Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-05
THE eLoQueuoE OF SILENCE.
1t Is We'll Illustrated in the story That
 Fo:ioTs.

1t Is We'll illustrated Tn the HEOry Ihat
 Fo:iogs
 "Soon after l had commenced the practice of my profession in Boston," said Mir Webster. n circumstance oc- cured which forcibly impressed upon my mind the sometimes conclusive clo- qnence of silence. and l wondered no longer that the ancients had erected statue to her as to divinity.
 "A man in New Bedford had insured a ship, lying at the time at the wharf there, for an amount much larger than Its real value, in one of our insurance offices at Boston This ship had sud- denly taken fire and been burned down to the waters edge. It had been insured in the Massachusetts Insur. ance company, of which Gen. Arnold Wells was president and myself attor- ney.
 Gen Wells told me of the misfor- tune that had happened to the company in the loss of vessel so largely in- sured, communicating to me at the same time the somewhat extraordinary manner in which it had been de- stroycd.
 Do you intend, l asked him, to pay the insurance?
 "T shall be obliged to do so,' replied the general.
 "'l think not. for have no doubt, from the circumstances attending the loss, that the ship was set on fire with the intent to defraud the company of the insurance
 "'tut how shall we prove that? and what shall I say to Mir. Blank. when he makes application for the moncy?'
 "'Say nothing, replied, but hear quietly what he has to say
 "Some few days after this convcrsa- tion Mir. Blank came up to Boston and presented himself to Gen, Arnold Wells nt the insurance office. Mr. Blank was a man very careful of his personal ap- pearance and of punctilious demeanor. He powdered his hair, wore clean ruff 1es and well-brushed clothes, and had n gravity of speech becoming a person of respectable position. All this de- manded civil treatment, and, whatever you mirht think of him, you would naturally use no harsh language toward him. He had defect in his left eye, so that when he spoke he turned his right sound eye to the per son he addressed, with q somewhat oblique angle of the head, giving it something such turn as hen who discovers hawk in the air. Gen. Ar mold Wells had a corresponding defect in the right eye.
 ''l was not present at the interviaw, but have heard it often described by others who were. Gen. Wells came out from an inner office, on the announce ment of Mir. Blanks arrival, and fixed him (to use French expression) with his sound overlooking at him seriously, but calmly. Mir. Blank looked at Gen. Wells with his sound eye, but not steadily--rather if he sought to turn the generals right flank
 "They stood thus, with their eyes cooked at each other, for Rorc than a minute before either spoke, when Mr. Blank thought best to take the initia- tive. @
 "'It is a pleasant day, Gen. Wells, though rather cold.'
 "'It is, as you say, Mir. Blank, Q pleasant, though rather cold day. re- piled the general, without taking his eye down from its range.
 "'I should not be surprised general continued Mir. Blank, if we should have fall of snow soon.'
 ""There might be more surprising circumstances, MT. Blank, than fall of snow in February
 "Mr. Blank hercnpon shifted his foot and topic. He did not feel at case, and the less so from his desperate attempts to conceal his embarrassment.
 "'When do you think, general he replied, after pause, that congress will adjourn?'
 "'It is doubtful, should think, Mir. Blank, when congress will adjourn; perhaps not for some time yet, as great bodies, you know, move slowly
 "'Do you hear anything important from that quarter, generally
 Nothing, MT. Blank
 "Nlr. Blank by this time had become very dry in the throat-a sensation, have been told, one is very apt to feel who finds himself in an embarrassing position. from which he begins to see no possibility of escape He feared to advance, and did not know how to make a successful retreat. At last, after one or two desperate and inef- fcctual struggles to regain sclf-posses- sion, finding himself all the while within point-blank range of that raking eye, he wholly broke down. and took his leave, without the least allusion to the matter of insurance.
 He never returned to claim the money. ."-Thc Green Bag.
 Grammatical GuEption.