, 1879-07-27

other conspicuous persons OF similar belief.
lie said, among other things. that, Il their
spirits could return TO- the earth, they would
be shocked to hear the falsehoods that
we're told OF them. This Is highly probable, and
we can hardly agree with the Bishop in pro-
nouucing the remark "a spurious kind OF char
ity." On Monday, when the young Rector had
returned home, his mother tooks Weems to task
n6
evel be was confused and specchlcss."
. Among the polite readers Of this periodical, I
presume there are mnny who hive never SO
much as heard the name Of this singular genius.
know nothing OF him, and who gaze with 10
cfedul!tT when they are told TINT he was not
only volumtnous author, but
ONE OF TIE MOST INFLUEETIiL
that ever liyed in the United States. Take one
remarkable instance: 1t WAS Weems' Life Of
Washington that assisted to call forth the latent
mind OF Abraham Liucoln} when he vas rag
ged. barefootcd boy Of the frontier, "A years
Of age. He borrowed the fascinating little
buok from neighbor, and, as often as be could
snatch few minutes, he read it With avidlty.-
as hundreds OF thousands OF boys had done be-
fore him, and as thousands are now doing. 1t
proved rostly book to the poor lad, for, when
1t W1s not in use, he was accustomed TO place
1t on shell in bis fathers miserable. log hut;
aud one night, while the future President. WAS
asleep, the rain poured through crev1ce be-
tween the logs, and spoiled the precious vol
ume Books were books on the frontier then.
The owner refused to take back the damaged
volume and Abraham was obliged to pay for. 1t
| by working three days at Is cents day. The
book is still one OF the staple commodities OF
| the trade. although the polite world never sees
| it and rarely hears OF it.
The best-known story In this biography
affords Us most curious and striking illustra-
tion Of the homely old saying, that Lies never
iuston aud his hatchet, which has gone rouna
and round the world, and been told to children
| in every language. We should naturally sup,
pose that, Of ali the faschoods man could in
vent, there could be none moro harmless than a
tale invented to bring home to childish minds.
the charms Of truth und the virtues Of a favor
itc hero. But 1t Is this very story which invests
the name OF Washington with Kind Of rdcule.
have mentioned the popular comic song unon
lie little ratchet. On Tit ANIMAL recurrence Of
| Washington's birthday, there are still lev old
| fashioned editors who favor the public with
| serious reflections uoon the character and career
| OF the first President But it is the comic men
| Of the press who most frequently utilize
the occasion. In hundreds OF newspapers they
endeayOr to amuse their readers With 1e6ts upon
| tue little boy who cur down the cherry-tree. /
! have seen 3,D1] people conyulsed with laughter
at Mark Twain's Joke In one Of bis lectures,
where be proved himself to be u better man than
| the Father OF his Country; for, whereas wash
lngton could not lie,
uz. MARX TWAIN. cou1D. nur nm NOT.
| ~. -, ,,.h;.h 49, ;..'s..;..o W..
far from inkeuding, the story does actually point
| the moral which be endeavorcd to enforce.
Weems' falseaood, not George Washtngton's
| truth, conveys the lesson to us.
u was ao1ptless n1s experience as peaoier
books which the largest public OF his dav could
| rehsh: At the oeatn OF mash ngton he had
| oeeu Ior sone tlTg traRe,nS as me agent o.
Matthe" carey, OF fnllauc1phta, VINO was him
| seq an exce!ien1 1uo2e ol the popular Qnai'tles
descendant OF ben]am'n Erankl'n u The PolIa-
delpnaa oook-traae: nc was an lrlshman VINO,
at the early age OF l9. brought upon himself the
wrath OF tue irlsn fati!ameut oT me pubica,
! Code; The youthful author fed to Paris, where
| Dr. franklin gave MN employment 10 his prt-
Vate prlat'ns-olhce 1or te" months, uutli the
storm ole" over Aea'n' year later' oe'n@
threatened Win prosecution. ne ESCAPED nnaily
hare .,e ~ re as ~
gu. .ela.a,, ,;nv san,,rad ~, ,;.r.oi "
;n 4mer,.o wash w,ton' Eront,;n T.afaoetta
| Rohs1r Norris. rave him their .nnn,ennnce
and. before be had been in the country seven
| veare he had made considerable nrn1ress in
estani1shinp nupl1shtng-hvuse which was for a.
| whole generation the leading one io America.
| and nnder varions: names and snhdi
visions. mar be said to have -four
ishe5 ever s;nce Resides nnhitshinr the hoote
n others. Carey was h,msriI n volnminous md
successful writer. ana lived to roois aid .age.
| esteemrd for his energy and henevolence w.
ind nnon his iist NJ ,mhications ah,L,t st1e c1ose
If 1he last contnry- ri, the mnst to-,nr hoo-s
| of The dav. wllch were offered to the pnbIic NJ.
old-looking nrices. gurh a HGvc-sixths oi a
of = do,1ar's and o:hers' which comnel1ea thc
| o,~,Io.ar - A. . er,n ~ frartione