The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-05
The stateman's Love for Sport Shown In a
Present from Louis Philippe.
(From the Boston Transcript. }

Among the universally admired exhib-
| it's at the Sportsmen's Show, just brought
to close at the Mechanics building,
was the one making part Of the furnish
ings of the log cabin erected by the S. S.
Pierce Company, and best indicated as
the Webster relics 1t appealed alike to
the cultured and refined tastes of the an
tiquarian and the historian, and to the
more rugged, but none the less inspiring
relish of the sportsman; for there was
scarcely an article on view that did not
possess associations dear to all of the fol-
lowers of these pursuits But what is
more remarkable is the fact, as is seldom
the case, that the collection belongs to a
gentleman who combines with these &C.
quirements personal interest in the OBJ
jects, because they had belonged to his
friend and guardian, Daniel, Webster, and
have come to him because he was deemed
to be the proper custodian OF them.
This gentleman is Mr.. Frederick F. Has
sam, the antiquarian, father of the Bos
ton artist of that name, and, during his
minority, the. W ard of Webster, his own
| 3
form but part of his large collection,
were loaned for the purpose of exhibition
at the request of Mr.. Wallace Pierce, who
appreciated the propriety Of their form
| ing part of an exhibition in which
Webster himself would have taken so
great delight.
/ Two of the articles in the collection the
public at large were not permitted to
see, because they never pass out of their
owners control. One Of these is a gold
match safe, twenty-five carat tine,
containing matches placed in it by MIR.
Webster himself. For years it has been
the custom at the annual dinner Of the
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Com
pany to light the Two candles in front OF
the commander with match from this
safe, and from these comes the blaze
(which kindles all theeigars smoked while
! the speaking ia in progress. The propriety
past at these meetings of the oldest mill
tary Organization in the country was the
happy thought of the possessor of this
beautiful example of the goldsmith S art.
The other article which is guarded with
equal care is large white handled
knife, of ingenious design and curious
by King Louis Philippe of France Its
only blade is between four and five inches
in length, and is intended for the killing
and cleaning OF fish, There is also Pc
culiar contcivance for the removing of the
scales, and, what is more remarkable, TIE
handle contains tiny spring balance for
the weighing of fish. In the forties,
ghile yet a king. Louis sent request to
Mr. Webster for his picture, and the graf
| ifed statesman had his portrait painted
| at cost of $500 and sent, with his COM
pliments, to his royal friend.
There were also 10 be seen in the oabl-
l lode two
articles of peculiar value, because they
mark one of the most important epochs
in the relations of the United States and
| Great Britain. One is silver dog
whistle, carried by Lord Ashburton Mt
the time of the memorable journey of the
| two Commissioners over the route which
now forms the boundary line between
this country and the British possessions,
when the famous treaty was agreed upon
| which settled SO satisfactorily the mooted
| question of Great Britain S rights on this
continent Before the gentlemen parted
his lordship presented Mar. Webster not
only with the whistle, but with small
bands, and with mouthplece which is
lprotected from unlicensed lips by brass
| lock.
| Another article in this interesting col
lection is a pocket scale capable of weigh
| ing fish or game to the amount of 40
| POUNDS. LII Is DeIiSNbO ~ Itfo iGNcE DStu
duplicated in this country. Not much
smaller. but more genteel in appearance,
| is German silver scale for weighing fish,
also of equally small proportions and in
genious design. A silver drinking flask
and silver cigar case combined, and two
pewter plates carried by Mr.. Webster on
his numerous fishing and hunting excur
sions in Plymouth county. are not the
least interesting of these mementoes OF
the great man and his simple and manly
tastes Tho pair of antlers which oocu-
pied conspicuous place over the door of
| the lodge were once worn iy buck
which fell victim to Mr. Webster's skill
as o marksman when hunting in Ply
mouth woods. They were presented by
his son, Col. Fletcher Webster, to Mr.
Hassam, who gave them to M. Wallace
| Pierce.
The whole collection is one of great
| beauty and has o value independent of
| it's close and intimate association with
the life of II greatest citizen Of Massa-
chusetts. The articles composing it were
the accompaniments Of his hours of re-
| Taxation and ease, when he had laid aside
the cares of office and at his charming
and beloved Marshtield followed the
| brooks and tramped through the forests,
calling his dogs with the whistle, drinking
from the flask, eating from the rlates
aud binJlipo HIS cQrnnfira with tho