Assistant Secretary of the New England Tract Society
Ass't Sec. of N. E. Tract Society.
—An old farmer’s son returned from college. He talked finely about the dignity of labor and the chemical constituents of the soils. Spring wore into summer and summer into autumn, and no useful result came from his dissertations. One night at family prayers the old farmer exclaimed: “O Lord! Thou hast given John a power of book learnin’, but, we pray thee, give him a little gumption, too.” —It is related of Mr. Webster that he was once accosted by a backwoodsman, who asked, “Is this Mr. Webster?” “Yes, sir.” “The great Mr. Webster of Massachusetts?” “I am that same Mr. Webster of Massachusetts.” “Well, sir, I heard that you were a great man,” quoth the stranger, “but I don’t think so; I heard your speech, and understood every word you said.”