The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-19
By Edgerton Davies.

lOus Pa1r OF haschls.
BY Edgerton Davies.
have Just been reading a note from the
diary of Gen Washington, who will re-
main until the crack Of doom the one
! great, fiawless, dignified hero of the ma
ton, if not Of the world. A hero means
one who is a brave gentleman all the time.
Says Gen. washington's diary. June 30,
1875: "Dined with only Mrs. Washington,
which I believe. as the first instance Of
It since my retirement from public life
That was eighteen months after coming
home from his victorious wars. Think of
the horror of it! For all that time inquis-
tive hero worsbipers had been dropping in
just about dinner time to say: How Won
| derful really, Mr.. Washington! 1t makes
me quite shudder TO think Of; really and
truly it does. Obi 1 must kiss your hand!'
And poor George would have to be polite
and ask them to stay for dinner.
How coy that little dinner on June 30
1855, must have been, how homelike at
last, when Gen. Washington raised his
glass. and said: Martha. my love. your
health. That ribbon becomes you vastly.
You look too young for battered old hulk
like me-
George" said Mrs. Washington. don't
dare talk like that! You a battered what
did-you-say! The idea! Why not
young man In old Virginia has your fig
ure."
Then she got up and came round the ia
bic and kissed him, the cupbearers having
Withdrawn, and they walked together in
the gentle summer afternoon, and his eX-
cellency said, as he gathered some cher
ries, why can't people always leave US
in peace, Martha? How nice this is. Let's
go and look at the pigs
There were heaps of birthday presents
awaiting his excellency, and all the jolly
back house servants wished him long life
aid happiness, and a table was weighed
down with 5000 birthday poems from the
) coo most promising poets in the coun.
try, ana there was a heap of newspapers
with marked edourals in his praise, and
every man who had ever invented any
thing from a clockwork clambaker { a
most curious and amusing contrivance) to
base ball, sent the general one, ana
every man, woman and child who had
written a book. even if not published, sent
a copy TO George Washington. Yes,
everybody sent him a present and wished
him joy and most of them wished some>
thing for themselves in return.
Certainly George Washington should
have been happy with all these beautiful.
costly things, but somehow he slipped to
the attic and left all his gifts and looked
at the little Ratchet his father had given
Inn years and years and years ago, and
he said, as he put it back. when was
happier, then or noW?"
When the visitors came, very old men
who told him he could never hope TO live
as long as they, for they had constitu-
tons like iron, and he must enjoy him.
self before il was time TO give him a
state funeral; and very old ladies who had
known his father, and called him "Geor-
gle and very young misses who trem-
bled so they could hardly utter the words
of congratulation they had learned by
heart And there was one manly little
rascal who rode up on his pony, bearing
his grandfather's compliments, and push
ed straight at the hero crying:
Central grandpa's compymens, happy
returns, mine too. General, l want TO
know. grandpa says you're a hero, and
I want to be hero. too. when I'm growed
up. Can't I please? Granpa says not 10
talk nonsense. 1t isn't nopsense, is 1t
general? Can't 1 be a hero when I'm
growed big?"
Big George Washington stopped and lift
ed the chid-did you ever know hero
that didn't love children? -and kissed his
check and whispered:
None of us can be great or good with
out Gods blessing. To he a hero you must
be good a. great. So pray first and all
ways that God viii make you good"
The little enthusiast looked deep and
grave into the generals eyes, suddenly
kissed the kind mouth hard, said II will "
and, sliding down, rode off with his groom
always a better man for that caressing
whisper.
When it was still long from the stately
festival dinner George Washington Slip
ped away from the crowd at the house,
and wandered off to himself though with
great dread that some pale young man
should jump out from a BUSH and fire a
birthday ode at him.
Now he was off Mount Vernon farm
and by a lane away from the main road
In the corner of the lane, in a most de
serted newly cleared spot. about fifty feet
| back in the bushes was the newest of tiny
| cottages, with implanted walls, and rough
| timbers, and a newly laid out garden at
the back. George Washington looked
| from the wood through which he was wan
dering and paused.
THAT was not there when I had time
before the war to run about said he
who can they be? They're not Afri-
| cans Oh, no.
For from the house came a bright voice
! that was certainly Virginian.
Now, Jack!' said the voice, you must
not be lazy, because there as ever so much
| to do before father comes home"
81 amt lazy, Martha" said another
voice. Enthusiastically the shrill one of a
boy. I'm doing what dad said-rm
looking after you, and protecting you"
"Oh, Jack, do you call eating raisins and
sitting on the table protecting me?"
''Well, it is. If anyone was to come
round now 10 hurt you, even King
George himself, wouldn't 1 be ready to
kill him."
well" said Martha with a laugh, "I
don't expect King George this morning.
| Our George, bless him
"Hooray!"
HAS boxed his ears. But there is work
| to be done"
Il don't see auy?"
"You are looking only at the raislus.
How do you expect to eat If you don't
work? And how am 1 to get supper for
daddy in the evening""
on l have thought of that. I'll go
| fishing, and you'll fry them"
and ush would r,ratact w. ,,,Lst.