Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-06-05
ttlls&tllantous,
TllETEMPTATl0N OF WASHINGTON.
BY GEORGE LIPPARD.

There are days in winter when the air
is very soft and balmy, as the early days
of summer, when in fact, that glad maid
en- May seems to blow her warm breath
in the grim face Of February, until the
rough old warrior laughs again.
1t was on day like this that the morn
ing sunshine was streaming over a high
rock that lrowps there far above the Wis
oahkon.
A high rock-attainab only by a
long and winding path-icnccd in by the
trunks Of giant pines whose boughs in
the coolest day in winter, form a canopy
overhead.
This rock is covered with n carpet Of
evergreen moss.
And near this nook-this chamber in
the forest, for il was nothing less-sat an
old man, separated from it by the trunks
of the pines, whose boughs concealed his
form.
That old man had come here, alone, to
think over his two sons, now freezing at
Valley ForgG-lor though the father vas
tory, yet his children were continent
ais. He was a well meaning man, but
some half crazy idea about the divine
right OF the British Pope, George Third,
to rule this continent, and murder and
burn as he pleascd-lurkcd in his brain,
and kept him back from the camp Of
Washington.
And now, on this bright morning in
February, he had come here to think the
matter over.
And while he was pondering this deep
matter over, whether George the Pope,
or George the Rebel, was in the right
he heard the tramp of II war-stccd not ia
off and, looking between the trunks o
the pines, he saw man Of noble pres
cnce dismount from his grey horse, anc
then advance INTO the quiet hooks OF the
ss-carpctcd rocks encirclcd by giant
pines
Aad now, leaving tho aged tory, to
look upon this man for himself, let us
look on him with our own eyes.
AS he comes through those thick boughs
You behold n man over six feet high, with
his manly form enveloped in a coarse
gray ovcrcoat chapeau on his bold
for, hcad--and beneath the skirt OF that
gray coat you may see the military boot'
as also the end Of scabbard.
And who is this man of kingly pres
cnce, who comes here alone, to pace this
moss.covercd rock with dropped heaC
and folded arms?
Come, my friend, and look upon hin
let me show you-nc this figure o
mist and frost-work, which some histori
ans have called Wa,hington-but Wash
ington, the living, throbbing, flesh an
blood Washington !-WAsnINGroN, tn
man.
Look upon him as he PAGES the moss
covered rock--scc that eye burn, tina
arms.
Ah he is thinking of Valley Forge
of .hc loody footprints in the snow
and of those three hidcous figures thG
sit in the huts of Valley Forge togcthC
Disease, Starvation and Nakcdness.
Look, as those dark thoughts crow
on his soul, he falls on his knees, i
prays the God of Heaven to take his Ill
as an offering of freedom for his natiy
land.
And as that prayer startles tho sti
forest, that gray coat falls open and dis
closes tho blue and gold uniform, the er
aulctte and sword -hilt.
Then tho agony of that man, prayin
alone in the silent woods praying fc
his country now bleeding in her chains
speaks out in the flashing of the eye, i
the beaded sweat dripping from the brow
All, kings of the world, planning $
coolly your schemes of murder, come her
and look at George Washington, as h
offers his life sacrifice for his country
All, George of England, British Pop
: and good natured idiot that you are, no'
counting in your royal halls how man
moro men it will take to murder fo'
thousand peaceful farmers, and make
nation drink your tea, come here to thi
o rock Of tho Wissahikon, and sec, Kin
and Pope as you are. George Washing
ton in council with his God.
s. My friends, can never think of thu
~ man in the wilds of Wissahikon-praN
ing there alone ; praying for his countr!
with the deep agony in his heart and Q