Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-04-10
.Alefauorla @!ax&tt&
TUESDAY. APRIL 10, 1877.
Historical FictiOnS.

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following anec!otc oi Washiagton's 5 Boyhood." "
1t rurportS to be taken from an article on "The
Historic Bulldogs cl America" in Potter S
American Monthly for Juoc. In it DR.. Loss.
ing tells delightful ancclotc, introducing US
to the early boyhood of Washington and his
FRIEND Richard Henry Lee. The anecdote is
told in connection with an account Of Stratford
, House, the family seat Of the Lee family, and
; is as follows:
1T (Stratiofd lIousal Is only mile from
the birthplace Of Washington, and stood in the
midst Of highly cultivated country, dotted
with the mansions Of people who formed very
refined society. There Washington and Rich
ard Henry Lee undoubtedly often played TO.
gether, and within that mile between the dwell
ling5 was the scene OF the following correspond
ence when they we're boys only nine years old,
there being only q few weeks difference between
their ages. Little Lee wrote:
Pa brought NE two pretty books iul Of
pictures he got them in Alexandria they haye
pictures Of dogs and cats and tigers and eIefants
and ever so many pretty things cousin bids mo
send you one Of them it has picture OF an
elciant and little indian boy on his back like
unco jos sam II. says il learn my tasks good
he will let uncle io bring me to see you will you
ask your ina to let you come to see me.
! ''RTCUARD HENRY LEE.
"To this note little Washington replied
"Dear Dichcy: Ethnuk you very much for
; the pretty piclure.bool1 you gave me. Sam
asked me to show him the pictures and | show.
cd him all the pictures in it, and | read to him
how the tame elephant too k. care OF the mas
ters little boy, and put hicl Oh his back and
would not let anybody touch his master SOD.
| can read three or four pages sometimes with.
out missing a word. Ma says ! may 70 to sec
you and stay all day with yCu il It be not rainy.
She says | may ride on my pony Hero II UDcc
Ben will 80 with me aud lead Hero | have IL
little piece OF poetry about the picturc-book
you gave NE, bu [ mus4't tell you who wIotc
the poetry.
&c. W. 9 compliments to i. Ii. l.:
And likes his books full well,
llencclorth will count his friend,
And hopes many happy days he may spend.
10y our friend,
"'NEOEGE WASHINGTON.
L would Ir0ve an cudicss aud labcriOus task
10 correct ali thc lcD0Hs ui modern history.
The foregoing incidents, ~ related, arc trivial
and unlmp0rtan!; but trivial as they arc they
deserve to be contraGc!ed. There are Two con-
spicuous errors aud tXLravagant impossibilities,
ocsluts scve''i .unc'''' NNp' '0o"'i'''c'' III '''
prfrculus T; natla'Iv'. ,r.,;o -, ~,
riS a. ny h;oh W '1I I o U "a. and
Er,U P;mUe ~ sTa " slatrJ to hys nnssrd Sharks
l"nosoI;,oJ - ,:,th.,t, lrt .T1uI hioUranhs
"o- t'iIns
"a ~" -'u;|d' t,%a ~ fr. %t'... Wa"h",n, hr,b
-. .nU 10y - - w. pn,n
nls ia;nCt teslucu Lrat oNu uDNS S VI .ro c,U
lnat' III csVLnUII"ou c'oO.s' W. ne iGnT'ee r
not onE ID a'tct"atu' " Hu es'l'I G"ueu ~ Wy n.n
mahannNr r;vlr o,nn.;a trnGorc shury Herc
aIann9ch IN fiMSei'gpr?s''u I'VE tiGI't'ohaouk; itta M
uo iifiu LII 'J :Ii "o'. IJ'L ~ ,ns
aou aloI: ~ ;o " -
ll4', at the age ot l0r!y D!nc.