Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-17
WASHINGTON AS LOVER.

A gentleman, himself Of high rank,
once laid his hand Familiarity on zen
eral Washington's shoulder. After
wards he said: 4 would not do it
again to save my life
This is Washington as the average
student thinks of him; calm, cod, dig
nified, reserved, awe-inspiring-an i'm
possible lover; and yet, the real Wash
ington had an ardent heart and made
love in the good old-fashioned impetu-
Gus way. Cupid dared even to lay his
little hand Familiarity On the great
mans heart, and it vas the great man
who trembled, not Cupid. Indeed, Gu
pid seems to have taken complete pos
session of Young Washington long be-
fore he was out of his teens, and to
have caused more than the usual
amount of doleful signs and woeful
heartburnings.
Witness the following pIaintiye let
ter, written when he was only sixteen
years old and while he was at Lord
Fairfax's enjoying the sweet society
of Mary Cary.
MY place of residence is at present
at his Lordship's, where I might, was
my heart disengaged, pass my time
very pleasantly, as there's a very
agreeable Young Lady Lives in the
same house Colo. George Fairfax's
wife's sister,, but as that's only adding
fuel to fire it makes me more uneasy
for by often and unavoidably being
in company with her revives my former
Passion for your Low Land Beauty
whereas was [ to live more retired
from young Women l might in some
measure eliviate my sorrow by bury
ing that chaste and troublesome Pas
sion in the grave of oblivion or etarnal
forgetfulness, for as I am very well
assured that's the only antidote or
remedy that I shall be relieved by or
only recourse that can administer any
cure or help to me, as [ am very well
convinced was I ever to attempt any
such a thing I should only get a
denial which would be only adding
grief to my uneasiness."
| Who this low land beauty was his
tory does not say positively; but it
| would seem from the above dreadful
effusion, that, whoever she was, she
did not return the embryo father of
his country's affection with satisfact-
DRY ardor.
Young Washington even dropped to
love poetry, of sickly, sentimental,
senseless sort; but doubtless, intended
to picture accurately the feelings of
his glowing heart. The following will
do for an eXampe:
20 ye gods why should my poor resist
less heart
Stand to oppose thy might and power
At last surrendered to Cupid's feath-
cred dart
For her that's pitiless OF my grief and
woe
And will not on me pity take
He sleeps amongst my most inveterate
foes
And with gladness never wishes to
awake.
And in deluding sleepings let my eye
lids close
That in an enraptured dream | may
Ir a soft lulling sleep and gentle re-
pose
Possess those joys denied by day."
Of course no one can understand
the above; but it is pleasant reading
just the same, because it tells that
George Washington The Great was,
after all, just as silly over the girls"
as any modern youth ever dared to be.
Washington grew up into a tall, su-
perbly built, dignifed and graceful
young man-an exceptionally hand
some fellow, and, needless to add, be-
CO me a great fayorite with the ladies'
On his return from the Braddock
wars, where horses had been shot from
Under him and he stood firm when
the Kings soldiers mad run away, ne
received the following epistle from
some of his fair admirers.
Dear Sir: After thanking Heaven
for your safe return l must accuse you
of great unkindness in refusing us the
pleasure of seeing you this night. | do
assure you that nothing but our being
.atisfied that our company would be
disagreeable should prevent us from
tying if our legs could not carry US
to MtVernon this night, but if you'll
not come to us tomorrow morning
very early we shall be at Mt. Vernon.
'S(ALLY) FAIRFAX,
ANN SPEARING,
"ELIZ'TH DENT"
His first proposal Of marriage was
made to Miss Sally Cary. She re-
fused him. This Miss Sally was doubt
less, the true Low Land Beauty re-
ferred to so touchingly in the letter
above quoted; and, probably, the pro-
posal was made when both were very
young.
In 1856 Washington met Mary Phil
lipse at the manor house of her family
in what is now the city of Yonkers.
With his usual ardor he speedily fell
in love with her; and wooed, proposed
and was again Tilted. However, It
would seem that he did not waste any
paper or ink or sentimental poetry
over this rejection He had passed
his 'tsilly age" and was becoming |
sensible.
The third time Washington proposed |
marriage it was to a widow, and he