Year: 1870

saw my way to knowledge, respect
ability and self-protection but as to
him, ali looked the other way that
I would keep school and get along
as well as I could be emore than four
years in getting through college, If
necessary, provided he also could be
sent to study. He said at once, he
lived but for his children that he
had but little, and on that little he
put no value, except so far as it might


be useful to them; that to carry us
he was worth that, for himself, he
was willing to run the risk; but that
this was q serious matter to our
mother and two unmarried sisters


that we must settle the matter with
them, and if their consent was OBJ
tanned, he would trust to Providence
and get along as well as he could"


The mother met the crisis with a
self-sacrifice and nobility worthy of


the reward which time brought in


the honorable success of her child
rem. When her husband told her


that the farm was already mortgag-
ed to meet the expenses of Daniels


education, and that If Ezekiel, too,
were sent to college, 1t would take
all they had, her answer was ready I:


"Well, will trust the boys" Mr..


Curtis truly says:


"Perhaps there is nowhere a tablet
in the temple of fame ,on which any
thing more touching than this act of


maternal herOism has been or can be


Inscribed. Thenceforward there was
long period of anxiety and priva-
tlon for them all. But It's compen-
sations came. The father lived to


know that. his. sons were to take
their places among the most honor
ed of their native State. The moth


er lived longer, to behold the OPEN
ing of that great career which was
before the younger, and to find re
pose and comfort in the house of ber
elder son. The sisters lived to find
how safe had been their reliance up


on fraternal gratitude and honor.
On the early grave, therefore, to
which one Of these brothers went
suddenly down in the prime Of O. use


ful and honorable, although q less


distinguished life and on the tomb


in which the other, when full of
years and honors, and with all the


renown that a statesman can reap,
was laid by mourning nation, it
should be written, that q mothers
sagacious faith in the future Of her
sons supplied fathers courage In
all that was needed for one of the
largest sacrifices that the lives of ed-


ucated men IN any country, have
ever had to show 5aiss =


In 1904, Mr.. Webster moved to
Boston and began to study law in
the office of Christopher Gore, teach


ing meanwhile, in order to support


himself. Two years afterwards, ,hav-
ing declined the place of clerk in the
court of which his father was what


is called a side-justice, he commenc-
ed the practice of law in Boscawen,
New Hampshire. sft
{, He soon removed to Portsmouth,
and rapidly rising in public estima-


ton, was elected to Congress in 1873.
His life ,thenceforth is q portion of
our national history, and this vol


lne gives an insight into those de-
tails which I'LL up the grand out
lines ofthe great statesman's career.
SO far as Mr.. Curtis has advanced in
his work, he has fulfilled his task
with an ability ,impartiality and sue
cess, which is worthy of his own
high reputation, and of the eminent
American whose life he presents.


The AppletoHs have spared no
pains to make the volume equal in
typography, illustration and general
style, to its literary excellence, and
we doubt not that it will become a
standard work.