Evening star., 1922-10-08
Daniel Webster's Chore Boy
Describes Statesnlan's Home Life
Stories Told by
Charles S. Peter
son, Aged 95.
Employer Kind; No,
Hard Drirlker or
PrOfane..
Correspondence Of The Star.

correspondence OF The Star.
MARSHFIELD. Mass, October T.
Charles S. Peterson. ninety-siX years
old at his next birthday, is known
from one end of Marshfield to the
other as Daniel Webster's chore boy.
He went to work for Webster when
he was ten years old. lived at the
Webster home'iI. this town. went fish
ing and hunting with the "Godlike
Daniel" and drove him to and from
his law office in Boston. over thirty
seven miles of sandy roads, i'll the
famous two-wneel chaise many times.
He likes to talk about Webster
their trips to Boston and their fishing
and hunting parties He is a civil
war veteran and is one of the three
members left of the local G. A. II.
post. He turns out every Memorial
day and assists in decorating the
graves of his departed comrades.
Admirers of Webster have come far
and near to talk with Mr.. Peterson
about his first employer. Biographers
have also consulted him about Web
sters i,fe on the Marshfield farm. 1t
is here that Webster and his family
are buried. up on a grassy knoll, from
where the restless sea may be seen
splashing against the shore.
Worked for 81 n Month.
Il went to work for Mr.. Webster when
was a youngster of ten for 81 a month
and my keep" he said. recalling the
time with a smile. That sounds pretty
small to the boys of today. no doubt.
hTNf ha lifG nf hlf
My father. who was the best shot i'll
Plymouth county. carried on fishing
and boating business. Like all boys
Of that period. ] learned to shoot and
fish and handle a boat. When Mr.. Web
Ster moved to Marshfield he used 70
send for my father to go hunting. Ieh-
ing and sailing with him. Mr.. Webster
was never much Of shot but he en-
joyed the sport as he did fishing. He
was keenly interested in his farm.
where he had about 100 head of
cattle and employed about twenty farm
ers the year around. and in the plant
ing and hayinG season the force was
increased. He would go into the hay
field himself and help pitch hay. and
he delighted in showing his cattle to
his visitors.
Webster n Great Host.
He entertained lot and he Sc,
creat table He would bring on his
=
Washington 10 his estate in Marshficld
take them fishing. shooting and roam
about Plymouth and the Cape. | recall
one of his deep-sea fishing parties. when
he had q number of distinguished Wis
itors. while he was Secretary of State.
Mr.. Webster caught a fine cod weigh
ing about fourteen pounds. | was in
structed to take the fish home and give
orders TO have Il baked for supper for
the party. We were about three and a
half or four miles off shore and I had
to row back and UP the river to Marsh
field, distance oF about fourteen miles
but l didn't mind that I was strong
and ambitious, and IL was always a
great pleasure for me TO serve such a
great and kind man as Daniel Webster"
so you think that Mr. Webster was
not only Il great man but kind man."
The greatest man of his day and
generation. exclaimed the venerabl
Peterson. There never was man
like Daniel Webster. He was the idol
of his fellow citizens everywhere. Why
when l used 10 drive him to his law
Office in Boston or to his hotel, as soon
as it was noised around that Webster
had arrived his carriage would be sur
| rounded by crowd. cheering and shak-
ing hands with him.
Never Heard Webster Swear.
He was one of the gentlest and
kindliest men that ever lived. In the
eight years that I was with him
never heard him use profanity. and |
have seen him pretty angry at times
I remember that his son. Fletcher
Webster. who was killed in the MeXi-
can war had a pony. One day we
hitched the pony to the hay rake. then
new device on farm. The man who
drove him was big fellow He
couldn't seem to get the hang of hand
ling the hay Take and SO I offered TO
manipulate it # he would lead tho
pony. 1t was very~hot day. and the
man after while mounted the pony.
Webster came down to see how We
were getting on with the hay and spied
the big man riding the little pony Mr.
Webster was very angry and ordered
the man off the pony. threatening to
discharge him if he ever saw him
astride that horse again.
Never Saw Webster Drunk.
The story is that Webster was a
hard drinker, but that is not true. To
be sure. everybody drank in those days,
and Mr.. Webster always carried his
brandy flask, but in all the years 1 was
with him l never saw him under the
influence of liquor. There were times
when I suspected he was lit up a bit.
as they say nowadays, but l never saw
him stagger. and there never was a
moment that he didn't know more than
any of his associates.
THAT reminds me of one of his drink
ing stories. He hired my father to
take him bird shooting While the boat
was being prepared for the "trip a
neighbor happened along and Webster
asked him:
"'How much will you charge me TO
go along in your boat and pick UP the
coot ! shoot The man said so cents.
and it was agreed. Mr.. Webster was
not a good shot. After he had fired
two or three times and failed to hit
anything, my father asked him for
permission to shoot. He got it, and
killed two coot. The neighbor. under
contract with Mr.. Webster to pick up
the coots shot, rowed out and got them
and delivered them to Webster's boat
Webster tried again but failed, and
my father shot two more, but this time
the neighbor showed no inclination Of
picking\ up the coot. Webster shouted
to him y Aren't you going to pick up
those coot:' He said. No Didn't
you agree for so cents to come along
and pick up all tie coot l shot?' asked
Daniel.
Yes said the man, but 1 didn't
agree to pick up Seth PeterSon's'
That tickled Webster immensely. He
laughed and called back: Well. pick
nm ooot and pou,a oIano sida and