Anecdote of the late Daniel Webster

Daniel Webster (1782-1852), leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts. Visits Sandwich, Massachusetts, America from the neighbouring town of Cape Cod on a fishing expedition for trout.

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DANIEL WEBSTER. – Some years since, Mr. Webster started off from Marshfield on a trouting expedition to Sandwich, a neighbouring town of Cape Cod. On approaching the fine stream he alighted from his wagon, and just then he met the owner of the farm through which the stream ran.

• “Good morning,” says Webster, “is there any trout here?” –

• “Well,” says the farmer, “some people fish here, but I don’t know what they do get.” –

• “I’ll throw my line in,” says Webster, “and see what there is.”

Webster walked the banks of the stream trying his luck, and the old farmer followed him. Soon Webster remarked,

• “You have some bog on your farm.” –

• “Yes,” says the farmer, “that ain’t the worst of it.” –

Fishing still further along, Webster says,

• “You seem to have plenty of mosquitoes here.” –

• “Yes,” he replied, “that ain’t the worst of it” –

Webster still kept on throwing his line into the deep pools, and then said,

• “You have plenty of briars here.” –

• “Yes,” said the farm, “and that ain’t the worst of it.”

Mr. Webster, getting somewhat discouraged in a hot August day, bitten by mosquitoes, scratched by briars, and not raising a single fish, dropped his rod and said,

• “I do not believe that there is any trout here.” –

• “And that ain’t the worst of it,” says the farmer. –

• “Well,” says Mr. Webster, “I should like to know what is the worst of it?” –

• “There never was any here!” says the farmer.

Mr. Webster enjoyed the joke, and often told it to his particular friends. –

New York Times.