The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-01
All about Daniel Webster.
FRANKLIN N. II. Sept. 80,

To the Editor Of the Press:
Iconfess myself wofully ignorant of Geegra-
ply, History and Biography, but defy any
body to spend three weeks in the village of
Franklin and not oe conscious of breathing a
sort of Websterian atmosphere, so to speak.
II you have been to Franklin you know-if
not you don't-that It is shut in by hills and
ranges of hills and that the Winnepiseosee
and Pemisewasset unite near its Gel ter to
form the Mer,i,uac ;-courage 0, Ignorance,
that surely has Geographical sound val
ley which Webster declared to be the loveliest
in the worli.
The day after my arrival 1 started for a
drive and my companion asked me il / should
like to visit the birthplace of Daniel W,b-
ster I drew long breath and replied-''by
all means" Now thought l, this friend and
fellow-patriot of mine is SO learned and ready
that he will surely take it for granted know
something about what is to bin so familiar. /
trusted myself to this cheering thought. The
drive of three miles was soon acco nDished
and when reached the spot L found myself
quite walked up to the occasion. for the time
had been beguiled by conversation concerning
the great man whose birth place we were APP
preaching, and had been much interested;
alth hugh, to oe sure, the thought did fash
across me that l was perhars not as talkative
as had once considered myself. There w;is
the spot; the room in which Daniel Webster
was born was pointed out to me, the great
elm sweeping over what used to be the well
but now was an ignobe but convenient
pump and off across the pasture land the
hill which he use to call Mt Pisgah.
After ALL only one leading question which,
of course failed OF an answer, had been put to
me and congratulated myself upon having
displayed very little of my ignorance and up
on having gained much information.
AS we drove homeward the hill was shown
me where the meeting house used to stand;
Daniel, after his father had moved to the
old tavern nearly opposite the Webster farm,
their home finally, ard about two miles
from Franklin, used to complain of
having such a long walk to church.
Ever so much ia ther to go than the True
boys''-to which his paternal ancestor re-
piled by advising him to go over to Deacon
Trues aud then he would have just the same
distance 10 travel.
saw the site Of the school house where
the illustrious statesman impaired knowledge
to the youthful mind for con peusation OF
5000 per month. The Webster farm l Wis
tied the very next day; it is now, you know,
the seat of the New Hampshire Orphan Asy-
lum.
For a week or more after this there was
comparative lull, only broken by my hearing
an occasional story or anecdote about ID. W.
l have. you see, through frequent mention,
been driven to initials; one step moIe and L
shall arrive at the much persecuted personal
pronoun. l knew this lull wouldn't last long,
however.
We had planned to go fishing Monday, and
conscious Of my late neglect of the subject,
1 noticed that day as l never had before,
upon the wall, pictures of ''Webster''-
''Webster at Franklin, Webster upon his
death bed even. We passed the ''Webster
House. on our wind ng way and / went SO
far-we were driving of course, as to behold,
train Of cars steaming along a steep up
grade drawn by an engne-the Daniel Web
ster. This brought to mind what Sydney
Smith said, after he had met Webster in Eu-
rope-that he reminded him of steam en-
gne in trowsers. BY all these sights l was
becoming impressed. l knew not even the
waters of The lake towards which we sped
would drown all mention of him. Nor was |
deceived. The first remark made to me, as
caught glimpse Of the water, was this
used to be Chance Pond, Webster called it
Lake Como and now it's Webster's Lake.
By any other name it would lool as sweet
for it certainly was an enchanting sight.
The drive around it is about seven miles and
the lake itself two miles from end to end.
Webster, the latter part of his lie when he
came to his old home for the summer, used to
have boat here and take his friends on
chowder parties; he came here often too, to
fish and shoot dick.
remember one story, though Mr.. Webster
hasn't much to do with it, which will, sm
sure. torch the hearts of all thoe who stud
led Websters spelling book. When Lafayette
came to Concord in Jnne. 1925, he was re-
ceived with great enthusiasm. The legsla-
ture was then in session. He arrived about
eleven A. NJ. ard was conducted to the Slate
House where about 200 old revolutionary SOL
diers headed by Gov. Pierce, were stationed.
After the usual amount Of speechfying, he
was introduced, by the compittee of arrange
ments, to the members of the Legislature and
then greeted the soldiers, recognizing two or
three of them as having been under his COM
mand.
He lined il the open area in front of the
State House. His time for the rest of the al
ternoon was fully occupied but that evening
it was insisted that he should be invited to
go to the old North Church and hear Ger.
tain band of musicians perform. L bass
viol held prominent sway and the selections
for the voice were-'.Fiie anu hal ran along
up',n the ground" the oratotio of Miriam the
prophecies, ETC., etc. Mr. Webster sat III me
new with Lafayette and his son, and every
little while Lafayette would have to De "aseJ i.eJ
up-f,r he was much fatisued-ana asAea