McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-11-06
A STORY or WEBSTER.
Tho Great Expounder and How Eie
Helped Tcamstcr.
ben: Perley Poore in Boston Budget

tBen: Perley Poore in Boston Budget.l
Senator Silsbee, Of Salem, contributed
the following anccdote to those told il
Illustrating the rural instinct of Mr.
Webster. Once when the great eX-
FOUNDER was riding alone in his chaise
from Boston to Marshficld he overlook
in Scituatc II WAGNER with one horse,
deeply stuck in the mud, with a load of
slaves. The road was so narrow at this
spot that il prccluded the passing
Of another vehicle. How far Mr.. Web
ster was influenced by the question of
detention did not appear, but he imme-
sistancc TO the man in difficulty, which
was gladly accepted. Having stripped
off his coat, at it he went to help his
new client out Of the slough In the
first place, he took the reins of the old
horse, which he belabored with light
blows, while the countryman hove at the
wheel. This proving Intellectual, Mr..
Webster put his own shoulder to one of
the wheels, with the wagner at the
other plying the lash upon old Dobbin,
but it was mo 60 Some rails were
and the power of the lever tried
There sat the statesman astride the
elevated end OF one, Juggling with all
his might, now joking, and now expiat-
ing on the virtues of the lever, and the
man Of slaves on the other, and each
shouting at the old frame of a horse, but
all TO no purpose. Our hero was not to
be foilcd i'll this way, nor give up his
case without another expedient and
trial. 'Well try another additional
argument" said he. So his own horse
was taken from the shafts of his chaise,
and, with part of his own harness and
by means of rope, was attached to the
reluctant load ahead of the old
pony. There was strength enough
now in the team to lift the
load from the mirc, but there was
not perfect coincidence of effort in the
two horses. He of the wagon was a
rawboned, WORKOUT animal, the other
a high-spirited, powerful horse. The
word to start being given, the leader,
by sudden spring, would jerk his
hinder companion down upon his knees
before he was ready to give q regular
draw The lash was then applied to
the tardy animal, which would set the
one of mettle to plunging and kicking.
Thus they went on, alternately pulling
and holding back, first one and then the
other, the countryman having and
geeing" and Mr.. Webster now and then
lifting his lion voice, but all rendered
useless by a WANT of concert in action on
the part of the horses.
The scene had now become one of q
nighly-amusing characteristic states
mans straw hat, which had been taken
Off by the wind and lodged in the bushes,
his swathy features sweating i'll the hot
sun, his polished boots and fine linen
considerably besmeared with mud. So
amusing had the scene now become that
my informant, who had been con-
cealed spectator behind an elder hedge
which divided the road from the meadow
where he was at work, involuntarily
gave an audible laugh. This immedi-
ately caught the car of Mr.. Webster.
How is this, said he; eve have an evil
Gence in the case which must be brought
On to help lis carry our point" The
narrator was accordingly discovered and
summoned to the stand, and by this
additional aid the man in limbo was soon
set on his legs again. His joy at deliv.
GRANGE was great and his thanks pro-
fuse. ''By CORY, said he, 1--WE must
have drop of something to take after
such tug" and produced quart flask
and tin tumbler from his wagon. Mr..
Webster kindly consented, at his earnest
solicitation, to partake of q little of his
beverage, diluted with water from the
brook, counseling him, by way Of
toast, to keep himself clear in future of
the law and mud-holes. After rearrang-
ing matters, and u partial ablution in
the brook, Mr.. Webster took his de-
parture. The establishment of the
conntryman was great when informed
that it was no less a man than the great
Daniel Webster who had been lifting and
prying at the wheels, and he solemnly
declared that he would have his vote for
the next president.