Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-04-26

osity ofaHts Circle of Friends.
i The following incident in the life Of
Daniel Webster was related to the
writer by the late Joshua Seward:
Mr.. Seward came to Woburn from
Boston in the early seventies and
bought a farm. where he lived until
his death in 1885. He was a native of
the New Hampshire Peace City," from
which place he came to Boston in early
manhood and later engaged in the liy
cry business off School street. He was
il geniAl. social. active young man, and
| IN q short time many of the business
| and professional men Of the city were
his friends and patrons. Daniel Web
ster. then in the fullness of his mas
| erly manhood. was his particular
| friend and most favored patron. One
year Webster early engaged to deliver
the Fourth of July Grafton in the city
A public procession was then an inl-
portant feature of the celebration, and
| the orator of the day was the chief
person of distinction in the parade. In
| those days there We're no four wheeled
vehicles for convenience or for pleas
ure A chaise was the proper carriage
| for gentlemen to use. Webster was
popular and proud as popular. He saw
no chaise in the city as good as he de-
! sired to appear in on that important
occasion. and therefore lie ordered one
to be built by the principal carriage
maker OF the city Sargent, l think it
was), to be ready for use on that day
In the morning of the Fourth he ap-
peared at Stewards stable Office and
shop and get the chaise he had ordered.
/ lSeward> harnessed a horse and went to
/ the carriage shop as directed and told
| the proprietor he had come for Mr.,
| Webster's chaise The proprietor III
] Arm and measured tones that could
not be misunderstood asked, "Did Mr..
4 Webster send the money to pay for the
chaise?"
/ In relating this to me Seward said:
II was never so astonished in my life!
l should have been less surprised IL he
| had raised his fist and knocked me
down. had no thought that there was
a man living who had ever heard Of
| the great Webster, the godlike Daniel,
who would or who could have denied
him any request it was possible tss
| grant l could only say, He sent no
money by me- Then said the pro-
| prietor, tell him he can have the chaise
when he sends the money to pay for it
and not till then Seward said he
was never in such dilemma in all his
life He could not go back and tell that
great man, whom lie adored, that he
could not have the chaise till he paid
4 for it. And yet he must go back and
tell him something. But what could he
/ tell him? Finally, after much thought
and study it occurred to him that he
| had new chaise which he would offer
to Webster and tell him that the var
nish on the one he had ordered was not
yet hard and that it would be liable to
of that public day. Webster met Sew
ard at the door when he returned, and
before Webster could ask question
Seward was telling him the story he
had invented on the way home Web
ster made no reply, but accepted Sew
ards statement as true and rode in his
chaise that day.
! About a week later Webster came
again and said to Seward II think the
varnish on that chaise is hard now,
and you may go down and get it"
4 Seward said: with a heavy heart
harnessed a horse and went again to
the shop. knew should not get the
chaise, and was not disappointed. In
the same manner was asked the same
another story that would be credible
and was therefore compelled to go
back and tell him the truth" Webster
was iinpatiently awaiting Stewards re
turn, and when in hailing distance, he
called to Seward: Where is the
chaise? What is the trouble" Seward
approached him more closely and in
tones SO low that no one could over
i | iiisstr nin repiieC. tie ioid me to tell
you that you could have the chaise
when you sent the money to pay for 1t
and not before" Webster stood silent
an instant and then with voice trem-
i bling with emotion exclaimed, My
God, Joshua, did he say that?" and
sank into nearby chair and cried as
would deeply aggrieved child OF six
summers.
It is well known that Webster would
incur debt apparently with no thought
that there were two parties to con-
tract, a creditor and debtor, and
that their moral obligations were CO.
tequal. Consequently his creditors SO
multiplied and his Indebtedness so In
creased as to interfere with his po-
liticaI plans, II not, indeed. threaten his
political future. At this time his
friends came to his aid and, 1t is said,
raised the sum of $40, 600 to cancel his
Indebtedness and relieve him from the
d further annoyance and pressure Of his
Acreditors When :.,s !. zee !!ge tiat q. so 4,
!, 900 was a larger sum to raise then for
any purpose than would be 100000
today we have some measure of the
admiration and the loyalty Of his
friends 81. G. Hall IN Boston Tran
tDsiDG