“Now Hope leans forward on Life’s slender line, Shows me a lawyer, doctor or divine; Ardent springs forward to the distant goal, But indecision clogs the eager soul. Heaven bless my friend, and when he marks his way, And takes his bearings o’er life’s troubled sea, In that important moment may he find Choice and his friends and duty all combined.” CHAPTER XV. THE NEXT TWO YEARS. The die was cast! Daniel decided to forego the small but comfortable income insured to him as a teacher, and in accordance with his father’s wishes, as well as his own inclination, returned to the study of the law. He resumed his place (September, 1802) in the office of Mr. Thompson, at Salisbury, and there he remained till February or March, 1804. Before leaving Fryeburg, at the request of the citizens he delivered a Fourth of July oration (his second), for which he received from the trustees of the academy a gratuity of five dollars! It was not many years before five hundred dollars would not have been considered too much for such a service from the then obscure teacher. My young readers would not feel particularly interested in the details of Daniel’s professional studies during the eighteen months he spent in the office of Mr. Thompson. From the larger biographies such information may be obtained by law students and those who take an interest therein. I shall content myself by extracting from Mr. Webster’s autobiography some account of the manner in which he employed his time.