When quite young, Webster did not always obey the rules at school. One day the teacher caught him breaking a rule and asked him to come forward to be punished. In that school, striking the open hand with a ruler was the punishment. Webster's hands happened to be very dirty. On the way to the teacher's desk he hid his hands behind his back.
“Give me your hand,” demanded the teacher.
Out went the right hand.
“Webster, if you will find another hand in the schoolroom as dirty as that, I will let you go.” Instantly from Webster's back came the left hand. “Here is another, sir,” he replied.
“That will do.” said the teacher, laughing. “You may go.”
