The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-04-19
WASHINGTON IN YOUTH.

Fortunately for himself and his
country, Washington was educated
in poverty. the son of Virginia farm.
er. From his childhood he was prob
ably employed in active labors. His
father had large tracts of land that
apparently produced little money.
The house in which the young Wash
ington was horn was small, and built
Of wool. The country around was
Wild and thinly settled. Washington
went to a country scnool, where the
teacher was very poor. At home in
the PLAN country farmhouse he could
have learned little. His mother was
All excellent woman. and taught her
son industry and honesty.
His father died when he was child,
and his mothe... who was his fathers
second wife, was left to support her.
self and her chill,en from her farm.
She lived in comparative poverty in a
small wooden house Her son George
was strong, healthy boy, and gave
her, no doubt, I'LL the help he could.
He studied we'll at school. He was
ALWAYS Industrious. Like many USE
l'ul men, he educated himself. His
mother would no doubt have been
glad to have sent him to college at
Princeton o. Harvard; but the cost
was great, and the poor widows son
could hope for none of the advanta.
yes Of higher education. John
Adams aud Samuel Adams could
pass through Harvard with success ;
Hamilton was at Columbia College.
Jefferson at William and Mary. But
Nasnington. the most eminent of the
patriots, was Oblidged to educate
himself in the midst of his labors on
the farm. Like Franklin and Burns.
Shakespeare and Virgil he probably
read as he worked at the harvest or
guided the plow.
Washington had never any leisure
TO learn Latin Or Greek, or even
French. His object was to make g
living. lie kept no journal of his
youth. He never desired to become 8
great man." bnt lie was resolved to
be an honest one, and to maintair
himself. At one moment he thought
of going into the navy, but his moth
er opposed it. She said it was a ''bae
scheme" and she kept him at home
to become the founder of the Repub
lie The warrant for making him (;
midshlplnan was already signed
when she interfered so happily 70
all. She would not part with her cid
| est son, the stay of the family. Sh
feared to expose him to- the tempta
tions and dangers Of a naval life. I
mothers love saved illm to his coun
try. Forty.two years afterward, il
1887, he could still write and sub
8 ribe himself."J am. .honored madam
your most dutifill and atfeetionat
son, G.. Washington.
At fourteen Washin.ton became q
most accidentally survey or. He ha
already taught hiaiself to write
clear. round hand. He drew we'll an
was careful mathematician. yer
. correct and netliodical in all that h
did. He had left school and went t
. STAY with an elder half brother, VIII
owned the fine estate Of Mt. Vernon
He seems to-have resolved alread
to become a surveyor. lie had SUI
veyed the land around the sciaoo
. house. and was fond Of wanderin
: over The country. He had not SUI
| cient knowledge to become teachei
like John Adams, or Il lawyef, hk
jefferson. He seems to have ioan
farming a pursuit that brought
little money.
: lie passed the winter in preoaF'n:
| himself for his duties. and was Ell
t ployed. when under sixteen. oy Lnr,
r Fairfax ioiay out his large estate
) beyond the Alleshanies.
In this, pursuit he planged into tn
J wilderness. slept on the ground I
! chill weather, swan streams on horss
.hof.k ,.l,,n},ed over rocks aud pToc]