People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-02-18
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1897.
Washington's Vision.
Erie Sentinel.

washington flSlOn.
Erie Sentinel.
At the request of several of our
subscribers, we publish WashingtOn's
Vision. 1t will without doubt be new
to many of our readers, and Of much
interest to them.
The last time | ever saw Anthony
Sherman was on July 4th, 1859, in
independence square. He was then
ninety-nine, and becoming very feeble,
but though so old, his dimming eye
rekindled as he looked at Indepen-
denCe hall, which he said he had come
to gaze upon once more before he was
gathered home.
"What time is it?" said he, raising
his trembling eyes to the clock in the
Steeple, and endeavOring to shade the
former with trembling hand, "what
time is it? l can't see so well as l
used to-"
Half past three"
Come then" he continued, let US
90 into the hall want to tell you
an incident in Washington's life, one
which no one knows except myself;
and if you live you will see it verified.
Reaching the visitors room in which
the sacred relics of our early days are
preserved,w sat down upon one of the
old.faShiOned wooden benches and my
venerable companion related to me
the following singular narrative,
which from the popularity of our
national affairs at the present time,
have been induced to give to the
world. l give it as nearly as possible
IN his own words:
when the bold action of our
congress, in asserting the indepen-
dence OF the colonies, became known
in the old world, we were laughed and
scotfed at, as silly, presumptuouS
rebels, whom the British grenadiers
would soon tame into submission: IN.
dauntedly we prepared to make good
What we had said. The keen en-.
counter came and the world knows
the result. 1t is easy and pleasant
for those of the present generation tC
write OF the boys of '76, but they little
Know, neither can they imagine, the
trials and Sufferings of those fearful
days. And there is one thing much
fear, and that is that the American
people do not properly az preciate the
boon Of freedom. Party spirit !.
yearly becoming stronger and
stronger, and unless it is checked
will at 20 distant day undermine anC
tumble into ruin the noble form O.
the Republic. But let me hasten t
my narrative.
From the opening of the revolu
Lion we experienced all phases of for
tune, now good, now i'll, one tins
victorious and another conquered
The darkest period, however, was,
think, when Washington, after sew
eral reVerses, retreated to VALLEY
Forge, where he resolved to pass tht
winter Of II. Alb! l have often seer
The tears cOurSing down the dear Ol(
commanders care worn cheeks, as b,
would be conversing with some office
about the condition of his DOC
soldiers. You have doubtless hearC
the story OF Washington going to tn,
thicket to pray,
Well, it is not only true, but he useC
often to pray in secret for aid ant
comfort from that God, the inferno
sitiOn of whose divine providenc
alone brought US safely through thos
dark days of circulation.
"One day. remember it we'll
the chilly winds whistled through tin
leatiess trees, though the sky wa
cloudless and the sun shining bright
he remained in his quarters nearl
the whole afternoon alone. When h
came out l noticed that his face wa
a shade paler than usual, and tina
there seemed to be something on hl
mind of more than ordinary impol
lance. Returning just after dusk
we dispatched an orderly to the Of
fcer mentioned, who was PRESENT.
10 attendance. After preliminar
conversation which lasted some hal
an hour, Washington, gazing upon hi
companion with that strange look 9
dignity, which he alone could CON
mand, said to the latter:
{" i do not know whether it wa