Iron County register., 1885-05-28
WEBSTER "Reminiscences.
The Days of His Teaching in Frxabu,



The Days of His Teaching in Fryeburg
Academy.
The history of the academy is cher
ished with pride by the people of the
town, especially in connection with one
OF the associations early teachers, the
llustrious orator and statesman, Daniel
Webster. To replenish his spare ex-
chequer, Daniel mounted his horse in
midwinter and plunged through the
deep SHOWS across the country from
Salisbury, N. H., to this place, dis
tance of nearly hundred miles. He
taught here two quarters-from Janu-
ary, 1902, till the the following Septem-
ber-and the trustees were so we'll
pleased with him that they passed the
following special vote of thanks to him
for his services as teacher:
Voted, That the secretary return the thanks
of this board to Mr.. Daniel Webster for his
faithful services while preceptor of Fryeburg
Academy.
Webster was also made the recipient
of small pecuniary present in addition
to his munificent salary of $3.50 year.
In his autobiography Webster thus re-
fers to his salary as teacher at Frye
burg: Il was to be paid at the rate of
$3.50 per annum. This was no small
thing; for L compared it. not with what
might be before me. but with what was
absolutely behind me-"
Webster sold the horse which bore
him to Pequaket to the late James
Walker. When on a visit to Fryeburg
in 1881, Webster made special inquiry
for Mr.. Walker and sent him his par
ticular compliments. WebSter's store
account while here your correspondent
has been permitted to examine on the
ledger of John and Richard Bradley.
The first charge. January 18th, 1902.
is for ''soap, one and sixpence;" follow
ed by "a comb, sixpence;" ''quills. one
and sixpence;" ""pencil. S sevenpence;" "a
ring, five shillings;" ''a book. four and
siXpence," etc Afterward he charged
zone pair silk hose, fourteen and six
pence" a rather extravagant article
one would suppose for a country peda-
gogue. The hose were probably worn
at the famous balls of which Fryeburg
boasted at those times and at the select
social gatherings which distinguished
Fryeburg's early days. This extrava-
CANT purchase of hose, by the way, was
in harmony with Webster well-known
Indifference in after life to the value of
money and the cost of living.
Amos Jones Cook, who succeeded
Webster as preceptor of the academy.
and who had charge of the institution
over thirty years, was fellow-student
at Dartmouth College with Webster,
and was introduced to his subsequent
wife. Miss Elizabeth Mcmillan, by him.
Tradition has it that Webster had
partiality for Miss Mcmillan, and that
she was his partner in the first dance in
Osgood's famous ball in the Oxford
house. At Webster's visit to Fryeburg
in 1881. above referred to. he called
upon brother Cook" as he was in the
habit of calling him. Rapping at the
door he assumed an incog. appearance
by drawing his slouch hat down over
his eyes. s'Brother Cook" came to the
door, and, not Immediately recognizing
him, took the liberty of lifting his hat.
On the discovery of Webster's large
black eyes, however. he at once recog-
nized his old friend. On subsequent
occasion Brother Cook" visited Web
ster at his Office in Boston and tried the
same joke on him. but to no avail;
Webster recognized him Immediately.
At his 1881 visit Webster was invited
to tea at one of the well-known fami-
lies of the village. and. conversation
turning upon the beauties OF the town
and its surroundings. Webster remark
ed: The scenery of your town is strik-
ing. grand. and beautiful; [ was never
so impressed with it as [ have been on
this visit. When L was here as
teacher l suppose 1 was ambitious and
did not notice it." To appreciate the
point of the last remark, it must be
borne in mind that it was uttered the
year after Webster's great speech in the
United States Senate in reply to Hayne,
when Webster was at the zenith of his
fame. and when his renown as an ora
tor was worldwide. The people of
Fryeburg deem it a happy circumstance
that the Fourth of July ora
ton which Webster pronounced
here while teaching in the
academy was recently rescued
from oblivion and given to the world
in the '.Fryeburg Webster Memorial"
For youth of twenty the Grafton has
no equal in ancient or modern times.
its closing sentence being the same as
that of the last speech Webster made
in the United States Senate half a
century later. According to descrip
ton of Webster by an old lady who
was one of his pupils here, ''he was
all eyes" The aforementioned 'me-
morar' contains an engraving of him
i'll early manhood. and his piercing
ewes, as then given, will bear out the
old lady's graphic Characterization
Fryedurg (Me.) Cor. Oxford (Me.)
Democrat.