Year: 1877

"Reminiscences OF the 0odlike Daniel-Zhe


Magical Enect Of Bis Eye-The Old Black


Mare.


Capt. Jshn Goldman, who was brought
up at Dorchester, Mass, where Daniel
Webster once lived, sends the following
to the New York Evening Post ;. |" In
his home Mr.. Webster was sometimes,
out not often. moro0e. He generally
delighted in the pleasures Of the young.
and was often participant In our sports.
Fletcher, his eldest SON, Who gave his
Life to his country at the battle Of Bull
Run, was year older than myself, and
We were schoolmates. ra


"Master Pierce, thefather Of Mr.. Henry
l.. Pierce, Of Boston, kept the school
on Milton bill. To this 1T Was a walk of
a mile for me, and OF mile and half
for Fletcher. One day, thinking to
pleasantly vary the mode Of locomotion,
Fletcher, during the absence Of his
father, took his fAvorite black mare from
the stable, and, calling for me on the way,
we two rode bareback to the school, tax
ing the precaution to tie the mare in the
lane Q little short OF the school house,
intending TO ride home at noon, as it was
Saturday. But Mr.. Webster unexpect-
edly returned TO his house, and, missing
the mare, suspected the escapade. The
first notice We had Of our detection was
the appearance of his stately form at the
door fronting our seat. He fixed his
eyes upon us, and they spoke even
louder than the deep voice that followed.
Where is the maref' Master Pierce
dropped his ferule, the class reciting be-
came breathlessly silent, and the culprits
shrank into absolute nothingness. /
could never iken my sensation ON that
occasion to anything else than the fear
Of Gain when the missing Abel was re-
quired at his hands.


" Fletcher ~ last managed to gather
himself together, and walked with his
father down to the place where the beast
was tied. Mr.. Webster fastened her by
the bride to the back Of his chaise, and
not q word did he say about the INSIDE
meanor to his son or to me, either then
or afterward but il was the last time
wa went 10 school on that black mare,
and nothing would have induced us 70
repeat the experiment There are oid
men Of middle age who can remember
the magical influence OF Mr.. Websters
eye, and they can readily imagine the
scene have described. His voice wns
majestic, but his eye was almost super
human.


"An anecdote with which, shall close
these "reminiscences, and for the truth q
which can vouch, for was present on
the occasion, will forcibly illustrate this


Zone Sunday q student from Andover
occupied the pulpit. my father not m
tending to take any part IN the exerc1see
The young minister got along very ven
with the opening prayer and the SCRIP
ture lesson, but when he had read oniy
verse or two he became confueed,
stammered, and at last his voice Iallod
him entirely. As he seemed to be taken
suddenly Ill, my father finished the
services, preaching an extemporaneous
discourse. On the way homo In the car
riage, the young man, who by that time
had quite revived, being pressed for an
explanation of his conduct, confessed !:
well, sir, it was merely IN unaccount-
able nervousness. just Is i was read
ing the second stanza of the hymn,
gentleman came into church and sat
down in a broad aisle pew directly be
fore me-, fixing such great, staring bleck
eyes upon me that was frightened out
of my wits.


Until he WAS then told, he did rot
know that Daniel Webster was ms m
ber of the congregation or an inhabitsnt
Of the town"