The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-07-23
Selefted Story,
TEMPTATION OF WASHINGTON.
TRADITION OF Tmx wIssAulKox CLIFF.

THERE are days in winter when the mir is very
soft and balmy, as the early days of summer,
when in fact, that glad maiden May seems to
blow her warm breath in the grim face Of Feb
ruary, until the rough old warrior laughs again,
I, was on day like this that the morning sun
shine was streaming over high rock that iowns
there far above the Wissahikon.
high rock - attanab!e only by IL long and
winding path - fenced in by the trunks of giant
pines whose boughs in the coldest day in winter
form canopy overhead.
This rock is covered with carpet of evergreen
moss
And near this nook - this chamber in the for
est for it was nothing less - sat an old man sep
arated from it by the trunks of the pines, whose
boughs concealed his form.
The old man had come here, alone, to think
over his two sons, now freezing at Valley Forge
- for though the father was tory, yet his cEil-
drcn we're ccntirentas. He was a well mean
ing man, but some half crazy idea about the di-
vine right of the British Pope, George Third, to
rule this continent, and murder and burn as he
pleased larked 10 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
Aud 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 a war stced not lar off, aid, looking between
the trunks of the pines, he saw man of noble
presence dismouut from his gray horse, and then
advance into the 4uiet hooks OF the moss car
peted rock enoreed by giant pines.
Aud now leaving the aged tory to look upor
this man for himself, let us look on him witt
our own eyes,
As he comes through those thick boughs, yO,
behold mlu over six feet high, with his mani!
fern enyeloped ia coarse gray Oyereoe';
chapeau on his bold forehead 49, and bencstl
the skirt of that gray overcoat YOU may see IL,
military boots, also the epd o, seaooard.
And who is this msu Of kngly presence, whit
comes here alone, to pace this mess covered
rock with dropped head aud folded arms
Come my frend and look upou him - let IN
show you not this figure Of mist md iros
work, which some his orisus have called Wash
mgtoa - but Washington the living, throbbui
flesh and blood Washington Washington III
man,
Look here as ne PAGES the inoss covered roc
--see that eye burn, that muscular breast heav
under the folded arms.
All, lie is thinking of the Valley Forge of tn
bloody foot prints 10 the snow and OF thos
three hidsous figures that sit in the huts of Va
ley Forge together - Disease, Starvation, IN
Nakedness.
Look, as these dark thoughts crowd on h
soul, he falls on his knees, he prays the God I
Heaven to take his life as an offering of ireedo
fer his native land.
AND AS that prayer startles the still fores
that gray coat fails open and diseloses the bll
aud gold uniform, the epaulette and sword hill
Then the agony Of that man, praying alone
the silent woods PRAYING for his country no
blecdiag In her chairs speaks out in the flsl
ing OF the eve, iu the beaded sweat, dripgir
from The hrow.
An, kings of the world, planning so eooly yo
schemes OF murder, come here and look aIGeort
Washington, as he offers bis life a sacrifice {
his country.
All, George Of England, British Pope, al
good natured idiot tha; you are, now eount
in your royal halls, how many more men il v
take to murder few peaceful farmers. and ma
nation drisk your tea, come here to this 70
OF the wtSsshikOn, and zee, King and Pope
you are, George Washington ih council with
God,
Ny friends can never think of that man,