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The Bon 'Vivant's Companion
High Street where he lived and died, there remains now,
in the possession of the Pennsylvania Historical Society,
that delightful punch-keg that rolled so easily from guest
to guest, and which carried the liquor so generously
around Franklin's board. A curious little keg this, pretty,
portly, and altogether unlike other punch bowls left us
from Colonial days. Among the china was a fine large
jug for beer, to stand in the cooler. Franklin's wife was
frugal, and it pleased him to set aside her customary
frugality on the blithesome occasions when the punch-
keg went rolling round.
"Daniel IVebSler
Webster was majestic in his consumption of liquor as
in everything else. Parton in his Essay speaks of seeing
Webster at a public dinner, "with a bottle of Madeira
under his yellow waistcoat, and looking like Jove."
Josiah Quincy describes Webster's grief at the burn
ing of his house because of the loss ofhalf a pipe ofMa
deira. It is said that Webster went fishing the day before
hewas to deliverhiswelcome to Lafayette, and got drunk.
As he saton the bank, he suddenly drew from the water
a large fish, and in his majestic voice said: "Welcome,
illustrious stranger, to our shores." The next day his
friends who went fishing with him were eledrified to
hear him begin his speech to Lafayette with the same
words.
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