The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-06
father OF HIS Country
Brilliant Lecture at Y. N. G. A. Hall
on Washington.
LASTOF THE STANDARD COURSE
II. II. Ragan Was tho Speaker and His
Audience Was an Intelligent and Cul.
tured Ono-Lccturc illustrated by
Means Of StercopticOn Views.

II. II. Ragan's lecture on Footprints
of George Washington" at Young Mems
Christian Association hall last evening
was the last event of the standard
course and was attended by a cultured
audience Mr.. Ragan is gifted with a
deep musical voice, has an accurate and
pleasing delivery, and his fine pres
ence wins his hearers. He was pleased,
he said, to see the statue of Washington
on our court house grounds.
The lecture was illustrated by means
of stereopticon dissolving views. First
were shown the old church at Brandy,
England, where the ancestors of the
patriot worshiped; the inscription of
the death of Lawrence Washington and
his beloved wife, AIMEE, on the wall of
the church, placed there in 1864, and
the coat of arms of the family, sug-
gesting strongly the Stars and Stripes.
A fine view of the old family manor
was seen. The mansion of the Wash
ingtons at Fredericksburg was shown
and the monument erected to the MEM
ory of the patriots mother.
In his youth Washington often on his
way to Fredericksburg stopped at
tavern called the Rising Sun inn. He
used to play cards, but was not a sue
cess at it as the following extract from
his diary will show: Game to Fred
ericksburg, stopped at the Rising Sun
tavern and lost at cards as usual"
When the future father of his country
was IA years of age a man-of-war was
stationed at anchor in the James river
near his Mt. Vernon home.
Climbed Up the Natural Bridge.
He was about to be taken on board
and taught the art of naval warfare,
but the plan did not materialize. Then
the boy turned his attention to survey
ing, and one of his feats during his
school days was to climb up the sides
Of the Natural bridge in Virginia and
cut his name above those of all others
In the solid rock
While yet young man Washington
was placed in. charge of a responsible
trust by the English governor Dinwid-
die. The English and French govern
ments were each claiming the land west
of the Ohio river. The speaker carried
his hearers through pages of historical
reminiscence of the bravery and
in the French and Indian war.
1t was while discharging the duties
of colonel in this war that most mo-
mentous event occurred in the life of
Washington While at dinner one day
with a friend, Colonel Chamberlain, the
patriot was introduced to and fell in
love with charming widow, Martha
Custis, who was one of the richest land
owners in the colony of Virginia. He
was married to her on Jan. 6, 1859. in
the church of st. Peter, built in 1903
at cost of 10000 pounds of tobacco,
for at that time the fragrant weed was
used as legal tender in Virginia. After
his marriage Washington took his seat
as legislator in the house Of burgesses
at Williamsburg. In his home life
Washington was happy and contented.
He took great delight in farming. He
went to the first continental congress
at Carpenters hall, Philadelphia. on
Sept. 5, 1774. 1t was in session fifty
one days and resolved to go to war with
the mother country.
His Career in the Army
In selecting a man to lead the armies
against the English forces all eyes
turned toward Washington. The
speaker then went on with following
Washington through the dark days of
the Revolutionary war. After the war
ended the people wanted to make him
king, but he refused the offer and be-
came president.
Mr.. Ragan was most eloquent in re-
ferring to the lofty services of Wash
ington in organizing the government
and adopting a constitution. Most af-
fecting were the closing scenes of the
earthly life Of the immortal patriot as
described by the speaker.