The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-13
KEOKUKs
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Is.


1t is now eleven yeazD since the states
man Of Marshfelde saw The last Of earths
having just prevflsAS uttered the words
which may be regargedsss prophetic, II
still live" During these years many
changes have occurred. The civil Nars the
shadow Of which he 20 clearly saw and 20
aislisetly depisted, has rent the ,ompara-
tiyely happy land whose defender be uas
until the last. The Union that he dsfend.
ed with power almost more than human,
bis only remaining child, Colonel Fletcher
Webster, laid down his life for while lead
ing on his brave troops. The venerable
men that carried out his body to its burial
have oil, or nearly I'll, like him passed that
"bourne from which no traveller returns"
The many friends from all portions of the
country that visited him each SUMMED, are
seen slena these walks no more, for the
lord Of the manor is no longer here to de-
light them with his presence, as striking
as that of cathedral. and to charm them
with his converse. his every word weigh
ing pound.
And yet there is much here TO remind
you Of Webster to. day; there is on many
things the real Websterian impress. That
magnificent lawn, SO English, SO spacious,
was all his own work. That hedge on
either side of the long driveway to his
house from the highway, looks much as it
did in his lifetime. The mansion itself is
in good condition, externally and internal
" and is almost entirely a. be left it for
lis grave. His largest barn was acci
dentally burned few years ago, but an
other Of about equal dimensions has taken
its place. The Two cottages, for his gar
dener and for his farmer, stand rs in his
lifetime. His low Office beside the garden
is much as he left it.
The library is full Of the same books,
arranged in the same manner as when he
pored over them, and their numbers are
the same, or about Eve thousand, consis-
ting chiefly of historical, biographical, lie.
gal, congressional, political, religious. and
reference books, such as cyclopedias, die
tionaries, hour-books, ETC., Of which last
class the library is uncommonly full
The portion of the farm around the man.
sion house is still fruitful. and much
through his constant care to dress it with
kelp. fish, and other fertilizers, while the
more distant portions of the farm, though
sold to his neighbors, still bear the marks
of his improvements. Cut River flows
into the sea near his home, as when his
fishing boats were there, waiting for the
coming of him who loved to visit them
very early in the morning, for his favorite
recreation. The "dark blue sea" beyond
looks as it did when the farmer OF
Marsh6eld enjoyed SO much its presence.
and sailed gaily over its waters.
The home of Webster was constantly
improved by him for twenty years, at an
expense of 100000. and his neighbor
farmers derived snuch benefit from his
example and experiments as q farmer -
The house. itself, has most of the modern
improvements, and can hardly be excelled
for real comfort. Fronting upon the
principal lawn are the sitting. music,
drawing rooms aud library. In the real
Of them IRE the dining and breakfast
rooms, and kitchen and other rooms. The
second story is furnished with numerous
chambers, several Of which are particu.
larly attractive. From the chamber which
he called his own and in which be died
you look out upon the circular pond, sim
liar to that on Boston Common, where
his tanned wild geese and White Noun
tain geese were usually seen. and where
their offspring may be seen to-day. Al
much as anything their wild aud peculiar
sounds carry me back to the days wher
Marshfeld was all in its glory.