The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-24
Anecdotes OF Webster.

accompanied Mr.. webster 70 Annap-
Oils TO inform HIM of the facts of the case
he was about to argue. But these were
by no means the main topics of our con-
versation. 1t was not until the day be-
fore the hearing that he seemed to adj
dress himself seriously to the labor of
preparation. He then shut himself up
IN his room for the entire morning, COM
ing occasionally into mine to ask about
some question of fact, bringing half
sheets of common blue letter paper, on
which, he would say, he had been max
ing scratches" They were distinct
propositions, texts rather than srgu-
ments, carefully studied, and, as was APP
parent from ensures and interlining, Ia
bored with view TO condensation, or to
satisfy fastidious Judgment. Once,
when / expressed doubt whether one
of his propositions was in accordance
with certain facts, Mr.. Webster drew his
pen through it, saying, $50, then, that
cock won't fight" The notes thus pre-
pared were the brief of his argument,
glimpses thus afforded of the workings
of great intellect were extremely inter
esting may readily be imagined.
But if the case did not engross us at
all times, conversation did not flag. Our
pleasantest talks were after dinner, when
we came back from the bar messroom.
Mr.. Webster would then put on his slip
pers, and tilt back his chair, with his
feet against the side of the mantle-piece,
on level with his head, saying, 'Shall
l not take mine ease in mine inn p and
go off into stream of anecdotes, quo
tations, incidents of his early life, and
matters and things generally. On these
occasions Shakespeare was a favorite
topic, and his familiarity with it was tes-
titled by the aptness and frequency of
his quotations.
In one of these protracted talks,
which always ran late into the night,
Mr.. Webster detailed the circumstances
of his refusal to accept the clerkship of
a County Court, as they are related In
Curtis, when the salary would have been
a little fortune, and amused himself with
humorous comparison between his sub
sequent career and what would then
have been his destiny.
On the same occasion he described his
early practice in New Hampshire, and
told With almost boyish glee of overtak-
ing, one bright moonlight night, tim
Der sled at the foot of hill on which
the snow lay deep. The driver had gone
to tavern ahead for an extra horse. and
Mr.. Webster, hitching his own horse as
an addition to the team, got the load to
the summit, where the teamster pre-
sently found it. q had hidden behind
a tree, said the narrator, "where L en-
Joy the fun, and only came forth to stay
the hand of the owner of the sled, who
was Iarruping' his horses, because the
tarnal critters had put him to the ex-
pense of hiring assistance, when they
were able TO do the work themselves,
and only refused their load to spite him
1t was Mr. Webster's way If telling the
story. and his imitation of the drivers
tone and manner, that enhanced the
drollery of the incident.
Upon another occasion he gave an
amusing account OF his escape through
the back window of an old fashioned
sta9e-coach when the horses were run
ming away with it, and described the
amazement of the driver, after they
were stopped, when he found n member
Of Congress standing on the baggage
rack, and playing footman to stage
driver.
The interest of these anecdotes was
not so much In their matter as in the evil
dence they afforded that neither the
wear and tear OF political and profes-
sional life nor distinou; shed position
had impaired the freshness OF early
youth.
Another of Mr.. Webster's anecdotes I
have often repeated to students in my
10 of ugne ha ftlH | IL 10 ,,e
TheophiIus Parsons to give no law adj
vice ON Sunday rule which he per-
sisted in adhering to when a client came
to Salem on that day from Boston TO OBJ
tain an opinion on a matter Of first i'm
portance III connection with business to
be transacted early on Monday. Angry
at having had his journey for nothing,
the client was on his way 10 his carriage,
when Mr. Parsons followed him, and
asked him whether he had made up his
mind as to what was right according to
the Golden Rule, and being answered in
the affirmative. told him to go back to
Boston, do what he believed was "just
right and when Mr.. Parsons got to his
Office later on Monday, he had no doubt
he would find law enough to sustain
him.
Speaking, on another occasion, about
the elements of success in professional
life, Mr. Webster said, "Why, there is
-, most learned lawyer, most Ia
borious man, and in all the relations of
life absolutely unexceptionable, and yet,
confound the fellow he never produces
results"
The age of some one being mentioned
one evening, Mr.. Webster said, "The
worst standard by which to measure a
mans life is the parish clerks register.
Some men, sir, are born old; others,
again, never grow DID," and certainly,
when L listened to his flow Of animated
talk, the gleefulness of many of his re-
marks about men and things, fully ap-
preciated his meaning-that it was tenn
permanent of the man, and not the num-
Der of his years, that made him old or
young. John IL. Lotro6e, IN Harper
Magazine.
A Violin from Wood That Grew Be.