Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-10-23
Washington's Vision.

At the request of one of our subscribers,
we publish Washington's Vision. 1t will
without doubt be new to many of our
readers, and of much interest to them.
The last time | ever saw Anthony
Sherman was on July 18th 1859, in INDIE
pendence Square. He was then ninety
nine, and becoming very feeble, but
though so old, his dimming eye re.kind-
led as he looked at Independence
Hall, which he said he had come to gaze
upon once more before he was gathered
home.
what time is it?" said he raising his
trembling eyes to the clock in the stee-
pie, and endeavoring to shade the form
er with a trembling hand, what time is
it? / can't see so well as used to.
"Half past three
"Come them" he continued, let us go
into the Hall want to tell you an in
cident in Washington's life, one which
no one alive knows except myself; and
if you live you will see it verified.
Reaching the visitors room in which
the sacred relics of our early days are
preserved, we sat down upon one of the
old-fashioned wooden benches and my
venerable companion related to me the
following singular narrative, which
from the peculiarly of our national af.
fairs at the present time, L have been in
duced to give to the world. | give it
as nearly as possible in his own words
"When the bold action of our Con.
gress, in asserting the independence OF
the Colonies, became known in the Old
World, we were laughed and scofed at
o. rn1,olC xrhn,,, he
British grenadieIs would soon tame into
submission; undauntedly we prepared
to make good what We had said. The
keen encounter came and the world
knows the result 1t is easy and pleas.
ant for those of the present generation
to write of the boys Of Seventy-Six, but
they little know, neither can they imag.
inc, the trials and sufferings of those
fearful days. And there is one thing
that mnch fear, and that is that the
American people do not properly appre.
ciste the boon of freedom. Party spirit
lis yearly becoming stronger and strong-
er, and unless it is checked, will at nc
distant day undermine and tumble
into ruin the noble form of the Re-
public. But let me hasten to my nara.
tive.
"From the opening of the Revolution
we experienced all phases of fortune
now good, now i'll, one time victorious
and another conquered. The darkes,
period, however, was, / think, when
Washington, after several reverses, re.
treated to Valley Forge, where he re.
solved to pass the Winter of ~. All!
have often seen the tears coursing down
the dear old commanders care-worI
cheeks, as he would be conversing with
some officer about the condition of his
poor soldiers. You have doubtless heard
the story of Washington going to the
fhicket to pray. Well, it is not only
true, but he used often TO pray in secre,
for aid and comfort from that God, the
interposition of whose divine providence
alone brought us safely through those
dark days of tribulation.
zone day remember it well-tht
chilly winds whistled through the leaf
less trees, though the sky was cloudles.
and the sun shining brightly-he re
manned in his quarters nearly the whole
afternoon alone. When he came out
noticed that his face was a shade pale
than usual, and that there seemed to b,
SOu1cCuluE Ou lib tIldI
ordinary importance. Returning jus
after dusk, he dispatched an orderly t.
the officer mentioned, who was pres
emily in attendance After preliminar,
conversation which lasted some half al
hour. Washington, gazing upon his com
panion with that strange look of dignity
which he alone could command, said t,
the latter:
+" do not know whethsr it was OWN,
to the anxiety of my mind, or what, bu
this afternoon as l was sitting at thi
very table, engaged in preparing dis
patch, something in the apartment
seemed to disturb me. Looking up,
beheld, standing opposite me, singu
larly beautiful female. So astonishe.
was I, for had given strict orders no
to be disturbed, that it was some mo
ments before 1 found language to in
quire the cause of her presence. 4
second, third. and even the fourth tim