The New England Magazine, Volume 1, No. 1, January 1886: Bay State Monthly, Volume 4, No. 1, January, 1886Various
History
The New England Magazine, Volume 1, No. 1, January 1886: Bay State Monthly, Volume 4, No. 1, January, 1886
Various
New England -- Periodicals
Our friends now found themselves the objects of attention on the part of
several gentlemen, who, hearing of their visit, had sought them out, in
order to pay due respect to such distinguished visitors. Among them
were Mr. Lonson Nash, the eminently respectable lawyer of the town,
before whom were made the affidavits to which we have already alluded;
Capt. Jack Beach, an eccentric gentleman of leisure, whose drawing of
Gloucester harbor, with the serpent occupying a prominent position, was
afterward enlarged into a painting, and subsequently engraved; and Col.
William Tappan, landlord of the tavern where our friends were to dine.
The meeting between this last gentleman and Mr. Webster was one of
unusual interest. Col. Tappan had been the instructor of Mr. Webster's
youth at Salisbury in his native State, and was greeted with unaffected
and hearty cordiality by his now eminent pupil. The future statesman had
been the brightest boy in his school, so Master Tappan said, and among
other well-earned rewards obtained a new jackknife for committing to
memory a large number of verses from the Bible. After hearing sixty or
seventy, with several chapters yet in mind, his instructor gave up the
trial, and afterwards told the boy's father that he "would do God's work
injustice if he did not send him to college."
In company with Col. Tappan and the other gentlemen, our travellers
repaired to the tavern, which was near at hand, and enjoyed not only a
good dinner, but much pleasant conversation in regard to the events of
the week, varied with reminiscences of school days by the master and
pupil.
But the waning afternoon soon warned them that an early departure was
necessary if they were to reach their homes before dark. Their carriage
was ordered, leave taken of their new acquaintances, as well as of the
landlord, and with lingering looks at the now quiet scene of the day's
excitement, they passed rapidly out of the town over the same road by
which they entered it in the early part of the day.
Seen from the opposite side, each point in the home journey presented
new beauties to add to the pleasant remembrances of the morning. The
afternoon shadows gave a tender touch to the landscape, and a serious
tone to the conversation, which, dealing reverently with the great
problems of life and immortality, continued till the friends arrived at
their homes in the early dusk.
Sixty-eight years have passed since the events which have been narrated,
and the two friends whom we have followed through that beautiful August
day have long since passed to their reward.
The shrewd, far-seeing, and successful merchant and public-spirited
citizen, completing at the extreme old age of ninety a well-developed
life, and leaving a reputation, not only without a stain, but adorned
with the memory of numerous philanthropic and benevolent acts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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