The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-02-11
GENERAL GEORGE.
The Valentine He Did Not, and the One He
Did Receive,

Did, Receive.
We fellows always called him Cen
eral George, and so did the girls. His
name was George Washington. There
was a Smith tackled on to it, but that
was so short and so at the end, like Il
bob on kite, that folks most always
forgot it.
He belonged to Miss Melissa Melon.
She got him out of the county house,
and he did chores for her and was COM
pany, seeing she lived alone two miles
down the road from the Corners. 1t
was pretty good walk on a cold Win
ter morning, for the roads were gen.
orally driftcd down that way, but l tell
you that made no difference to Cen
eral George. Rain OF shine, he was al
ways the first at the school-house. He
swept out, you know, and made the
fire, and so on, and he was always at
his post.
Jane Graham, one of the girls that
has travelled around considerable, and
seen q big statue of the first George
Washington, says that there was a few
lines on the bottom of the marble, and
they said "First in peace, first in war,
and first in the hearts of his country
men," "Our General" she said, "was
first in piece (his clothes were awfully
patched, you see), first in war Che could
fight like blazes when he was a mind
toy, and first in the school-house in the
morning!'
Well, he was the Misunderstanding
creature you ever saw! My, how we
did laugh the first day he came! Tall,
awful tall, and as thin as a rail, with a
big head and a shock of black hair.
Celesty Moore said he looked for all
the world like her big shawl-pin! And
when Miss Root asked his name, he
drew himself up on his long legs and
stood up straight and stiff as poker,
and says in 4 loud voice, like as he was
going to speak piece, George Wash
ington-" here Bill Greene, who sat
behind, pinched him, and he jumped
and turned red, and never said the
Smith at all, and there's no knowing
whether Miss Root ever put it down."
Well, the General WANT much in
his studies when he first came.
Teacher put him in the First Reader"
with Billy Dwight and Jerry Gray and
all those shavers. But my stars! 1t
WANT two terms before that ere chap
had skipped up into the highest classes,
and was figuring out Partial Pay
ments" and parsing Paradise Lost
with the biggest scholars! He was at
it all the while, too. Dig! dig! dig!
Didn't care copper for recess.
P'raps, though, he didn't have much
fun out on the play-ground-we fellows
run him so much, and the girls were
always poking fun, too.
But les see; l started out to tell you
about his valentine, didn't l? 1t hap
pened the morning of February four
teenth. School hadn't begun yet. Rob
Halliday, Charlie Forbes, and one or
two otherfellows, were over by the girls
seats. Myrtle Talbot had lot of val
entines on her desk. Some had been
sent her, and others she was going to
send to folks.
Most of them were real pretty-all
1ace-paper, pink roses, hearts and
darts, and little angels playing with
bows and arrows-but there were a
few funny ones. There was one gamey
old chap, with acocked hat, long-tailed
coat, and q pair of top-boots, He
looked as though he'd just got up tc
make speech.
"Oh, my eye' says Rob, "that'
General George, sure enoughn'
you ought to send it to him, says
Clara Gordon.
Dor we all joined in. at would
he a splendid joke!"
"How can l send it to him SO he'll
get it to-day" says Myrtle.
PUT it in his dinner basket" sale
Clara.
'Yes, and now's your time to do it, ,
says Rob, ''for he's gone down to the
pump"
We all rushed pell-mell across tn,
room to General Georges seat. RoI
grabbed up the basket. 1t was rag
ged old one, the cover tied on by
string.
Now, we'll see what the General
got to eat!' says Rob. ''He's selfsl
pig, any way! Now, you know, whel
any of us boys bring something mic,
we share it. We just have jolly pic
mic in the recitation-room."
''But the General don't, says l. III