broached the matter to his father.  The judge was taken by surprise.  He was laboring already under heavy pecuniary burdens caused by the expenses of Daniel’s education.  The farm was heavily mortgaged, and Ebenezer Webster knew that he was old before his time and not destined to many more years of life.  With the perfect and self-sacrificing courage which he always showed, he did not shrink from this new demand, although Ezekiel was the prop and mainstay of the house.  He did not think for a moment of himself, yet, while he gave his consent, he made it conditional on that of the mother and daughters whom he felt he was soon to leave.  But Mrs. Webster had the same spirit as her husband.  She was ready to sell the farm, to give up everything for the boys, provided they would promise to care in the future for her and their sisters.  More utter self-abnegation and more cheerful and devoted self-sacrifice have rarely been exhibited, and it was all done with a simplicity which commands our reverence.  It was more than should have been asked, and a boy less accustomed than Daniel Webster to the devotion of others, even with the incentive of brotherly love, might have shrunk from making the request.  The promise of future support was easily made, but the hard pinch of immediate sacrifice had to be borne at once.  The devoted family gave themselves up to the struggle to secure an education for the two boys, and for years they did battle with debt and the pressure of poverty.  Ezekiel began his studies and entered college the year Daniel graduated; but the resources were running low, so low that the law had to be abandoned and money earned without delay; and hence the schoolmastership.

At no time in his life does Mr. Webster’s character appear in a fairer or more lovable light than during this winter at Fryeburg.  He took his own share in the sacrifices he had done so much to entail, and he carried it cheerfully.  Out of school hours he copied endless deeds, an occupation which he loathed above all others, in order that he might give all his salary to his brother.  The burden and heat of the day in this struggle for education fell chiefly on the elder brother in the years which followed; but here Daniel did his full part, and deserves the credit for it.

He was a successful teacher.  His perfect dignity, his even temper, and imperturbable equanimity made his pupils like and respect him.  The survivors, in their old age, recalled the impression he made upon them, and especially remembered the solemn tones of his voice at morning and evening prayer, extemporaneous exercises which he scrupulously maintained.  His letters at this time are like those of his college days, full of fun and good humor and kind feeling.  He had his early love affairs, but was saved from matrimony by the liberality of his affections, which were not confined to a single object.  He laughs pleasantly and good-naturedly over his fortunes with the fair sex, and talks a good deal about them, but