Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-18

whose farm was to be a part of the
future capital. Washington, who was
then president, took great interest in
laying out the city and demonstrated
with Mr.. Burns about his attitude.
Whereupon the old Scotchman grufly
responded: Il suppose, Mr. Washing
ton, you think people here are going
to take every grist from you as pure
grain, but what would you have been
if you had not married the Widow
Custis?"
Were Washington's love affairs end
ed when he married? There are those
who say not. Mr.. Ford in consider
ing this question says that stories of
his immortality are banded about in
clubs, well-known clergyman has
vouched for their truth, and a United
States senator has given further cur
rency to them by claiming special
knowledge on the subject" Undoubt-
eddy there were scandalous stories
afoat about him, but so far as a close
investigation shows he cannot be call
ed an immoral man. He certainly
was very impressionable to the
charms of women, even to the point
of making his wife jealous at times,
but there is no we'll authenticated in
stance of infdelity on his part.
Before his marriage perhaps it was
different, and the people down in
Posey county, Indiana, have a tradi-
ton and generally believe that he was
the father of General Thomas Posey,
who was the first territorial governor
of Indiana. AS General Posey was
born in 1850 on the Potomac when
Washington was surveyor and IS
years Of age the story is not alto
gether improbable. Washington was
well acquainted with the Posey family
and as his correspondence shows was
instrumental in procuring promotion
for young Posey, who served in the
revolutionary army.
In respect to his ability to tell lies
there is evidence that he could easily
use lie when it would serve the pur-
pose. Not that he was untruthfu1 in
his relations with men or in business
but he did not hesitate to deceive
when deception would answer his pur-
pose.
When he was president and
travelling in the south a party of gen
tlemen wished to attend him on his
journey from certain place He did
not wish it because of the dust they
would make, SO he told them he would
leave before in the morning. But"
as he enters in his journal, 81 did it a
little after 5, by which means / avoided
the inconvenience above mentioned"
that is, the dust Of the roads AT
another time he told an English
traveller that he never was so much
annoyed by the mosquitoes in any
part of America as in Skenesborough
for that they used to bite through the
thickest boot"
There are many other instances of
this sort to be found outside the
strictly veracious history of Mr..
Weems
That he was a man of perfect
rectitude is undoubted and in bust
ness exact in all his dealings to the
uttermost farthing. He would have
his just dues and he was equally
prompt in paying. Many of his let
Der of anecdotes are told illustrating
it.
Valley Forge Prayer.
Weems and some of the other
biographers have much to say about
his religious beliefs and Weems tells
of his going out into the snowy woods
at Valley Forge to pray 1t is more
than doubtful if he ever prayed in his
life. When he was a child, and
was baptized in the Episcopal church
and whenever he attended worship, as
he did during his presidency, it was
to that church. But he never was a
member and never partook Of the COM
munion. When at Mount Vernon he
occasionally attended Powhick church,
which he was instrumental in having
built, but his Sundays were usually
spent in looking over his accounts, in
writing letters and sometimes in fox
hunting.
He was fond of the theater, of card
playing and of dancing and could
swear on occasion. He had a liking
for speculation and was a regular
buyer of lottery tickets. Hunting,
fishing and horseback riding were his
favorite amusements, and he lived
much in the open air. He took his
pleasures like a man who keenly en-
joyed them. His nature was large,
wholesome and sane, and no better
balanced mind was ever born in
America. AS man possessing the
passions and ambitions of humanity,
upright, sincere and honest, he re-
mains an example for mankind in all
generations.
i