“But won’t it look rather funny for me to ride to Exeter on a lady’s saddle?”

“If a lady can ride on it, perhaps Dan Webster can do as much.”

And so they set out on their journey to Exeter.  The judge rode in advance, and Daniel, sitting astride of the lady’s saddle, followed behind.

It was, no doubt, a funny sight to see them riding thus along the muddy roads.  None of the country people who stopped to gaze at them could have guessed that the dark-faced lad who rode so awkwardly would some day become one of the greatest men of the age.

It was thus that Daniel Webster made his first appearance among strangers.

* * * * *

V.—­AT EXETER ACADEMY.

It was the first time that Daniel Webster had been so far from home.  He was bashful and awkward.  His clothes were of home-made stuff, and they were cut in the quaint style of the back-country districts.

He must have been a funny-looking fellow.  No wonder that the boys laughed when they saw him going up to the principal to be examined for admission.

The principal of the academy at that time was Dr. Benjamin Abbott.  He was a great scholar and a very dignified gentleman.

He looked down at the slender, black-eyed boy and asked: 

“What is your age, sir?”

“Fourteen years,” said Daniel.

“I will examine you first in reading.  Take this Bible, and let me hear you read some of these verses.”

He pointed to the twenty-second chapter of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

The boy took the book and began to read.  He had read this chapter a hundred times before.  Indeed, there was no part of the Bible that was not familiar to him.

He read with a clearness and fervor which few men could equal.

The dignified principal was astonished.  He stood as though spell-bound, listening to the rich, mellow tones of the bashful lad from among the hills.

In the case of most boys it was enough if he heard them read a verse or two.  But he allowed Daniel Webster to read on until he had finished the chapter.  Then he said: 

“There is no need to examine you further.  You are fully qualified to enter this academy.”

Most of the boys at Exeter were gentlemen’s sons.  They dressed well, they had been taught fine manners, they had the speech of cultivated people.

They laughed at the awkward, new boy.  They made fun of his homespun coat; they twitted him on account of his poverty; they annoyed him in a hundred ways.

Daniel felt hurt by this cruel treatment.  He grieved bitterly over it in secret, but he did not resent it.

He studied hard and read much.  He was soon at the head of all his classes.  His schoolmates ceased laughing at him; for they saw that, with all his uncouth ways, he had more ability than any of them.

He had, as I have said, a wonderful memory.  He had also a quick insight and sound judgment.