Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-02-01
Tho BOyilOOd of Daniel Webster

But if you are true to your manhood
Have courage, my boy, to say No.
The BOyhOOd Of Daniel Webster.
1t was Just one hundred years ago on the
18th of January, since Daniel Webster, the
great statesman, orator and lawyer was
born, and the time seems fit one for say
ing something of his boyhood. Webster's
father lived near the head waters of the
Merrimac river, and the only school with
in reach was poor affair kept open for a
few months every winter. There Webster
learned all that the ignorant master could
teach him, which was very little; but he
acquired taste which did more for him
than the reading, writing and arithmetic
of the school. He learned to like books,
and to want knowledge; and when boy
gets really hungry and thirsty for knowl
edge, it is not easy to keep him ignorant.
When some of the neighbors joined in set
ting up a little circulating library, young
Webster read every book in it two or three
times, and even committed to memory q
large part of the best of them. 1t was this
eagerness for education on his part that
led his father afterward to send him to
Exeter to school, and later to put him in
Dartmouth college.
There are not many boys in our time
whohal not declaimed parts of Webster's
great speeches and it will interest them to
know that the boy who afterward made
those speeches could never declaim at all
while he was at school. He learned his
pieces well and practced them in his own
room, but he could not speak them before
people to save his life.
Webster was always fond of hunting and
fishing, and however hard he studied, the
people around him called him lazy and
idle, because be would spend whole days
in these sports. Once, while he was study
ing under DR.. Woods to prepare for COL
lege, that gentleman spoke to him on the
subject, and hurt his feelings little. The
boy went to his room determined to have
revenge, and this is the way he took to get
it. The usual Latin lesson was one hun
dred lines of Virgil, but Webster spent the
whole night over the book. The next
morning before breakfast he went to DR..
Woods and read the whole lesson correct
ly. Then he said
"Will you hear few more lines, doc
tor?n
uC lCuCllGl COHotlillIt55, w CD5lGl lcttl OIl
and on and on, while the breakfast grew
cold. Still there was no sign of the boys
stopping, and the hungry doctor at last
asked how much further he was prepared
to read.
"To the end of the twelfth book of the
Eneid," answered the idle" boy, in
triumph"
After that Webster did not give up his
hunting and fishing, but he worked so hard
at his lessons. and got on so fast, that there
was no further complaint of his "dleness."
He not only learned the lessons given to
him, but more every day. and besides this
he read every good book he could lay his
hands on, for he was not ut all satisfied TO
know only what could be found in the
school books.
Webster'S father was poor and i'll debt,
but finding how eager this boy was for
education, and seeing, too, that he possess
sed unusual ability, he determined, i'll as
he could afford the expense, to send him to
college. Accordingly, yonng Daniel went
to Dartmouth. But after he had been there
two years, and had gone homo for his
vacation, he startled his father one morn
ing by declaring that he would not 90
DdCh W lthlCSo MS OlllCI LZDklGl
could be educated too. This seemed out
of the question. The father could barely
afford to educate one son, and he could not
spare the other from the farm work that
provided the means for this. But young
Dan was generous and rcsolute. If Zeke
could not be educated, he would not. He
would not let them sacrifice Xeke for him,
and there was an end of the matter. The
good old mother solved the difficulty. She
was getting old, she said and her children
were dear to her; she was willing to give
up everything for their good, and if they
would promise to take care of her during
her old age, the property should be sold,
the debts paid, and what remained should
be spent in educating both the boys. After
much debate, the matter was settled in this
way, and it is pleasant TO know that the
dear old mother never knew want as
consequence of her devotion TO the welfare
of her children.
Many anecdotes are told TO illustrate the
character of young Dan. He was always
lavish of his money when he had any,
while his brother was careful but generous
especially to Dan, whom he greatly ad-
mired. On one occasion the boys went to
a neighboring town on high holiday each
ith quarter of a dollar in his pocket.
"Well, DAN" said the father on their
return, what did You do with your
money%
"Spent it," answered the boy.
And what did you do with yours,
ZekcP'
Lent it to Dan, was the answer. As
fact Dan had spent both quarters.
Young Webster was very industrious in
his studies, as we have seen, and he was
physically strong and active, as his fond
ness for sport proved; but he could never
endure farm work. One day his father
wanted him to help him in cutting hay
with a scythe; but very soon the boy
complained that the scythe was not
hung" to suit him, that is to say, it was
not set at proper angle upon its handle.
The old gentleman adjusted it, but still 1t
did not suit the boy. After repeated at.
tempts to arrange it to Dams liking, the
father said, impatiently, Well, hang it
to suit Yourself" And young Dan i'm
mediately hung" it over branch of an
apple tree and left it there. That was the
hanging which pleased him.
After finishing his college course, Web
ster began studying law, but having no
money, and being unwilling to tax his
father for further support, he went into
northern Maine and taught school there
for time. While teaching he devoted his
evenings to the work Of copying deeds
and other legal documents, and by close
economy he managed to live upon the
money thus earned, so that he saved the
whole of his salary as teacher. With
this money to live on, he went to Boston,
studied law, and soon distinguished him
self.-George G. Egglest0n, in Hayper'S
Young People.