Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-22
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
An Historical Sketch by Clay School
BOy

GEORGE WASHINGTON
An Historical Sketch by a Clay School
Boy.
1. George Washington was born at
Mount Vernon Virginia, February p, 1882.
2. His education was partly conducted
by his mother, and partly at one of the
ordinary schools of the province
g. Before Georges father died he was
given a Ratchet, with which he chopped
down a cherry tree.
f. Then when his father asked who
chopped down the cherry tree George
wouldn't tell a lie, and said: Il did it
father"
s. Another time there was a wild colt
on the farm which belonged to his
mother, and would not be broken. George
determined to break the colt, so he told
his brothers if they would saddle the
colt he would ride the colt
3. The boys then saddled the colt and
George got into the saddle; the colt be-
gan to rear and jump and kick, and tried
to throw George but he stuck on as if he
mad grown there. At last, with one
l'violent effort the colt broke blood yes
sci and fell dead.
l. When Mrs Washington came down
to breakfast she asked George how the
colt was, and George said: 81 killed it,
g. Mrs. Washington was at first very
angry but she was so much pleased by
her sons truth and courage, that she
just told him not to do another thing
like that. All the school boys called
him 1.-The curly headed little boy who
never told a lie"
8. His ambition was to enter the navy.
but his mother objected, and he began his
work of land surveying
10. AT sixteen he was employed to ex-
anime the Allegheny mountains, a task
which was continued for the next three
years.
IL. 1t was no light or easy task, for the
country was a wilderness, and the
weather terrible
u. Only a few weeks at a time could
he endure this life of hardship, but after
an interval of rest and comfort, he
would again start out into a region of
savage mountains and savage men.
IL. At twenty-one he was selected by
Governor Dinwiddie for a service which
demanded great skill as well as daring.
IA. He was required to make his way
into the frontier stations of the French
and bring back information concerning
their positions and military strength, and
an answer from the French commander,
telling why he had invaded British ter
ritory in time of peace.
10. The expedition was all the worse
because winter was coming on. 1t was
October 81, 1913, when Washington started
16. AT the length of nine days he came
to the forks of the Ohio, where the quick
glance of Washington saw the fine capa-
bilities for great commercial city, Now
CincinnatD.
The return was worse than the journey
out. 1t was deep in winter, they had to
wade many creeks in which the water
froze on their clothes
Is. One river they crossed they made
raft of trees which had to be cut
down.
10. George Washington, while steering
the raft out of the way of the ice fell
into the river but he and his companions
reached an island in which they stayed
till morning, when the river was frozen
over. and they went the rest of their
journey on foot. All this time they had
to eat bear and deer, sometimes raw
When Washington reached home the
story of his travels was published, and
he was a great military critic.
20. Dinwiddie attempted to force the
French from the Ohio territory. He put
two companies under Washington, but
they ere too few to succeed, although
they did some good fighting, and Wash
ington gained great honor for his wise
actions and bravery.
81. But Dinw;ddie treated him so dis
respectfully that he went under Brad
dock, whom the King commanded to take
charge of all forces in the field.
q. Washington resigned after the cap
ture of Fort Duquesne.
%. The next year he married Mrs.
Martha Curtis. She, with her two child
rem, he took to his family mansion, at
Mount Vernon
"A. AT twenty-seven we find Washington
country gentleman, proprietor of a
plantation on which tobacco and wheat
were raised, and fisheries and brickyards
carried on. He had 125 slaves
%. He became member of the House
of Burgesses, and Patrick Henry said of
him: For solid information and sound
judgment, he was unquestionably the
greatest man in the Assembly"
20. At the beginning of the war he
was appointed communicative chief of the
army, in which he gained love and fame
and is the father of the country He
was afterward made President for two
terms, and elected President for the
third term, but ne would not take the
office and retired from public life and
went to Mount Vernon, where he died
December Ii, 1893, aged 6S years, and was
buried at Mount Vernon.