The new era., 1860-11-01

Starvation, and then low gurglin
sound proclaimed the relief of our frien
from the longest and severest thirst wit
which, he decIars, he has ever been af
flicted! He will be in no hurry to max
any more rash VOWS of this sort.
Daniel Webster's Childhood.
Children are very apt to forget two
things.-They are apt to forget that al
great men were once children, anc
that, while they themselves are young
they are laying foundations for the fu,
ture. 1t is exceedingly interesting tc
look back upon the history Of such 9
man as Daniel Webster, and see what
he was about what he was thinking Of
what he was doing, how he was occupy
ing his time-when he was a school
boy. Now. boys, am going to tel
you litter of Webster's history, when
he went to the ammar-school. The
history is entertaining enough in ITSELF
considering to what heights this states
man has risen since then. But | don't
recite it to you simply on that account
] am anxious that you should see how
early one enters the path to greatness.
Why, my dear fellow, before Daniel
was as old as you are, he had found the
way into that path. and had actually
commenced his march.
"But | don't see what the Latin gram
mar, and Virgil, and Sallust, can have
to do with being great man." you say,
or think, which amounts to about the
same thing.
You don't, Ell? Well, just listen a
moment, and perhaps you will get some
light on this subject. AT any rate, you
will see by the following, which have
just picked up. how the greatest states
man in America began his career of
greaness.
The first time that Mr.. Webster's
eyes fell upon the Constitution of the
United States, of which he is now uni
versally acknowledged to be the chief
'rpounder and defender, it was printed
upon cotton pocket handkerchief, ac-
cording to fashion of the time, which
he chanced to stumble upon in coun-
try store, and for which he paid, out Of
his own pocket, all the money he had
twenty-five cents; and the evening of
the day on which he thus obtained a
copy was wholly devoted to its close and
attt i've perusal, while seated before
blazing fire, and by the side of his faith
er and mother. What dreamer on that
night, in the widest flights of his imag-
ination, could have seen the result of
that incident, or marked out the future
career of that New Hampshire boy?
When Mr.. Webster was about seven
years old, his father kept a house of
public entertainment, where the team
sters, who travelled OH the road, were in
the habit Of obtaining dinner and feed
ing their horses, and it is said that the
incipient orator and statesman frequent
ly entertained his fathers guests by
reading aloud out ofthe Psalms Of Da-
vid, to the infinite delight Of his rustic
listeners. Indeed j. was customary for
the teamsters to remark, as they pulled
up their horses before the Webster
House, "Come, let's 60 in and hear
Psalm from Dan"
A few days after Mr.. Webster had
entered Exeter academy, he returned to
his boarding house one evening, in
very desponding mood, and told his
friends there that the city boys in the
academy were constantly laughing at
him because he was at the foot of his
class, and had come from the back
woods. His friends endeavored to cheer
him, by explaining the regulations of
the school, and telling him that the boys
would soon get tired of their unhand-
some conduct, and that he ought to
show himself above their foolishness.-
Mr.. Nicholas Emery, who was then an
assistant tutor in the academy, was al
so made acquainted with young Web
ster's troubles, and as he had the me n
agement of the second and the lower
class, he treated his disponding pupil
with marked kindness, and particularly
urged him to think of nothing but his
books, and that all would yet come out
bright. This advice was needed, and
at the end of the first quarter, Mr.. EN-
cry mustered his class in a line, an
taking the arm of young Web
ster. marched him along from the foot
to the extreme head of the class, ex-
in the mean while, that this
was his proper position. Such an event
had for many days been anticipated, but
when accomplished the remainder ofthc
class were surprised and chrgrined. 4
This triumph greatly encouraged the
boy Daniel. and he renewed his efforts
with his books. He did not doubt but
that there were many boys in the class
as smart as himself, il not smarter; and
he looked with some anxiety to the Sec
ond quarter. The day arrived, the
class was mustered, and Mr.. Emery
stood before it, when the breathless 81