Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1909 — NEW WEBSTER STORY. [ARTICLE]

NEW WEBSTER STORY.

Illustrating the Statesman's Views of '4 Trade. The incident ln*\he life of Daniel Webster gtmi by ‘Dr. Hale Under »Neteo* ana -Querles*’ In 'Ah* Tramanrtpty n<E long ago .reminds me of an®th*r mood in the life of that distinguished man. which.,was related tom? by the late Joshua SewArdT Mi*, jft. ward came to Woburn froth Boston in the early mveht&e and bought the farm now owned *by Eh C. Qaleman, where he livedumUl.hls death in 1885. He was a native of the “Peace City," N. H., from which place her came to Boston in his early manhood and later engaged in the livfery business off School street on land now covered byi the rear part of the Parker House. He was a genial, social, active young man, and in a short time many of the business and professional men of the city were his friends and patrons. Daniel Webster, them in the fullness of his masterly manhood, was his particular friend and most favored patron. One year Webster was early engagied to deliver the Fourth of July oration in the city. A public procession was then am important feature of the celebration, and the orator of the day was the chief person of distinction in the parade. In those days there were no fourwheeled vehioles for convenience or for pleasure. A chaise was the proper carriage for gentlemen to use. Webster was popular and proud as popular. He saw no chaise in the city as good as he desired to appear in on that important occasion, and, therefore, he ordered one to be built by the principal carriage maker of the city (Sargent. I think it was), to be ready for usq on that day> In the morning of the Fourth hq appeared at Seward’s stable office and requested Seward to go to the carriage shop and gqt the chaise he had ordered. Seward harnessed a horse and went to the carriage shop as directed, and told the proprietor he had come for Mr. Wqbster’s chaise. The .proprietor, in firm and measured tones that could not be misunderstood, asked: “Did Mr. Webster send the money to pay for the chaise?”

In relating this to me Seward said: “I was never so astonished in my life! I should have been less surprised if he had raised his fist and knocked me down! I had no thought that there was a man living who had ever heard of the great Webster, the godlike Daniel, who would or woo could have denied him any request it was possible to grant, i could only say: ‘He sent no money by me.’ ‘Then,’ said the proprietor, ‘tell him he can have the chaise when he sends the money to pay for it, and not till then.’ ” Seward said he was never in such a dilemma in all his life. He could not go back and tell that great man, whom he adored, that he could not have the chaise till he paid for it. And yet he must go back and tell him something. But what could he tell him ? Finally, after much thought and study it occurred to him that he had a new chaise which he would offer to Webster and tell him that the varnish on the one he had ordered was not yet hard, and that it would be liable to injury if taken out in the heat and dust' of that public day. Webster met Seward at -the door when he returned and before Webster could ask a Seward was telling him the Story he had invented on the way home. Webster made no reply, but accepted Seward’s statement as true, and . rode in his chaise that day.

About a week later Webster came again and said to Reward, “I think the vhf’nish on that chaise Is hard now And you may go down and get it” Seward said. “With a heavy heart I harnessed a horse and went again to the shop. I knew I should not get the chaise and I was not disappointed. In the same manner I was asked the same question as before. I could not invent another story that would be credible and was, therefore, compelled to go back and tell him the truth.” Webster was impatiently waiting Seward’s return, and when in hailing distance he called to Seward in a tone °t, voioe that indicated surprise, “Where is the chaise* What is the trouble?” Seward approached him more closely and to tones so low that no one about could overhear him replied, “He told me to tell you that you could have the chaise vhen you send the money to pay for it and not tiifore.” Webster stood silent an instant, and then with voice trembling with emotion, exclaimed, “My God, Jqshua, did he «ay that?” and sank Jnto a nearby phsjr and cried as would a deeply aggrieved child of six summers.

Seward said, in conclusion: “I have seen him in church, standing during prayer as was the custom then, among his neighbors and friends with that massive head uncovered, looking more like a god than a man; I hare 9een him on the platform swaying strong men by tbe majesty of his presence and the power of his oratory, and I have seen him in his w eakness, almost helpless, pitiable, his face Pushed with grief and wet with tears of anguish. Yes, I have seen him In all his moods, and yet I have never seen another man who could compel so much of my love and my admiration as New Hampshire's greatest son, Daniel Webster.” —H, C. Hall in' Boston Transcript. m The Japanese method of preserving the salmon which are caught in large numbers at Sakhalin is to salt them down and press them Into bales. There has been a noticeable expansion In tbe foreign trade of France during the current year, as shown by the official statistics Issued a few days -if VljrV . ,-HU