Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-04-27
j" GEORGE WASHINGTON. .
BIZ vELMA cALDwELL mELvILLE.

BY yELHIA CALDWELL MELVILLE.
Not the remarkable George who
never told lie, never swore but
once, never rode on the cars, or saw
q lucifer match; not the famed Father
Of his Country who, despite political
honor and matchless renown, was from
the age of 16 either an infatuated or de-
jected, lone lover until the happy day
that he made pretty widow Custer his
wife; but George Washington Birdsley,
colored, born Feb. %, 1852, in q cabin
on the Vinewell plantation, in the State
of Virginia.
AS he was only one of the ten little
Birdsleys, and daddy was in the fields
all day, and nanny was nurse to
young Mrs. Vinewell's babies at the
great house, George Washington had
spent ten very uncultured, lawless years
at the time our sketch opens; and, had
it not been for little incident that oe-
CURED about this time, he might have
lived and died unknown to fame, de-
spite name; but ali! who shall say,
athere is nothing in a name. Shame
on thee. Shakespeare!
The Vinewell plantation was situated
between the Potomac and Rappahan-
mock rivers, and so near the latter that
small stream emptying into it flowed
across portion Of it, and in its windings
crossed an old road now but seldom
used. George Washington was as ar
dent an angler as never caught fish,
and spent hours on the banks of the
little stream fishing with bent pin and
luckless fly. He was fond of being alone
with nature sort of dreamer withal.
No one ever knew, probably never
thought, from morning till night, where
he was. At bedtime, after her duties
were done at the house, Nanny Birds
ley. if not too tired, took the care to
count her treasures, administering
kisses or blows, as the report of her
eldest, Moll, the housekeeper at the
cabin, seemed to indicate. Our hero
seldom came in for share of either,
however; as, if present, he was inyari-
ably asleep; but more often he spent
the night at the stables with old Pete,
the hostler.
II was frosty morning early in No
vember, 1862, that the restless, unoc-
cupied boy wandered off to his favorite
haunts in the now leahess woods; and,
growing weary at last, crouched under
the old bridge that spanned the stream
and dreamed away in his own fashion as
he watched the water babbling ON.
Comical indeed would have been the
picture had any one peeped in under the
half-rotten timbers and seen the dimin-
utiye form entirely enveloped in one of
the young Massa's old coats, secured
about the waist with stout tow string,
Z the long sleeves turned back, and the
tattered skirts futtering dejectedly
about the half-naked feet and ankles. A
rimless straw hat was pushed back on
the crisp, unkept curls. Doubtless his
face and hands would have been blue,
had they not been jet black, the wind
was SO keen and cold.
sGollyl what's dat?" he exclaimed,
suddenly suspending an attempt to
reach greenish-looking pebble in the
stream, and listening intently. aWho
comes dis har way? Spects its some O.
dem Price niggers; 'and, moved by some
unaccountable impulse, he crawled as
far from sight as possible. The voices
came nearer, and two men paused on
the bridge.
Jupiter, but I'm dry" remarked
one. Here, Joe, you're younger than
me; take this cup and scoop up some
water" @
George Washington heard an audible
rafting of tin-ware, and wondered how
one cup could cause it. The one adj
dressed as sJoes did as desired, grum-
bling, meanwhile, about being SO
s'pesky stiff.
The boy trembled lest ne be discov-
cred. and, though he had Q right there,
he felt like . culprit.
After drinking their gil the men sat
down on y small boulder at the end Of
the bridge TO rest, tin-ware clanking
loudly ut iHtsryala,
George was getting tired of his
cramped position, when suddenly
the name of ssMassa Linkums arrested
his attention. What were they saying ?
To be sure his idea of chat gentleman
was somewhat vague, but be knew that
the older 'toldrad people spoke his
name il rseerentihl whispers il their
prayer-meetnnga, and that ii some way
be vas their friend. Even this
much be could not hare pHs anip