Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-07-19
STORIES OF WEBSTER
ODD ADVICE THAT MADE A YOUNG
LAWYER FAMOUS.

How Broad Was the Great States
mans Sense of Humor and How
| Reckless lie Was with HIS Money.
It was one Of the noblest traits of Dan
iel WebSter's character that he never
treated the men who worked for him as
menials. For Porter Wright he always
entertained the highest regard, and
Wright was a constant companion in his
hunting and f@ing excursions. Proba-
bly, no other man was better acquainted
with the inner life Of Webster, with his
habits, customs and disposition, than Mr..
/ Wright. From him | learned more of
Websters hsme life and of his character
as a man than from all the histories and
biographies that have ever been written
! He assured me that a man of more sim
/ pie habits never lived. For style he
cared absolutely nothing. In his dress
about home he could not be distinguished
! from any of his farmer or fishermen
neighbors. Rarely did he wear collar
An old slouch hat covered his head, and
his trousers were always tucked inside of
his boots.
| 1t was only when he removed his hat,
showing the massive proportions of his
brain, that you realized that you were
standing in the presence of a mighty
| genius When Thorwaldsen, the great
Danish sculptor, saw his bust in the
studio of Powers at Rome he exclaimed,
'Ah, new design of Jupiter, / see!' He
could hardly be persuaded that it was
the actual head of a living American,
Every man, woman and child in the
neighborhood had a full run Of Webster's
house from cellar TO garret. Whenever
a man came in the first thing he did was
to open the sideboard, take down the old
decanter and pour out a glass of brandy.
/ If the visitor drank, he was doubiy well
come. If he refused, it Immediately low
cred him in Webster's estimation.
OF children he was particularly fond.
! Strange children would nestle in his
arms as readily as those who were ia
miliar with his features. Mr.. Wright
said:
mo human being could induce him TO
say word about politics here. It was a
tabooed subject. If any one mentioned
politics, his brow darkened in an in
slant"
Farming, fishing, horses, cattle, pigs
and hens-these were his fayorite themes.
He knew every one of his cattle by name
as well as he knew the names of his
brother senators. OF his garden he was
very proud, and here he would spend
portion of each day pulling weeds and
hoeing vegetables.
A young lawyer Of the village once
came and asked him what he had better
study to build himself up in his profes-
sion.
''Turnip seeds" was the laconic reply.
The disciple Of Blackstone followed his
/ I. ~.
bore upon the subject Of turnips until
he became master of the principles of
that vegetable A year or two afterward
a neighboring farmer originated a new
turnip, from the sale of whose seed he
expected to make a fortune. Another
neighbor began to raise and sell the same
seed, and a lawsuit resulted. The origi-
nator of the seed came to retain Webster
to prosecute the case. Webster replied:
Il am not as wen booked up on turnips
as | ought to be, but there is young
fellow over at the village who knows all
about them. Go and get him. He will
win your case
The farmer posted off and engaged the
other man When the trial came off, the
lawyer astonished judge. jury and audi
ence by his profound learning on the sub
ject Of turnips. The case was triumphant
" won, and the young lawyer started on
the road to fame and fortune.
Webster's sense Of humor was infinite
On one occasion a man presented bill
to him for payment
Why" said Webster, 81 have paid
that bin before
The neighbor assured him that he was
mistaken.
can right, then. Call again in the
morning, and | will settle with you"
AS soon as the man was gone Websiei
called his son, Fletcher, aud told him L
look over his papers and see il he eonld
not find receipted bill. To the surptis,
of both two receipted bills were found
showing that the bill had been pilid
twice. Webster put the receipts in his
pocket and said nothing
In the morning the neighbor returned
for the money Webster took his seat un
der the old elm and ordered Wright to
bring out the decanter. Filling the glass
to the brim, he handed il to the man and
told him to drink Webster then began:
''Mr. Blank, do you keep booksY'
The man assured him that he did not
'sThen would advise you to do SO"
said Webster, and, pulling one of the re
ceipts from his pocket, handed it to him.
The man was covered with confusion
while Webster continued:
''And while you are about it you had
better get bookkeeper who understands
double entry" at the same time handing
him another receipt
"Now," said Webster II am going TO
pay this bill, just once more, but assure
you upon my word of honor that win
not pay it the fourth time"
The one great pastime that Webster
enjoyed in Marshfield was fishing For
hours he would wander up and down the
streams and across the meadows. AS a
rule however, he enjoyed 'hsherman's
luck" 1t was rarely that he caught
fish, unless by its own carelessness it be
came entangled on the hook and couldn't
escape. The FISH would nibble all the
bait from the hook without his ever pull
ing the line from the water.
When d little way ahead or behind. he
was always mHttering to himself, and
many of his grandeSt speeches were COM
posed while on these excursions. On his
return he would always throw himself
under the old elm tree in the dooryard
and enjoy q short nap while resting from
his fatigue. lewiston Journal
Card Playing In q urch.
Frequent cases Of card playing oc-
cured in churches i'll olden days in the
high or curtained family pews that
were to be found in several parts of
this country. A case of card playing
was mentioned by the poet Crabbe as
having occurred in one of those pews
in Trowbridge parish church. Mr.. Ber
esford Hope stated that card playing
was not uncommon In churches having
curtained pews, where those occupying
them were screened from the obserya
ton of the rest Of the congregation,
and that one of the Georges is credited
with taking part at game of whist in
the church be attended The church at
Little Stanmore. in sIiddlesex. has a
luxurious room pew which is approach
ed by special door and staircase. The
old St Pauls cathedral before the
great fire OF London was used by bust
ness men as a sort Of exchange. The
portico was let out to hncksters, and in
those days gambling and cards are
both said to have been indulged in
without let or hindrance within the
cathedral London standard