Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-22

and full, rs with most strong men vas
somewhat sunken In tho centre. nv r,,s
tis attributed this 70 the pufmonarv 49,,
oles with which Washington had baey ~
fioted IN early life, but / am inclinsd -
tblnkthat he Is in error on this point
oeiieVs thSt the appearance was due 70 tho
great development OF those muscles OF Tho
cnest winch puil the shoulders forward.
Az eny rate there was no weakness in that
part OF his physique.
AFsLRLRss RIDER.
Tho length and strength OF his legs cave
him great grip on horse. He was a f'er.
teetly fearless rider. All he asked OF A
horse was that the beast should be able "a
20; and ho laughed at the idea that he
could be thrown so long as the horse kent
on his pins. To illustrate his mastery of
the horse story is told which Is mucb
preferable, IN my opinion, TO the cherry
tree fable and containing the same
valuable moral lesson. Washinetonis
mother, who was fond Of fine horses had
bought spirited animal which had
never been broken TO the saddle.
Some OF her sons friends were at the house
70 dinner one day, and after the meal
George proposed that they should brine
forth the untamed steed and try 10 ride
him. They did so, and several Of the COM
pany took short promen8des along the
lawn on the bridges Of their noses in con-
sequence OF their inability 20 stick to the
beasts back. George, however, succeeded
IN getting sure seat and then began a bat
tie royal A slip and bad fall then. and
all OF US to-day might be as much the sub
lects Of Great Britain as any Fifth-aye-
nue. dude, but fate had not so ordained.
The long legs Of youthful rider gripped
the fiery horse like the folds of an ana
cOnda and his iron hand restrained the
animals fight. 1t was a hard tussle and
was fought TO q decisive finish, fer the
horse fell stone dead when he perceived
that he was conquered. When George be-
held OF his feet the corpse Of his mothers
favorite horse he doubtless realized that
victories may be dearly bought. 1t looked
decidedly squally for the Father of HIS
Country but his courage did not fail him,
He went 10 his mother and told the whole
story and was forgiven. / will not quote
her words from the historians page be-
cause / know in my heart that she said
something much more touching and
grammatical.
SMASHING THE RECORD.
like this better than the cherry-tree
because there is more action in it, and be-
cause, by my experience, IL takes more
courage to face q mothers fearful reproof
than a single, father, aud a scene where
the tears are furnished exclusively by the
erring.
Charles Wilson Peale, the artist who
made fine portrait of Washington in 1772,
tells a story which shows how good man
George was, even when all out of training.
He was forty years old at this time, and
probably hadn't pitched the bar IN long
time, and yet he made an exhibition of
several young athletes, who considered
themselves pretty good at this sport, so
popular in those days. These young men,
of whom Peale was one, we're stripped
down for exercise, and had made some
very good casts when the Colonel Gas
Washington was then called appeared
among them. He was invited to partici-
pate and the pegs which marked the best
records were shown him. With a smile
that was doubtless chIld-like and bland,
Washington stepped 20 the line, took a
bar, and proceeded to smash a large hole
in the record.
mo sooner did the heavy iron bar feel
the grasp of his mighty hand than 1t had
lost the power of gTavitation," says Peale,
and whizZed through the air, striking the
ground far, far beyond our utmost limits"
Washington hadn't so much as taken his
coat off, and apparently had made very
little effort. This was what made 1t so eX-
asperatiug 10 be beaten by George. lie
never seemed to be half trying.
when YOU beat my pitch, young gentle
men," said he, I'm try again"
He has not yet been called upon to do so.
HIS WONDERFUL GAZE.
He had awonderfully disconcerting gaze,
which would have helped him greatly in
the ring If he had ever done much in that
way. lam inclined to believe that this
oyerpowering look saved his life many q
time in hand-to-hand fights by unnerying
his opponents. Perhaps this may. be the
reason he wasn't shot by a poacher one
dav on the shores of the Potomac, by Mt.
Vernon. The story of this occurrence
illustrates Washington's strength, his cour-
age, and l should be almost tempted to say
his luck.