Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-09
Life of nnn3rl yYehsser.

The Statesman and the Patriot. Containing numerous
hnecdetes. With Illustrations. PHILADELPHIA:
Lindsay Blackiston. 1853. For sale by r. nj.
Burnett, Muscatine, Iowa.
History records the great actions of men; but il
gives results, only, not means We see men at dis
lance, upon an eminence, but the ladder is removed,
and We are net teld how they got up there Even BIZ
Osrapby usually brushes lightly over the early part of
the lives Ut its distinguished subjects deignng only
to make as acquainted with those large transactions
with which their fame is intimately associated. The
early lives Of such men Webster prove that Indus
try and Patient Perseverance the good angels
by whose assistance they have written their names in
letters so large that all the world may read. They
are the tasmanic words y which opened the rich
est treasures Of the world of intellect and the world
of matter.
Little dreamed Little Black Dap," as he sat upon
tho sawlog in bis fathers mill and pored the few
good books that into his possession and reading
them over and ever again, and tasking his memery
with the retention OF their contents. that he was set
ting example afterwards to be published for the ben
eft of his young countrymcn.
Usually it is the mother hat shapes the man des-
tiny aud he who is fortunate in his mother is apt to
be fortunate in his history. webster's mother had
genius much like his own and gave him his earliest
lessons She taught him to read at very early age;
80 early that he did not remember when he could not
read the Bible. AT three four years of age he
sent to log school house in the neigkborhocd. There
three school houses in derent parts Of the town
ship and the schoomaster taught in each Of the
three in the course of the year. When the school
near his fathers house, Daniel had not very long
walk; when it was in tie central part of the town
oh IN bat tool int he
walk cd home at ght when it was at the farther end
of the township he boarded at near the school.
In those days these were esteemed good educational
privileges. Daniels rapid progress under the tuition
ef Master Chase, Master Tappan and Master Hoyt,
determined his father upon qualifying him to teach
COUNTRY school, Therefore, behold him, at the age of
fourteen, dressed in homemade suit, mounted on
sdesadde, riding by his father, to Phillips Academy
in Exeter. His rustic appearance caused him to be
held in great derison by the other boys, which
sore trial to him, and reduced him to complete dcs
pondency. He could rot declaim speak before the
school. The fret time he called upon for decs-
nation he became embarrassed, burst into tears and
down; and afterwards neither encouragement MOI
frowns could induce him to decaim the pieces be had
memor;zsd and resited in his own room. He remain
cd nine months at this institution, and was removed
thence to Boscawen, where board and tuition were
nearer in proportion to his fathers means
While their way to B,scawen, Daniels father in
formed him that he was there to prepare himself for
college. This unexpected announcement so affectad
the latter that he could not speak Lie thanks but laid
I his head on his fathers shoulder ard wept.
| FfGm Lis entrance into Dartmouth College, Daniel
Webs.c s star steadily grew brighter from that day.
Webster wss a man of warm heart and strong do
nestle fsetions. Henever forgot the love and vcre
ration due hia father and mother. Btwesn bis bro
her EL kel and himself there alwsys existed an ex-
trcmsly warri attachr:snt.
He was very familiar with tie scriptures.
There is moral in almost every remarkable Point
in Wtbs,er's character and history II glimpse ct
this fact il not in our little sketch VI. have &C.
complisled less than VIC intended.
| Dan;ol Webster WIS born On the 1Ssh ef January,
| 1872 and died O:tnh,r a h, 1852.