The landlord of the hotel told me that were it not for the “Harvest Dance,” the dance on the Fourth of July, and the party at Christmas, he could not keep the house open at all.  Of course, all the inhabitants know that Webster was born at Salisbury, but there is not so much local pride in the matter as there is at East Aurora over the fact that one of her former citizens is a performer in Barnum and Bailey’s Circus.

The number of old men in one of these New England villages impresses folks from the West as being curious.  There are a full dozen men at Salisbury between seventy-five and ninety, and all have positive ideas as to just why Daniel Webster missed the Presidency.  I found opinion curiously divided as to Webster’s ability; but all seemed to argue that when he left New Hampshire and became a citizen of Massachusetts, he made a fatal mistake.

* * * * *

The sacrifices that the mother and the father of Daniel Webster made, in order that he might go to school, were very great.  Every one in the family had to do without things, that this one might thrive.  The boy accepted it all, quite as a matter of course, for from babyhood he had been protected and petted.  At the last we must admit that the man who towers above his fellows is the one who has the power to make others work for him; a great success is not possible in any other way.

Throughout his life Webster utilized the labor of others, and took it in a high and imperious manner, as though it were his due.  No doubt the way in which his family lavished their gifts upon him fixed in his mind that immoral slant of disregard for his financial obligations which clung to him all through life.

There is a story told of his going to a county fair with his brother Ezekiel, which shows the characters of these brothers better than a chapter.  The father had given each lad a dollar to spend.  When the boys got home Daniel was in gay spirits and Ezekiel was depressed.  “Well, Dan,” said the father, “did you spend your money?”

“Of course I did,” replied Daniel.

“And, Zeke, what did you do with your dollar?”

“Loaned it to Dan,” replied Ezekiel.

But there was a fine bond of affection between these two.  Ezekiel was two years older and, unfortunately for himself, was strong and well.  He was very early set to work, and I can not find that the thought of giving him an education ever occurred to his parents, until after Daniel had graduated at Dartmouth, and Dan and Zeke themselves then forced the issue.

In stature they were the same size:  both were tall, finely formed, and in youth slender.  As they grew older they grew stouter, and the personal presence of each was very imposing.  Ezekiel was of light complexion and ruddy; Daniel was very dark and sallow.  I have met several men who knew them both, and the best opinion is that Ezekiel was the stronger of the two, mentally and morally.