Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-03-29
A STORY OF WEBSTER
ONE OCCASION WHEN DANIEL WAS
DEEPLY INUNDATED.

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 farm, where he lived until
his death in 1885. He was native of
which place he came TO Boston IN early
manhood and later engaged in the liv-
cry business off School street. lie was
genial, social, active young man, and
In n short time many Of the business
and professional men Of the city We're
his friends and patrons. Daniel Web
ster, then in the fullness of his mas
terly manhood, was his particular
friend and most favored patron. One
year Webster early engaged to deliver
the Fourth of July Grafton in the city.
4 public procession was then an i'm
portnnt feature Of the celebration, and
the orator of the day was the chief
person of distinction IN the parade. In
those days there were no four wheeled
vehicles for convenience or for pleas
ure \ chaise was the proper carriage
for gentlemen to use. Webster was
popular and proud as popular. He saw
no chaise in the city rs good as he de-
sired to appear In on that important
occasion, and therefore he ordered one
to be built by the principal carriage
maker Of the city Sargent, think it
was), to be ready for use on that day.
In the morning Of the Fourth he APP
peared at Stewards stable office and
requested Seward to go to the carriage
shop and get the chaise he had ordered
Seward harnessed Il horse and went to
the carriage shop rs directed and told
the proprietor he had come for Mr..
Webster's chaisc. The proprietor In
firm and measured tones that could
not be misunderstood asked, "Did Mr..
Webster send the money to pay for the
chaise"
In relating this to me Seward said:
II was never so astonlshed in my life!
| should have been less surprised II he
had raised his fist and Knocked me
down had no thought that there was
man living who had ever heard of
the great Webster, the godllke Daniel,
who would or who could have denied
him any request ii was possible to
grant | could only say, lie sent no
money by me- Then said the pro-
prietor, tell him he can have the chaise
L., bn IN
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 he udored, that he
could not have the chuisc till he paid
for it. And yet he must go back and
tell him something, But what could he
tell him? Finally, after much thought
and study 1t occurred to him that he
had d new chaise which he would offer
to Webster and tell him that the war
nish on the one he had ordered was not
yet hard ana that it would be liable to
miure II taken out in the heat and dust
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
chase that day,
About week later Webster came
again and said to Seward Il think the
varnish on that chaise IS hard now,
and you may go down and get it."
Seward said: "With Il heavy heart |
harnessed IL 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
question rs before. | could not Invent
another story that would be credible
and was therefore compelled to so
back and tell him the truth" Webster
was impatlently awaiting Stewards re
turn. and when in hallng distance he
called to Stewards "Where is the
chaise? What Is the troubleY Seward
approached him more closely and in
tones so low that no one could over
hear him replied. "IIo told me to tell
YOU Ilul you Cuulu udNt llt NlldlNV
when You sent the money to pay for 1t
and not before" Webster stood silent
an instant and then with voice trem-
bling with emotion exclaimed, MY
God Joshua, did he say thatT' and
sank into nearby chair and cried as
would deeply aggreNed child of six
summers.
1t is we'll known that Webster would
incur debt, apparently with no thought
that there were two parties to con
tract. II creditor and Il debtor and
that their moral obligations We're CO.
equal. Consequently his creditors so
multiplied and his Indebtedness so in
creased as to Interfere with his po-
lltlcu plans, If not indeed, threaten his
political future AZ this time his
friends came to his aid and, It Is said,
raised the sum Of $4,000 TO cancel his
indebtedness and relieve him from the
further annoyance aud pressure Of his
creditors. When we realize that SiO,-
.g, ...,t. n, ,ynp kuti, a ra iGn tbnn Tor