The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-07-05
TALKS WITH THE OLD TIMER,
HOW THE BOSS TRIED TO COLLECT
A DEBT OF WEBSTER.
The Eccentric Philant5ropiss who Keeps
& Free Inebriate SanitariuI-Queer
Inmates of the Warrington
Asylum-The Fishers,

Washington Correspondent baltimore More
ing Hsrold.
At the corner of Sixth and ID. streets,
northwest. stands the old Unitarian
church which Daniel Webster attended
during the many years he resided in
Washington. Bat it is no longer a sane
tuary o! faith. During the Websterian
period that locality was the center of a
popular residences district, and many
worship. But the tide moved to the
Northwest, pretentious people went away
and the neighborEood was given up to
shopkeepers and cheap boarding houses.
y few years aso the government bought
the building, and the tcmble of the liv-
Ing God was turned into a temple of hu-
man Justice The ancient shrine of de-
votion is now a police court VIII, re Judge
Smell, Tie terrible, administers the butt
end of the law to small offenders. Tie
aiSleS which once rcSOunded with the
organ = l'til anu inc aubicHi vi pldlSe
now echo the wife heaters plea, the def
Gnce Of drankcn women and the shyster's
clamorouS harangue.
y few Goors above the old church, on
the same street, stands the house that
was the home of Daniel Webster. 1t is
a thrce-story ancient looking structure
with 4 deep basement, and iron steps
leading to 4 miniature porticD in front of
the entrance. 1t is a observation-disclosures Eow,
and not very stylish one either. In
fact. whatever of tone the neigllborhood
ever had has long since vanished. On
one corner is the police court and on the
next corner is the police headquarters and
station house. Shyster officers abound
GA the block. Crowds of Growzy wenches
al! unilcpt men line the sidewalk at
various hours of the day. \ cheap base
ment saloon adverlis es ''cool beer and
free lanch" next door to Daniel Web
stcrs house.
Many a lnlay morning. said the
Old Timer, ''have seen Daniel Webster
come down them iron steps and 60 into
the church. On Sunday lie always had
on black broadcloth suit, kid gloves,
and an immense white choker around his
tall shirt collar. lie always looked SOL
| emn when he came down those steps,
hymn book in hand, and walked with
measured tread the few feet between his
/ house and the church. If you had seen
him you would have bet money that he
was the pastor himself meditating on the
Gospel he was about to preach. Going
up the church steps he always pulled off
his hat and entered the church bare
headed. ICu d hardly think there went
Il man who could toss Off sniftcr of a
full glass Of brandy before break fast and
not change color. That's Il fact, sir.
Webster always mixed brandy with his
religion. lie always took a drink before
gong to church, perhaps to sustain him
during dull sermon. Then he took one
after getting back home; perhaps to re-
vire him. Anyhow, he drank brandy
like a blvarian Dutchmau does lager
Why, I've seen four kegs of cognac rolled
into his cellar at Que time.
Yes, Sir, I'll never forget them four
kegs of cognac. | was clerk and col
iector il a Eqlor store on Pennsylvania
avenue where Webster bought the brandy.
waS sent mp there 10 collect the bill.
OF course You We heard that Daniel Web
Stcr was Il little bit the toughest nut to
yet the amount of Il bill out of that this
country ever produced. He was the kind
of ln1u who could make IL creditor feel
ashamed Of himself for presenting a bill.
Why, sir, I've seen seven or eight men
hanging around Webster door to collect
bills. all at one time. Then he'd come
out and make IA little speech to them and
they'd all phil off their hats. bow and 90
away feeling better'n if they had coIlec-
ted the money. Well. sir, Id been there
that it began to prey on my mind. |
! had cold night sweatS. Nightmares pur-
Sncd me III the shape of horde of de-
| monacal Daniel Wab atar; with clubs
and broad axes. AM howling for my
hl"'. IL revenge for the frequency of my
dunS. Ny employer got to abusing me
for h@ing no account. lie said there
on sht to be no trouble in collecting Il
little bill from man like Daniel Web
| ster. oac day he snatched the bill from
| nay hand and said lie Il collect it himself.
Now, my boss was strictly temperate
man. and Il very determined fellow, too.
followed along to see how he'd come
ont. Mr.. Webster met hin at the door,
and You ought TO have seen him shake
the boss hand. lie was as afiectionate
rs if he had lust found a lost brother.
Then he took the boss into the parlor
and seated him on the sofa. got tired
waiting and went back to the store. In
ABOUT two hours here come the boss down
the street walking like the track of a
worm fence, waving his hat and halloo
| ins: ''Hurrah for Dan'l Webster. He
was as drunk as lord and Il crowd of
| yelling boys WAS at his heels. If Daniel
| Webster hadn't made him drunk then
I'm horse The next morning he came
| to the store looking very weary. After
drinking the ice cooler dry he braced up
| a little and walked over to the bookkeep-
cr' 5 dcsi, with scowl on his face. MIR
Merriwcather,' said he, Just charge that
id Webster account to profit aud loss
You can't collect bill from man who
makes you feel like You re trying to ex,
tract bloHd-money from resurrccted
apostle. Ia rather have debt on d
dead Niger in California than on Daniel
| Webster
There is very peculiar old man III
| Washington whose eccentricities and
| genuine charity deserve notice. Hi,
name is DR.. Stephen Gross. His good
ness takes the shape of practical human
itarianism. He is 20 years of age, with
snow-whte hair and beard. lie is al
understood, withered-up septuagenarian
/ with a skin like IA sun. stained and wea.
| ther-bcaten parchment, but in the ven
| crativc head "A pair OF blue eyes glisten
with the milk Of human Kindness. lie
/ is preacher OF temperance. Not one OF
your oud monthed, hire-a-hall kind OF
oratorical rip.saws, but one of your
! little old unobStrusivc philanthropists