog.
gin. tho sum OF slO0 and all tho no.
maindcr OF tho estate 10 his faithful
f.ta.l. ..I comment, I.t.. sts..t. A