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Show The Worth of Silence. Men great in deeds are often taciturn. Does their taciturnity arise from the diffidence dif-fidence which fears lest words should exceed ex-ceed deeds, or from a conviction that safety Is promoted by silence? Washington's Wash-ington's reserve made him stiff, formal and ill at ease in company, but it also prevented his plans from being betrayed to an enemy And the country from being deceived by his promises. William the Silent was frugal of words, because a reserve re-serve that concealed his designs, even from those acting with him, was necessary neces-sary to the independence of the Netherlands. Nether-lands. A writer in Leisure Hours says that the most dramatic of silent men was W aliens tein, the antagonist of Gustavus Adolplius, and the commander of the emperor'sarmies in tbe thirty years' war. He insisted that tbe deepest silence should reign around him. His officers took care that no loud conversation should disturb their general. They knew that a ohani-berlain ohani-berlain had been hanged for waking him without orders, and that an officer who would wear clanking spurs in the commander's com-mander's presence bad been secretly put to death. In the room of his palace the servants glided as if phantoms, and a dozen sentinels moved around bis tent charged to secure the silence the general demanded. Chains were stretched across the streets in order to guard him against the disturbance of sounds. Wallenstein's taciturnity, which made him shun speech, and his love of silence, that caused him to be irritated at the slightest noise, were due to his constitutional temperament. He never smiled, he never asked advice from any one, and he could not endure to be gazed at, even when giving an order. or-der. The soldiers, when he crossed the camp, pretended not to see him, knowing know-ing that a curious look would bring them punishment. Boston Budget |