Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-12-22

| from the 'fTl'dlc Hic vi Do'N w S"S'ei ,
written by Charles Lanman, Esq, whic
has Just been published:
1.-The last time Mr.. Webster visited Elm
Farm, which was in July last, the write
was his only companion. All along tn
railroad, on our way from Boston to tn
mountain, groups and crowds ofpeople wer
assembled to welcome him to his nativ
State but this had for SO long time beel
a consequence of his annual visits to Elm
Farm, that he was Therefore not taken b,
surprise. At Concord, he heard the par
ticulars of an accident which had happen
ed to his man John Taylor, and when tol'
that his life was in danger, he was sadly
distressed, and manifested great impatienc'
to reach home. On alightirg from the cars
and stepping. upon his threshold, he only
took time to cast one loving look at his no
BILE rows of elms and broad fields, just ready
for the scythe, before he went to visit his
tenant. Though he found his yeoman
friend suffering from dislocated shoulder,
a dreadfully bruised breast, and a fearful
cash in his thigh, some seven inches long,
vet the doctor had declared him out of dan
ger. With this news MIR. Webster was OF
course, delighted. Before he left Boston
lie had heard of the accident, but no par
tculars; and as he did not apprehend any
danger, his first thought was, what shall |
take John Taylor as present? which ques-
ton he answered by bringing him basket
of grapes and fresh salmon. The pres
ent was fit for a king, but John Taylor de-
served it.
"Tho accident alluded to was caused by
an angry bull, who turned upon his keeper
in fit of causeless anger, and not only
tossed HIM high into the AIR with his horns,
but trampled him under his feet. 1t is a
wonder the man was not killed. What
saved him was the presence of mind which
he manifested in seizing and holding on to
a ring in the bulls nose. In spite of his
wickedness, this animal deserves passing
notice in this connexion, as he was very
great favorite with his owner. He was
presented to Mr.. Webster by his devoted
friend, Roswell L. Colt, Esq, Of New Jer-
sey, and he is what is called the Hangarl-
an breed. He is magnificent creature,
quite young, weighs some two thousand
pounds, of beautiful mouse or slate color,
and has neck which measures more than
six feet in circumference. John Taylor's
account of the attack upon himself, and OF
other exploits of the bill, was very amusing,
and when asked by Mr.. Webster if he real
ly thought the animal dangerous and ought
to be chained, he replied, why, he is no
more fit to go abroad than your friend Gov
ernor Kossuth HIMSELF Rather strong
language thls,' replied Mr.. Webster; but
when man has been gored almost to death
by Hungarian bull, it is not strange that
he should be severe upon the Hungarian
governor
"a short time before We left Boston for
Elms Farm, Mr.. Webster directed the
writer to 60 to book store and purchase
some forty or fifty volumes of late English
books for his use at the farm. He left the
selection entirely TO the purchaser, and he
was, of course, much gfatified to know that
his judgment in this rather delicate COM
mission was fully approved. The collec-
ton consisted of one or two odd dictiena-
ries, works on natural history, books of
travel, little history, and several volumes
of correspondence, but not fragment OF
politics.
GA number Of reviews were also sent up
by the booksellers, containing elaborate ar
ticles about himself and the complete edi-
ton of his works. When he found him at
leisure the writer handed him these, but he
would not look at them. The writer then
told him that they were we'll written, and
an offer was made to read some Of them
aloud, but he would not consent. The rea.
sons that he gave for declining even to
know what had been said were, that such
things were not at all interesting to him ;
that he had done his best through life, and
that this consciousness was more comfort
ing to him than the good opinions of those
who knew him not; that he was getting to
be an old man; that his candle of life was
already in the socket; and that to one just
entering lite these things might be pleasant,
but he was going off the stage, and had no
taste for them that if anybody should mis-
represent him in regard to facts, and he
heard of it, he would set them right, but
good opinions were of very little interest or
real value to him. ,ri,... -,
"And here the writer would record what
he deems the effect upon Mr.. Webster OF
the Baltimore Wbig nomination for Presl-
dent. He was, indeed, by far the greatest
of all the candidates brought forward by
his party. and though his defeat must have
caused some disappointment, he never Tor
a single moment manifested any regret
He told the writer, On one occasion, that
his friends had done all they could do for
him, and he, was satisfied and then added,
with tremulous voice and tears in his eyes,
.IHank God, one thing is certain, they could
mol take a,cay from me mhat 1 have done Jor
my couniryr Of both the gentlemen who
were nominated, the writer has heard him
speak IN terms ofpraise. OfGeneral Scott,
as a military man, he spoke IN the lghest
terms, and said that Congress ought long
ago to have made him lieutenant general.
General Pierce. hesnld, he had known from
boyhood and ali his family, and in spite OF
some hard things which 'Frank' (for so he
designated him) had uttered against him
some years ago. he was compelled TO like
him. to think him a good fellow, a smarter
man than people thought him to be. and
wished him all prosperity. He was un-
doubtedly, far more cheerful and happy af-
ter the nomination than he had been imme-
d,aty before. With the Convention allu-
ded to terminated all his anxieties, and it is
certain that he had of late been more anx-
ious about quietly and faithfully performing
his duties. both private and public, and pre-
pairing for the future, than about anything
else connected with this world.
MANY were the delightful rides which