The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-01
judged by your printed works and printed

judged by your printed works and PRINTED
works are literature"
He hesitated and then said: II Am to de-
liver IN address before the New York His
torical society in February. II Won can
manage your meeting either tbs day before
or the day after the time fixed for tho ad-
dress. I will preside"
The famous HISTORICAL address was deliv,
from top 10 bottom. The theme was
s.Thucydides." The effort was a mode OF
| classical el~oquencs. Mr.. Webste err at that
time was not in very good health, and Mr..
| King, president OF Columbia college, made
haste to help him ON Will his overcoat, ask
ing: "How do you feel, MIR. Webster?' II
| feel IA though | had got through" was the
really.
| the Aston. On our way up he repeated I'm.
applause of list'ning senates to command
and asked me for the preceding lines. we
were opposite Randolph's book shop and !
stopped tho carriage and got u copy OF
9ray's 'Elegy" and read the context. AS
soon MS we reached the hall, Mr.. Irving pre-
aentea Mr.. Webster. who made a short
opening address Tin which he brought IN
Bryant. who delivered the eulogy. They
had not shaken hands before for several
| wears, owing to a GOODNESS growing out of
political differences. Mr.. Webster's nd
dress was Disappointing to some, but the
next morning it WAS found on reading 1t
that every word Was apt and IN the right
place.
After Mr.. Bryant concluded, the real elo-
quence of tho evening began. Every
speaker was at his best. As the speeches
went on. Mr.. Webster lifted his head like
the war horse which shifts the battle from
afar. When all the speakers had coli
Guided, he arose and said:
when Mare Antony, according to the
great draluatist, delivered his Grafton over
the dead body of Cesar, he produced
Caesars will. which described his gifts to
the people. He told them how Caesar had
and pleasant walks, and so forth. What if
he hadr' exclaimed Mr.. Webster. They
were but spoils wrested from oppressed
provinces. The legacy of Kenmore Cooper
to his eountrymen is of a different chars@-
ter. 1t is imperishable. You propose 70
erect "a monument to ms memory. IL ls
we'll. But he has left a monument more
lasting than marble or brass, a monument
which will endure SO long rs our language
is spoken"
II was late before the exercises we're SON.
cluded. | had arranged that MIR. Webster,
on his way, back, should pay a visit to the
Century club, then in it's infancy, and of
which I WAS a member. The club occupied
modest rooms in Broadway, near Prince
street. Julian G. Verplanck was its presi-
1t was f~requentsd by the leading
authors and artists and intellectual mon of
the city. There was a large gathering of
member waiting to receive Mr.. Webster,
among whom asthe venerable Chief Justice
Jones, previously chancellor of the state,
who made the ADDRESS of welcome. MIR.
Webster replied briefly and with much
Then changing his ton he said:
II perceive that there are y number of
artists present. Perhaps they are not aware
that one of V%andvke's finest paintings"
mentioning the NAME, which l do not recall
at this moment, was once owned III this
country, and hung i'll the gallery of, a pri-
vate gentleman"
At this several artists pricked up their
ears and winked at one another, as much as
to say, He is out of his reckoning this
Mr.. Webster continued Il think ne
the token of ~incredullty):
Il will give it's history: Many years ago a
very wealthy Dutchman of Amsterdam came
to this country and took up his residence
within a few miles of Washington. His
family consisted of an unmarried daughter,
but he had a son in Holland. In due course
he died. In his will he divided his property
equally etween his two children. AS the
Nandyke painting was already here he left
it to his daughter, or SO many guilders, as
she should elect. Now. eentlemen," said
lady had married a man who Was in trade
emphasizing tra6e-'and he took the
guilders. 1t is in this way the country lost
the painting, which is now in the gallery at
The Hague. This happened dul ing my first
session in congress-. Before the painting
was boxed l drove with some friends to
soc it,"
1t was one O'Clock in the morning before
we left the club rooms for the Astor house.
There Mr.. Webster bade me goodbye and
] never saw him again. He died in October
o. the same year. 1t happened a few weeks
later that l was suddenly called to Europe.
| wrote Mr.. Webster Che was then secretary
of state) asking for a letter to orr minis
ters abroad. | discovered Just after post
ing my note that he had left Washington
for Trenton to try the famous india rubber
case. NATURALLY gave W. all hope of hear
ing from him. TO nay surprise in two days
| received a line saying the letter would be
forthcoming before the day of my depar-
ture. three days later it arrived. 1t was
dated at Trenton, but was headed depart
ment of State" | have it now as my last
"Reminiscences of Daniel Webster.