The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-08-23
ELOOUENCE OF SILENCE
Emphatically illustrated by One of Daniel
Webster's Insurance Stories.

"eDSttT
Eaniel Webster said that some time
after he commenced the practice Of
his profession in Boston a circum-
stance occurred which fOrcibly i'm
pressed upon his mind the some
times conclusive %elOquence OF silence,
and he wondered no longer that the
anc.ents had erected a statue to her
as a divinity.
A nan in New bedford. Mass,
said Mr.. Webster, had insured a ship,
wing at the time at the wharf there,
Tor an amount much larger than its
real value. in one OF the Boston in.
SUI ance Offices. one day news arrived
in Boston that his ship had suddenly
taken tire, and burned to the waters
edge. 1t had been insured in the
Massachusetts Insurance Company,
Of viii h General Arnold Wells was
PRESIDENT. and Mr.. Webster the at.
torncy.
General Wells told Mr.. Webster of
the misfortune that had happened TO
the company, in the loss OF a vessel
So largely insured, communicating TO
him. 1t the same time, the some
what extraordinary manner in which
it had been destroyed,
DO you intend" asked Mr.. Web
ster. ito pay the insurance."
Il shall he obliged TO do So" re-
piled the General.
Il think not: for ! have no doubt,
from the circumstances attending
the loss. that the ship vas set on
fire, with the intent to defraud the
company o. the insurance"
But how shall we prove that?
And what shall we say to Mr.. b.
when he calls for the money!"
SAY nothing, replied Mr.. Web
ster, ''hut hear quietly what he has
to say
Some few days after this CONVEX
sation, Mr.. Is. came up to Boston.
and presented himself to General
Arnold Wells at the insurance oilice.
Mr. +. was a mar veIy careful OF his
personal appearance and Of puncti-
liUus demeanor. He powdered his
hair. wore clean lutl,eS and we'll
b u>hed clothes, and had a gravity
Of speech becoming a person Of re-
Spectacle position. All this demand
ed civil treatment: and whatever
might TO- thought o. him, one would
naturally use no harsh language to-
ward him. He had a detect in his
lett eve. 50 that, when he spoke, he
turned his right and sound eye to
the person he addressed. with u some.
what OhliQu angle Of the head. Civ
Ing il something such a turn as a
hen who discovers a hawk in the air.
General Arnold Wells had a cores
ponding defect in his right eye.
Il was not present at the inter
view" says Mr.. Webster. ''hut l
have heard II often described by
those who Were. General Wells came
ont from an inner ONCE on the an
nOuncemeut If Mr.. B's arrival and
fixed him to use a french cXpressiOn)
Win Ms sound eye-looking at him
seriously. tut calmly. Mr.. y. looked
Al zen ral Well. with his sound eye
tut O 81 adily-Iather as if he
thought 10 turn the Genr.al's right
,.auk.
They stood Thus. with their eyes
cooked AT each other. ior more than
minute, before either spoke, when
MI i. thought il best to take the
Initiative.
II i a pleasant day, General
Wells, though rather COOL
IL Is "a YOU say, Mr.. B., a pleas
An. though rather cool day, replied
the GENERA, without taking his eye
down nom It's range.
! shOI.d not be surprised. gen
era, continued Mr.. g.. if we should
have a ta.l OF snow soon
There might he a more surpriS-
ln- circumstance, Mr.. t., than a fall
i SLOW in FEBRUARY
''Nr +. thcreupon shifted his foot
ana Topic. He did not feel at ease.
M tie less so from his de>l crate at
tempt to conceal his embarrassment.
When do you think, General. he
inquired, after a pause, that Con-
Eress VIII ADJOURN
d" III IS doubtful, l should think.
Nh. e., when Congress viii ad journ:
perhaps not Tor some time yet, as
great bodies. You know. move
slowly.
DO you hear anything I'M
pJrtant from that quarter. Gene:al.'
Nothing, Mr.. B.
MI. b. by this time had become
very dry in the throat-a sensation.
| have been told, says Mr.. Webster.
''one Is very apt TO feel who finds
himself in an embarrassing position,
rom which he sees no possibility of
escape He cared to advance, and
dld not know how TO make a success.
tu! retreat. IT last, after one or
TWO desperate and Intellectual strug-