The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-04
WEBSTER AT SCHOOL.
HE WAS sLovENLv AND. uNTIDv IN
HIS APPEARANCE.
We Was Very Timid and Had Not the Cour-
age Necessary For Defamation and Was
Considered by Some a Dull Boy-His
Teachers. However, Saw His Real Worth.

Considered by some Dull boy-hb
Teachers, However. Saw His Real Worth.
ssIt is doubtful II, among that group of
intellectual prodigies whose efforts I'm the
courts of justice and in the national halls
nv legislation have been materially felt
v iuring our career as a nation, there can
be found one whose early school days were
associated with such humiliating and un-
favorable circumstances as were those OF
Daniel Webster the foster father of our
American nationality" Such is the open
ing sentence of an article by Forrest Pres
= cott Hall in The Arena The observation
amply justified by the facts that follow
HNFncerning Webster's school days, and his
difficulties in making speech and even
In rcciting his lessons
Daniels parents were humble folk in
straitened circumstances in what is now
called Salisbury Center, II. 1t took
considerable contriving TO enable him TO
\ get the education for which he had pas
lonate longing, but on May 25, 1896, he
and his father set out for Exeter where he
was placed in school kept by Mr.. Clif
ford
"When Daniel was given in charge of
the worthy Mr.. Clifford, IL was the first
time he had ever been away from home,
\ and his feelings cannot be better described
\than by himself The change overpower-
>,l me- i hardly remained master of my
-vn senses among 80 boys who had seen
so much more and appeared to know so
much more than did.
sit is not to be wondered that the
change overpowered him. rough, I'M
trained country boy, at IA years of age.
\ lit is said that Webster upon leaving
\his son at Mr.. Clifford house, remarked
this gentleman that he must teach
.aniel to hold his knife and fork, for he
knows no more about ii than COW about
holding spade 1t seems that the COM
parison was good one, for his manners
at the table were so rude that the other
students requested the landlord to send
him away But the kind hearted man
would not consent to this and refused even
I, demonstrate with Daniel, for he knew
hat the boy was sensitive and knew no
better
"Hc hit upon n plan, so the story goes
which resulted in teaching the boy how to
use his knife and fork. Webster was ac-
customed to hold them in his fists. Mr.
Clifford one day held his in the same way
I and continued to do so until Webster saw
how ungraceful it was and corrected him
Pself
"As to his studies, his success at Exeter
was not great. He himself says So He
| seemed unable 10 recite In u room filled
= with boys, and though he studied hard
and was far from stupid he could never
I mako good recitation. But what is TO be
\ wondered at most of all is that he could
not be induced to speak in public. When
Pie day came on which the class was to
declaim, although he had learned his piece,
he was utterly incapable of rising from
his seat when his name was called, The
d..
Daniel in his autobiography, sought espe-
cially to persuade me to perform the exer
else of defamation, like other boys, but
\ could not do it, Many time did com
Init the pieces to memory in my room, yet
when the time came when the school col
lected TO hear declarations, when my
name was called, and / saw all eyes turn
cd to my seat, / could not raise myself
from it, Sometimes the instructors frown
ed, sometimes they smiled. Mr. Buckmin
4 ster always pressed and entreated most
! winningly that | would venture, but
could never command sufficient resolution
When the occasion was over, l went home
and wept bitter tears of modification.
at must be admitted that Webster was
slovenly and untidy in his appearance. II
is said that he rarely washed his face ant
hands. Many stories are told concerning
this noticeable habit of youth, and the
FOLLOWING instance illustrates very clearly
yebsters unkempt appearance and also 6
lily of wit:
" Day after day Daniel appeared in class
IN his hands besmeared with dirt, pay
no attention whatever to the urgen
bpcals of the teacher to keep them clean
finally the climax was capped One da!
Webster presented himself in the classroom
with his usual unclean appearance. TIT
teacher could stand it no longer, and
quickly calling the boy to the desk, tool
up his dirty hand and exclaimed in an en-
ragged tone, Webster, if you can show IN,
another hand in this room as dirty as th
one, will not punish you.
webster quickly drew up his othe
land and said Here's one, professor.
1.-THE teacher was wholly taken abacl
~ the brightness of his young pupil ant
admitted that he was beaten. Webster tool
his seat without the thrashing.
n webster was assured by the kind prin
cipal that he was better scholar thai
most of the boys and that his constan
\ application to his books coupled with
prodigious faculty for labor, was surpris
ing. He also told him that he should b
placed in a higher class, where he woul
10 longer be hndered by the boys VIII
cared more for play and dress than TO
solid improvement.
These were the first encouraging
words, says Webster, that ever received
Awith regard to my studies l then resolve'
to return and pursue them with diligenc
and with so much ability as possessed.
After stay of nine months at Excite
<Daniel was taken to Boscawen, N H., :
be taught by Rev. Samuel Wood Afte
one year here the reverend gentleman In
formed his pupil that he was tired of hin
and would put him In college at once. II
went to Dartmouth and did better work
learning to speak in public, and by tn
end of his freshman year had become quit
power In the college. -Litcrary Digest.
Extremely Literal.
1t Is related OF a certain very matter G
TACT man that he was walked one night b
\ burglar at the foot of his bed, who point
cd revolver at his head
III you move" said the burglar "yo