New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-12-25
MIR. wEBsrER AN 1Nr1pE1,


AT the time when the compromise and fugitive
Elave law was the theme of discourse in almost
every circle, was spending few days with
widow lady, who resided in the vicinity of Mr..
Webster's early home s.s
One evening when a few friends we're present,
some severe remarks we're made upon his late
course in Congress, which drew forth the asser-
ton that he was IN sinfdel."
g Mr. Webster an infidel!' exclaimed the
widow. Icannot believe that. / have known
him long, and though he had many failings,
skepticism was not one Of them. regret that
ny taking step that certainly does seem like
sacrifice of principle, he has laid himself open
to censure, but still am constrained to believe,
Notwithstanding all his imperfection, that he is
a christian fit would not SAVIOR too much of
egotism, could relate some incidents that
would, think, convince you that whatever his
political views may have been, he certainly was
not an in6del''
We begged her to favor us with the relation,
and she gave us the following incident:
70 Mr.. Webster and my husband became ac-
quainted IN early life, and the friendship of
youth extended to ripper years The were
truly congenial spirits, and sought each others
society as much as possible But the cares of
business at length separated them, and for many
years they seldom met My husband settled
down in this place, and Mr.. W. went forth to
battle for the right, in the councils of the ma
ton.
81 For some time we were greatly prospered
lucrative business brought us wealth almost
beyond our hopes. Two children came like a
sunbeam to light up our happy home with their
joyous smiles, and to cheer our spirits with their
innocent prattle Those were happy days, and
love to recall them. But alas they were soon
covered with clouds of darkness that even the
eye Of faith could hardly penetrate. 8s
Il.
were placed, became involved, and our little all
was swept from our grasp. When he found that
every effort to recover it but plunged him deep
er into difficulty, he became disheartened soon
his health failed, and he was compelled to give
up his business entirely. He then sold the shop,
and what else we could spare, and with the
avails paid every debt except one This was due
to q friend, who choose to waitEfor his money
rather than take from us the cottage where we
lived, the only property we could then call our
own. But hardly was the arrangement made
when the gentleman died, leaving the note in the
hands OF one who knew not how to show mercy
lie demanded immediate payment, and we were
about to sell our house, when our oldest child
was taken down with the fever, and soon left
us, as We hope, for a better world. The same
disease Frustrated my husband, and when the
physician told me he must die, felt that my
cup of sorrow wasfull. But no; I was mistaken
AHoio was ycU duotueI uiop 10 W uluRleu III
that cup of bitterness. While my husband yet
fingered between life and death, my daughter,
the only remaining child, was taken sick also,
and after five days suffering, she too left us, to
rejoin her brother in the spirit land
'tDo you ask how l bore this second bereave-
ment? Ilbeieve had not leisure to think of it,
All my time, all my attention, was given to my
husband, who was now slowly but surely going
down to the grave. | had even forgotten the
/ hn. n -hno Tod p,,t l,r
1nexorable as death itself, he came at the time
appointed and demanded the money. think he
must have been intoxicated, for am sure no
man in his sober senses could have been SO cruel.
L told him my husband was dying, but he re-
piled: Sorry, sorry to hear it, He won't earn
any more money, and, as you can't pay up, I'll
just take the house. You can live some where
else, as you'll have no one to look after in
terrupted his cruel remarks, and thinking to
move his feelings, l led him to the room where
lay the cold form of my child
vain hope! l might as well have tried to
move an iceberg. After much entreaty l OBJ
tanned permission to remain in the house while
my loved one lived, on condition that gave up
the furniture. This promised, that might no
more be troubled with his loathsome presence
ssThe man left me, and / sank into a chair,
utterly overcome at the prospect Of the desola-
ton before me. At that moment heard rap
mons. felt that my heart was breaking. But
the door was slowly opened, and Mr.. Webster
stood before me, He had come home on d visit,
and, without knowing anything Of our sorrows,
he rode over to see and embrace his early friend
What was his surprise to find him thus (! And
when the story of our troubles had been told,
when he had assured himself that his long
cherished friend had but u few more hours to
live, he sat down and wept.
Then he asked to see the corpse of his little
pet, who, when he last visited US, sat upon his
knee and played with his watch. AS he rose to
leave the bed, my husband said in whisper
s. Fetch her to me, that too may look upon that
sweet face once more
bed, and, standing near it, gave ourselves up to
uncomfortable grief. When able to command
his voice, Mr.. Webster said { Let US pray And
kneeling there, beside the dying and the dead,
he prayed as none but a christian can pray.
Sure am that prayer so earnest, 80 full of
faith and hope in the Redeemer, was never
poured forth from the lips of an infdel
"Gladly would he have stopped with us
through the night. But business forbade his
stay. He left us and as he grasped for the last
time the hand of his dying friend, those pale
features were lighted up with smile of hope,
such as they had not worn for many day The
troubled spirit at rest, for the assurance had
been given that the widow should be provided
for in her affiiction.
"My husband died the next day l saw no
more of the hard hearted creditor, and the
house remained unsold still occupy it, and
the room where Mr.. Webster kneeled in prayer
is to me a sacred place N. Y. Tribune
The POPULATION GLopE--The population of the
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