The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-12
CHAPTER xxxvI.
I MEET GEORGE WASHINGTON

1t was not until had Deen at the
Horne house an hour or more that my
friends knew all my history, so much
| had 1 to tell. We had drawn the big,
old-fashioned settee up before the fire.
Edith was at my left, next my heart,
my arm about her. Aunt Abigail at
my right, my other arm about her;
Uncle Jason sat just beyond, his face
very red from leaning out toward the
fire. that he might see my lips and
miss not a word of my story.
And so l must call you Duncan?"
remarked Edith with a sigh as she
nestled closer.
And thou art no longer Quedar?'
chimed in Aunt Abigail.
Sweetheart" replied /, kissing
Edith, Ito you shall l be Quedar--any
| name you choose to call me. Since you
chose me when / had no name, any
name will sound sweet from thy lips.
Ny dear Aunt and Mother" and I
kissed her also, ito thee shall trust
be as before-"my son" for / know
both you and Uncle Jason would have
| it SO. l have heard that title as 1t
was wont to fall from thy lips, when
| far from these scenes, and it has re-
strained me many times from some
rash speech or action such as the son
gether the dear old couple reached for
| the hand nearest them. Uncle Jason
was quickest and pressed it in both his
own while his fine old face expressed
his emotions, even before he spoke:
Verify! Verify Quedar. God is In
deed good, to give us such son, for
| that thou hast been to our hearts these
many days That thou shalt ever be-
|. lament" responded Aunt Abigail fer
| vently, for she had forgotten she was
a Quaker.
"And there is another" 1 continued
'she of whom have spokeh-my Aunt
ESally. She, too will have some claim
on me, for she has accepted me as her
own son already and is at this very
hour, l have no doubt, lying awake
planning how she can best advance my
Interests. 1t would seem to me that
God is very good. Circumstances, the
deeds of wicked people, robbed me OF
! friends in my childhood, but i seems
now as if / was to be more than rec
ompeneed You will find my Aunt Sal
| ly masculine woman, brusque and
full of business affairs, such as usual
| ly engross men, but with woman
heart all the same"
Indeed! But we must know her and
tell her how we love her for your sake;
4 and that at once" broke in Edith.
"She will receive thee as she does all
other ladies-oflly after she hath dis
posed of whatever stroke of trade she
hath at hand" remarked Uncle Jason
| grimly II know her and l know that
her errand in this city is one of gain.
She hath bought not less than ten thou
sand pounds of certificates and CONT
mental scrip, these last three days,
venture to say, and she hath bought
! them at the lowest possible figure, TOO
A shrewder, sharper being, man or wo-
| man, dwelleth not in all America
Feared, yet loved by all, her word Is
one of weight Her purse-no mar
knoweth how long 1t is"
The next morning, however, wher
we four called Aunt Sallie drove every
one else from the room, and, kissing
the ladies, she shook Uncle Jasons
hand with a vigor that none but a
strong man usually brings to bear
Shades of Xantippe! But how her
| tongue did fly! And all the time was
she thinking, planning and scheming
| Four times did she call in her black
| man Hosea, who seemed machine, SO
| fast did he write and as many short
crisp letters did she dictate to him.
She kept her colored page, Moses, con-
stantly on the jump, bringing In this
message, taking out that. She dealt
! IN horses, lands, tobacco and all the
while kept up her social chat with the
ladies'. My head was in whirl as she
| finally dismissed us, commanding that
meet her promptly at Of the clock
| When / called at that hour 1t was
to find seven men awaiting her pleas
ure-tobacco buyers and sellers, land
/ lenders
She had no use for them. / entered
and sat down. She paid little atten-
ton to me. Each man as admitted
her rule was one at time-she seemed
| to read as she might "a book. Their
deepest designs she uncovered with a
question Their errandS she fairly di-
vined and drew all from them in one
third the time l could have done the
same. She transacted business involv-
ing thousands with those seven men
inside of 20 minutes and then gave or
ders to admit no more. I'm done with
business for today" was her CURLY de-
livered decision. And now, young
man" turning to me, there's one man
/ want you to see. can't send for
him. He'd come perhaps, if I did, but
know the respect due him. You and l
must call on General Washington.
Aunt may 1 inquire what business
we have with His Excellency?'
why! l reckon he'll wish TO see you,
knowing your father and uncle as he
did" replied my aunt, somewhat eva
sively, l fancied.
as that all you wish to see him for,
Aunt?" She flushed and looked trifie
annoyed. l felt that 1 might as well
come to the point at once and have
done with it, Dear Aunt, 1 know your
interest in me and also realize that by
reason of your position in our valley,
your wealth and
Lord bless you, lad! The wealth s
yours. Not mine"
Have it as you will, Aunt. con-
slider il yours. however. AS I was
saying-owing to your personal ac-
o1aintance with His Excellency, the
wealth of our family, etc, you can
doubtless obtain for me such a position
as you covet, although where your
ambition would stop l know not. But
We willy admit your good intentions,
vour influence, and all that and grant
| that YOU succeed. What have you or
what we went after, haven't we?"
she snapped.
''Yes: and more. The enmity of every
man over whose head have been lift
ed Look at Major Woolsey! There Is
a case in point Well equipped, so far
las his knowledge of military tactics is
| concerned. he has never earned his po-
sition. His advancement is not on the
basis of merit for he is a coward in
action where Indians must be met His
present position is due entirely to his
| fawning attitude before Gates. am
as ambitious for myself as you can be
for me. l do most earnestly desire to
win promotion, but win 1t l must, or
nor possess it. 1 cannot permit any Of
| INV friends to commit nepotism for my
sake She was growing angry now.
/ could see it in her eyes. knew that