The Irish standard., 1896-03-14

Grated. During his Imprisonment. his
son, George Washington, came to this
country, and on his arrival, wrote Wash
ington from Boston On receipt of this
letter Washington wrote George Cabot,
United States senator from Massachu-
sets. confdentially: -.
ITO express all the sensibility which
has been excited in my breast by the. re
ce!pt Of young Lafayette's letter. from the
recollection Of his fathers merits, serv-
ices and sufFelings, for MY friendship for
him, and from my wishes to become a
friend and father to his son. is unnces-
sary. Let me in few words declare that
I will be his friend; but the manner OF
becoming SO, considering the obnoxious
light in which his father is viewed by the
French government, and my own situa-
ton as the executive of the United States,
requires more time to consider in all its
relations than I can bestow on 1t at pres-
ent 1.-THE mode which at first
view strikes me as the most eligible to
answer his purposes and to save appear
ances, IS first to administer all the conso-
lation to the young gentleman that he
can derive from the mostunequ!vocal as
surance of my standing in the place OF
and becoming to him. a father, friend,
protector and supporter. -.
He recommended that young Lafayette
should enter the university at Cambridge
although it should be, for a short time
only the expense of.which. as also of ev-
cry, other means of his support I will pay,
And I now authorize you, my dear Sir. to
draw upon me accordingly, and If it is in
any degree necessary or desired that M.
Frestel, his tutor, should accompany him
to the university in that character, any
arrangements. which you shall make for
the purpose and any expense incurred for
the same, shall be borne by me in like
manner" -'' ~,
In April, 1896, young Lafayette and his
tutor, lat Washington invitation, took
up their residence in his house at Phlla-
delphia, and from there went with him
to Mount Vernon, where they remained as.
members of his family until the liberia
ton of the marquis, when they returned
to France. 'reo.~,'l ~, .t.t -
Washington's sympathies were not con
fined to his distinguished officers. The
poor private who had carried Cont
mental musket often appealed to him and
was always heard. Here is a letter from
one of them, complaining that his petit
ton for pension and back pay has not
been answered by the, war Office, and ask
ing for Washington's Intervention. BY
way of inducement the writer states that
he has just sent the general a barrel OF
fine apples The letter is Endorsed in
Washington's own handwriting, with the
name OF the applicant. and he has dirty
written beneath this endorsement, The
barrel of apples has not arrived.
BY the way, Washington was the re-
cipient of all kinds of presents, tokens OF
esteem, from all kinds of people, from
the King of Spain, who sent him an And
;usian jack, to- the Patriotic society at
Enkhuysen in Holland, who presented
him with six kegs of herring. All these
gifts were acknowledged with becoming
gravity. He writes the. committee OF the
Enkhuysen Society:
with these letters came the six kegs
of herring with which your society has
been pleased to honor me, avery CRATE
full and acceptable, present. \ beg you:
gentlemen, to be persuaded that receive
this token of your respect with the high
est qualification, and beg that you will.
favor me by presenting in tile warmes'
manner my most respectful thanks te'
your right worthy and honorable society
for this mark of their esteem and dis
tinction." >.,@st'-=,. sz-- -. 'S..s7t
1t had not probably occurred to these
worthy burshers that the recipient vas
the proprietor of 8 fishery on the Potomac
that furnished behring's in; such super
abunance that they were used to manure
his fields: But Washington himself, IT
he had any humor, must have enjoyed
the joke. And in spite. Of his grave, eX
terror and dignified department. he did
have a very keen sense of ,humOr. Here
is the evidence Of it in a letter to the
Marquis de Chastellux. who had written
him, announcing his recent marriage:
"In reading your very friendly and &C.
ceptable letter, which came to hand by
the last mail, was. as you may we'll sup
pose, not less. delighted than surprised
to meet the plain American words, MY
wife, 4: wife! Well, my dear Marquis
I can hardly refrain from smiling to find
you are caught at last. sawsby the
eulogium you often made on the hap1l-
ness OF domestic life in America that you
had swallowed the bait, and that you
would asasurely be taken one day or an
i. other as that you were philosopher and
soldier. So your day has at length come!
/ am glad of it,gwith ali my heart anu
soul. 1t is quite good enough for you.
Now you are we'll served for coming to
fight in favor of the American rebels, all
the way across the Atlantic ocean, by
catching that terrible contagion, domas-
tic: felicity; which, like the smallpox or
the plague. man can catch e1My once
{ In his life, because it commonly lasts him
at least with US in America-1 know not
! how you manage matters in Francefor
1 his whole lifetime.
sa nd, here is another, to Francis Hop
skfnsoi1, W lio mad asked him to Sit for his
portrait. to Mr.. Pine, an English painter
4 b SIN for a penny, in for pound, is an!
,;oItl adage.2 r am Sc hackneYed to the
(. tea,chessof the painters pencil that I am
I; now altogether at, their beck, and sit,
4 iixe pat Hence on d monument, while they
are deIfneating the lines Of my face. It
Ell proof among many others of what
sssskaS,it and custom can / accomplish. n At
EaSsint i was DO inpatient at the request
I n,,d gs restive under he operate asa
sTffSif is of the saddle the next time Isub-
;yerY reluctantly. hut u ith less
3 now no draE horse. Moves more
"a the hill than i do to the paint
|s'a lsisss1l .man 81
sl. ~, ashzng not ~
VI is