The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-11-10

Personal Letter of MIR. Webster,


The N. Y. Commercial advertiser
makes the following extracts from a
letter written to an intimate friend of
his in May, 1914. 1t is dated Frank.
lin, N. H., and will be read with in
tense interest -
have made satisfactory arrange
ments respecting my house here, the
best Of which is that l can leave it
where it is, and yet be comfortable,
Notwithstanding the railroad.
This house faces due North Its front
windows look towards the river Merri-
mack. But then the river soon turns
to the South, so that the Eastern win
dows look towards the river also. But
the river has so deepcned its channel
in this stretch of it, in the last fifty
years, that we can not see its waters,
without approaching it, or going back
to the higher lands behind us. The
history of this change is of consider
adle Importance in the philosophy of
the streams. have observed it prac-
tically, and know something Of the
theory Of the phenomenon but l
doubt whether the world will ever be
benefited, either by my learning, or
my observation, in this respect.
Look out at the East windows, at
this moment G P. NJ, with beau
tiiul sun just breaking out, my eye
sweeps a rich and level field of 100
acres. At the end of it, third of a
mile of, | see plain marble grave
stones, designating the places where
reposc my father, my mother, my
brother Joseph, and my sisters Mehi-
label, Abigail and Sarah good Scrip
ture names, inherited from their Puli
tan ancestors.
My father +! Ebenezer Webster =
born at Kingston, in the lower part of
the State, in 1899 the handsomcst
man | ever saw, except my brother
Ezekiel, who appeared to me, and he
does now seem to me, the very finest
human form that ever | laid eyes on.
| saw him in his coffin-a white fore
head-a thin cheek-a complexion as
clear as heavenly light . But where
am | straying!
The grave has closed upon him, as
it has on all my brothers and sisters.
We shall soon be all together. But
this is malancholly--and / leave it.
Dear, dear kindred blood, how | love
you all =?
This fair field is before mel could
see lamb on any part of it. / have
ploughed it, and raked it, and hoed it,
but | never moved it. Some how,
could never learn to hang a scythe /
had not wit enough. My brother Joe
used to say that my father sent me to
college in order to make me eqnal to
the rest Of the children !
OF hot day in July-it must have
been one of the last years of Washing
toms administration, L was making
hay, with my father, just where l now
see a remaining elm tree, about the
middle of the afternoon. The Hon.
Abel Foster, NJ. D., who lived in Can
terbury, six miles off, called at the
house, and came into the field to see
my father. lie was a worthy man
college learned, and had been minis
ter, but was not person of any con-
siderable natural powers. My father
was his friend and supporter. He
talked awhile in the field, and went or
his way. When he was gone, my fa-
ther called me to him, and We sat dowI
beneath the elm, on a hay cock. HI
said, My son, that is worthy mar
--he is member of Congress-h,
goes to Philadelphia, and gets six dol
lars a day, while l toll here. 1t is be
cause he had an education, which
! never had. If had had his early ed
ucation, / should have been in Phila
delphia in his place. / came near it
as il was. But | missed it, and now
must work here" "My dear father,
said L"you shall not work. Brothe
and l win work for you, and wear on
T hands out, and you shall rest''--and
remember to have cried-and | er,