AN IMPORTANT STEP.
“What are you thinking about, Dan?” asked his mother one evening as the
boy sat thoughtfully gazing at the logs blazing in the fireplace.
“I was wishing for something to read,” answered the boy.
Indeed that was his chief trouble in those early days. Libraries were
scarce, and private collections equally scarce, especially in small
country places. So the boy’s appetite for books was not likely to be
satisfied.
Daniel’s words attracted the attention of his father.
“I have been speaking to some of our neighbors to-day,” he said, “about
establishing a small circulating library which we could all use. I
think we shall do something about it soon.”
“I hope you will, father,” said Dan eagerly.
“If we all contribute a little, we can make a beginning. Besides we can
put in some books we have already.”
A week or two later Judge Webster announced that the library had been
established, and it may be easily supposed that Daniel was one of the
first to patronize it. It was a small and, many of my boy friends
would think, an unattractive collection. But in the collection was
the “Spectator,” in reading which Daniel unconsciously did something
towards forming a desirable style of his own. He was fond of poetry,
and at an early age could repeat many of the psalms and hymns of Dr.
Watts.
There was another poem which so impressed him that he learned to repeat
the whole of it. This was Pope’s “Essay on Man,” a poem which I fear
is going out of fashion, which is certainly a pity, for apart from its
literary merits it contains a great deal of sensible advice as to the
conduct of life. As it is not of so much importance how much we read as
how thoroughly, and how much we remember, there is reason to think that
Daniel got more benefit from his four books than most of the boys of
to-day from their multitude of books.
Once, however, Daniel’s literary enthusiasm came near having serious
consequences. A new almanac had been received, and as usual each of
the months was provided with a couplet of poetry. After going to bed
Daniel and Ezekiel got into a dispute about the couplet at the head
of the April page, and in order to ascertain which was correct Dan
got out of bed, went down stairs, and groped his way to the kitchen,
where he lighted a candle and went in search of the almanac. He found
it, and on referring to it ascertained that Ezekiel was right. His
eagerness made him careless, and an unlucky spark from the candle set
some cotton clothes on fire. The house would have been consumed but for
the exertions and presence of mind of his father. It may be a comfort
to some of my careless young readers to learn that so great a man as
Daniel Webster occasionally got into mischief when he was a boy.
Somewhere about this time a young lawyer, Mr. Thomas W. Thompson, came
to Daniel’s native town and set up an office.
As he was obliged to be absent at times, and yet did not wish to close
his office, he proposed to Daniel to sit in his office and receive
callers in his absence. Though boys do not generally take kindly to
confinement, the office contained one attraction for the boy in a
collection of books, probably of a miscellaneous character such as a
young man is likely to pick up.
Daniel’s time was not otherwise occupied, for he had no service to
render, except to stay in the office and inform callers when Mr.
Thompson would be back, and he was therefore at liberty to make use
of the books. He made a selection unusual for a boy. There was an old
Latin grammar, which the young lawyer had probably used himself in his
preparatory course. This book Daniel selected, and began to study by
himself. His employer offered to hear him recite in it, and soon had
occasion to be surprised at the strong and retentive memory of his
office boy. Probably none of the law books attracted the future lawyer.
It would have been surprising if they had.
“Judge Webster,” said Thompson, on meeting the father of his young
employee, “Dan will make a fine scholar if he has the chance.”
“I think the boy has ability.”
“He certainly has. He ought to go to college.”
Judge Webster shook his head.
“I should like it above all things,” he said, “but I can’t see my way
clear. I am a poor man, as you know, and it would cost a great deal of
money to carry Dan through college even after he were prepared.”
This was true, and the young lawyer was unprepared with any suggestion
as to how the difficult matter was to be arranged. But Judge Webster
did not forget the conversation. He was considering what could be
done towards giving his promising son an education. He was willing to
sacrifice his comfort, even, if thereby he could give him a good start
in life.
Finally he made up his mind to start him on the way, even if he were
obliged to stop short before reaching the desired goal.
Not far away was an institution which has since become famous, Exeter
Academy, which has now for a century been doing an important work
in preparing boys for our best colleges, and has always maintained
a high standard of scholarship. Thither Judge Webster determined to
take Daniel, and provide for his expenses by domestic self-denial.
It was not till he had fully made up his mind that he announced his
determination to the boy.
“Dan,” he said one evening, “you must be up early to-morrow.”
“Why, father?”
Daniel supposed he was to be set at some farm work.
“We are going to make a journey,” answered Judge Webster.
“A journey!” repeated the boy in surprise. “Where are we going?”
“I am going to take you to Exeter, to put you at school there.”
The boy listened with breathless interest and delight, mingled perhaps
with a little apprehension, for he did not know he would succeed in the
untried scenes which awaited him.
“Won’t it be expensive, father?” he asked after a pause, for he knew
well his father’s circumstances, and was unusually considerate for a
boy.
“Yes, my son, but I look to you to improve your time, so that I may
find my investment a wise one.”
“How are we to go, father?”
“On horseback.”
Dan was a little puzzled, not knowing whether he and his father were
to ride on one horse or not, as was a frequent custom at that time. It
would have been hard upon any horse, for the judge was a man of weight,
and the boy though light would have considerably increased the burden.
The next morning Daniel’s curiosity was gratified. In front of the
farmhouse stood two horses, one belonging to his father, the other
filled out with a side-saddle.
“Is that horse for me?” asked Daniel in surprise.
“Yes, my son.”
“What do I want of a side-saddle? I am not a lady.”
“Neighbor —— is sending the horse to Exeter for the use of a lady who
is to return here. I agreed to take charge of it, and it happens just
right, as you can use it.”
“I don’t know how I can get along with it. It will look strange for me
to be riding on a lady’s saddle.”
“If a lady can ride on it probably you can.”
So Dan and his father set out on their journey from the quiet country
town to Exeter, the boy mounted on a lady’s horse. When in his later
life he had occasion to refer to this journey, Mr. Webster recalled
with great merriment the figure he must have cut as he rode meekly
behind his father.
No doubt as they rode along father and son conversed together about the
important step which had been taken. Judge Webster already had formed
the plan of sending Daniel to college, after he should have completed a
course of preparation at Exeter, but upon this part of his plan he did
not think it best yet to speak to his son, very probably because he had
not yet made up his mind as to whether his circumstances would allow
him to incur so heavy an expense.
“My son,” said the father gravely, “I hope you will improve to the
utmost the advantages I am securing for you. You must remember how much
depends upon yourself. A boy’s future is largely in his own hands.”
“Yes, father, I will do the best I can.”
“Mr. Thompson thinks you can make a good scholar.”
“I will try, father.”
“I shall have no money to leave you, Daniel, but I hope to give you an
education, which is better than a fortune.”
How would the father have been gratified if he could have foreseen the
brilliant future in store for the boy of fourteen who was about to take
his first important step in life.