Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-10-16
Why Daniel Webster Cried.
1By Ben Perley Poore.

i
Among other pleasing incidents of the
log cabin campaign of 1910 was one thus
described by Representative Halstead, of
New Jersey. At the recent Whig con-
veHtion held at Worcester. Mass. the
lady of Honest JohR Davis. the present
Senator from that State, sent word to
tns Committee of Arrangements that she
had nine beds in which she could accom-
modate nine Whig delegates, or, if they
were good natured men eighteen; and
she invited forty or fifty of the delegates
to dine with her. Having made all prep
aratIons for her invited guests, she re-
paired to the convention to hear the
Whig orators. After the speaking was
over, she buried home for the purpose
of receiving her expected company; but
she had scarcely reached her house be-
fore the sound of martial music saluted
her ear. She approached the window,
AID there she saw drawn up before her
door a band of one hundred and fifty or
two hundred men, who sent deputatien
10 her to say that they would do them
selves the honor of taking dinner With
her. At this unexpected aDnunciation
her woman's heart at first sank within
her, but Immediately the good old genu-
inc Wing spirit, which is always equal
to any eigency, rallied, and by its re-
Operative energy at once restored her to
her wanted composure. And what do
you think she said? Gentlemen" said
she, 'the string of my door is never pull
ed in. You are welcome to partake with
me my log cabin fare. Walk in, gentle
men," They did walk in, and she at once
set about enlarging her tables and re-
p'enishing her board with provisions for
this occasion of unexpected guests; and
with that admirable management which
is Characteristic of Yankee as well as
Jersey matrons, she was soon able to ac-
commodate the whole of the guests, ex-
pected and unexpected, for they ate and
were filed.
How many baskets of fragments there
were left did not learn, but, suppose,
at least enough to supply all the poor in
thu neighborhood for at least week to
come. In her letter to her husband this
Bay State Whig matron said ..that the
wine and water, beer and hard cider
flowed in streams, and the way that
Honest John Davis's wifes cakes disap-
peared, was a caution" When Honest
John received this letter, describing in
true and graphic colors which woman's
pen alone can give to such a scene, he
was sitting in the Senate chamber, and
as he read it, "the big round tears cours-
ed one another down his manly cheek
and as he wiped them away, he said to
himself: What fool | am to be SO af-
fected.". After be had perused the letter
he handed it to Mr.. Webster, saying:
There, Webster, you say you take pleas
ure IN reading my wife's letters; read
that" Webster took the letter, and, as
he read, Honest John watched The work
ings of his noble features, and he soon
saw the tear gfistening in his large, black
eye, and then rolling down the bronZed
cheek of this intellectual giant, and
Honest John said to himself: We'll, I'm
not so great fool neither" When Web
ster had finished reading, he drew long
breath, grasped the hand of Honest John,
and said: "Sir, it is the finest letter |
ever read in my life." Now, my fair
hearers, have you any idea of the worth
of such fair Whig as that? | tell you
such Wing is worth kingdom, anc
the tears which she drew forth from the
eyes of such men as John Davis and
Daniel Webster were more precious than
all the gems that ever sparkled in
roy al diadem.