Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-05-17
A STORY OF WEBSTER
ONE OCCASION WHEN DANIEL WAS
DEEPLY. INUNDATED.

4
DEEPLY INUNDATED.
An Incident Which Shocked and Sur
prised Him Into Tears - The Admit
ration, the Loyalty and the Gener-
osity of His Circle of Friends.
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 lie came TO Boston in early
manhood and later engaged in the liy
cry business off School street. He was
genial, social, active young man, and
in 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
terly manboad, was his particular
friend and most favored patron. One
year Webster early engaged to deliver
the Fourth of July Grafton in the city.
public procession was then an inn
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 he ordered one
to be built by the prineipal carriage
maker of the city Sargent, / think Ii
vas, 10 be ready for use ON that day.
In the morning of the Fourth he ap-
reared ut Stewards stable Office and
requested Seward to go to the carriage
shop and get the chaise he had ordered,
Seward harnessed horse and went 10
the carriage shon as directed and told
the proprietor he had come for .Lr.
Webster's ehaise, The proprietor in
fir..si and measured tones that could
| not be misunderstood asked, did Mr..
Webster send the money to pay for the
CHASER
In relating this to me Seward said:
~ was never so astonished in my life!
| should have been less surprised if he
had raised Sis fist and knocked me
| down. l 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
| nim any NQuest it was possible to
| 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 60 back and tell that
| great man, whom he adored, that he
| could not have the chaise till he paid
| FOR 1t. And yet he must go back and
| tell him something. But what could he
| tell himg Finally, after much thought
| and study it occurred 10 him that he
had q 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 !. would be liable to
injure if 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 a 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
chalse 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,"
Seward said: with a heavy heart l
| harnessed n horse and went again to
| the shop. ! knew I should not get the
chaise, and l was not disappointed, In
the same manner l was asked the same
question as before, ! could not invent
another story thar would be credible
and was therefore compelled to go
back and tell him the truth" Webster
was impatiently awaiting Stewards re-
turn, and when in hailing distance he
called to Seward: "Where is the
chaise? What is the troubleP Seward
approached him more closely and in
tones so low that no one could over
ASdA LiLl iNIi4Nht liz NNiH AiAS ~ tSA'
you that you could have the chaise
when you sent the money to pay for it
and not before" Webster stood silent
an instant and then with voice trem-
bling with emotion exclaimed, MY
God, Joshua. did he say that?" and
sank into a nearby chair and cried as
would deeply aggrieved child Of six
summers.
1t IS well known that Webster would
incur debt, apparently with no thought
that there were two parties TO CON
tract, creditor and a debtor, and
That their moral obligations were CO
equal. Consequently his creditors so
multiplied and his Indebtedness so in
creased as 10 interfere with his po
lltical plans, If not indeed, threaten his
political future At this time his
friends came to his aid and. it is said
raised the sum of $4,000 to cancel his
indebtedness ana relieve him from the
further annoyance and pressure of his
creditors. When we realize that $780,
600 was 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
frlends.-H. 9. Hall In Boston Tran
script.