The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-06
WEBSTER AT SCHOOL.
HE WAS SLOvENLY AND UNTIDY IN
HIS APPEARANCE.
He Was Very Timid and Had Not the Cour.
ago Necessary For Defamation and Wa
Considered by Some Dull Eoy-Hh
Teachers, However, Saw His Real Worth


Teachers, However. Saw His Real Worth.
ut is doubtful il, among that group ol
intellectual prodigies whose efforts in the
courts of justice and in the national hall
OF legislation have been materially felt
during our career as n nation, there can
bc found one whose carly school days wcrt
associated with such humiliating and un.
favorable circumstances as were those OF
Daniel Webster, the foster father of oul
American nationality" such Is the open.
ing sentence of an article by Forrest Pres.
cott Hall In The Arena. The observation
Is amply justified by the facts that follow
concerning WebSter's school days, and his
difficulties IN making u speech and even
In reciting his lessons.
Daniels parents werc humble folk In
straitened circumstances, in what Is now
called Salisbury Center, n. II. 1t took
considerable contriving TO enable him t.
get the education for which he had "a pas
sionate longing, but on May 20, 1896, he
and his father set out for Exeter, where he
was placed in q school kept by Mr.. Cliff
ford.
"When Daniel was given In charge OF
the worthy Mr.. Clifford, it was tho first
time he had ever been away from home
and his feelings cannot bc better described
than by himself. The change overpower
ed me. l hardly remained master Of my
own senses among 80 boys who had seen
so much more and appeared to know SO
much more than did
at is not to be wondered that the
change overpowered him, rough, un
trained country boy, at ii years Of age.
1T is said that Webster, upon leaving
his son at Mr.. Clifford's house, remarked
to this gentleman that he must teach
Daniel to hold his knife and fork for he
knows no more about il than u COW about
holding a spade. 1t seems that the com
parison was a 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 mar
would not consent to this and refused even
to demonstrate with Daniel, for he knew
that the boy was sensitive and knew nc
better.
''He hit upon 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
and continued To do so until Webster saw
how ungraceful it was and corrected him
self.
''As to his studies his success at Exeter
was not great He himself says SO. He
seemed unable to recite in u room filled
with boys, and though he studied hard
and was far from stupid he could never
make n good recitation. But what is to be
wondered at most Of all is that he could
not be induced to speak in public. WheI
the day came on which the class was tc
declaim, although he had learned his piece,
he was utterly incapable of rising from
his seat when his name was called. THE
kind and excellent Buckminster,' say:
Daniel in his autobiography, sought espe
cially to persuade me to perform the cxer
else Of defamation, like other boys, but
could not do it. Many time did / com.
init the pieces tn memory in my room, yet
when the time came when the school col
lected to hear declamations, when my
name was called, and l saw all eyes turn.
ed to my seat, could not raise myself
from it. Sometimes the instructors frown.
ed, sometimes they smiled. Mr.. Buckmin
ster always pressed and entreated most
winningly that / would venture, but
could never command sufficient resolution.
When the occasion was over, / went home
and wept bitter tears of modification.
slovenly and untidy in his appearance. II
Is said that he rarely washed his face and
hands. Many stories are told concerning
this noticeable habit of youth, and the
following instance illustrates very clearly
Webster's unkempt appearance and also {
sally of wit:
DAY after day Daniel appeared i'm class
with his hands besmeared with dirt, pay.
atf ,I,ntn t,f hn
appeals of the teacher to keep them clean
Finally the climax was capped. One day
Webster presented himself i'm the classroom
with his usual unclean appearance. The
teacher could stand it no longer, and,
quickly calling the boy to the desk, took
up his dirty hand and exclaimed i'm an en-
ragged tone, Webster, If you can show me
another hand in this room as dirty as this
one, will not punish you
Webster quickly drew up his other
hand and said, Here's one, professor.
"The teacher was wholly taken aback
by the brightness of his young pupil and
admitted that he was beaten. Webster took
his seat without the thrashing.
Webster was assured by the kind prin.
cipal that he was better scholar than
most of the boys, and that his constant
application to his books, coupled with n
prodigious faculty for labor, was surpris.
ing. He also told him that he should be
placed in q higher class, where ne would
no longer be hindcrcd by the boys who
cared more for play and dress than for
solid Improvement.
These were the first encouraging
words, says Webster, that ever received
with regard To my studies l then resolved
to return and pursue them with diligence
and with so much ability as possessed. y
After stay of nine months at Exeter
Daniel was taken To Boscawcn n. H., t.
bc taught by Rev. Samuel Wood. After
one year here the reverend gentleman in
formed hiG pupil that he was tired of him
and would put him i'm college at once. He
went 10 Dartmouth and did better work
learning Ia speak In public and by the
cndof his freshman year had become quite
u power in the college. Literary Digest.
Extremely Literal.
il Is related Of certain very matter oi
fact man that ne was walked one night ly
"a burglar at tho foot Of his bed, who point
ptl "A r,fynlynr M hio b.aI