Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-08
WASHlNGTON'S MOTHER.

Mary Love Dickinson writing in 'The Christian Herald" of Mothers of famous sons has the following to say Of Mary Washington. which is an in- spiration to all mothers rearing q family destined to be our future law makers and influential citizens.
 A lovely picture, dear to all our hearts, is that of the mother keeping the cradle ajog with her foot, while her hands are busy with the tiny socks or the bigger socks, whose mending is sometimes the mothers only touch upon the household understanding But the mother who would keep her hand upon the growing life must learn to deal with other points than those at the end of the needle, to weave stronger bonds than can be made of darninS- cotton, and to sing the music to which the young new life keeps step, after the cradle is deserted and lullabieS have ceased to charm.
 That mothers have been doing these greater things all down the centuries is proved by the record of the Doblest men of every nationality. The list is so long that few names which it is possible to choose should be consider ed suggestive of the riches of the field rather than as illustrative of the great, amply proven fact that the dominant factor ill most great lives has been the influence of the mother.
 Notwithstanding everybody's fami liarity with her history and character istics the name of the mother of Washington has rightful precedence i'll our list. She was. beautiful girl. called the Rose of Epping Forest.' She married Augustus Washington, a Ii6nyNaI. standing and noble character, of large property and considerable personal at fractions. She was brought to tine large old-fashioned colonial house on the banks of the Potomac where we can fancy the bride covertiy exploring her new home and. scanning the foot prints of her predecessor. Tn this voy age of discovery she was arrested by a small but rare treasury of books. The fyleaf of one revealed the name of the owner, the first wife. Jane Washington Finding the inkhorn she wrote firmly beneath And Mary Washington" probably the first time she had written her new name. We all know how she read this book-it was Sir Matthew Hale's Contemplations- to ner StepSOnS and her own sons: how it was reverenced by George Wash ington. and how it is treasured to-day at our national Mecca, Mount Vernon, Where both as mother and mistress, Mary Washington led and guided her boy into the manhood that made him his country's leader and guide. Here alSo as the Revolutionary war went on. and her neighbors thronged her with plaudits and praises of her noble son--their idol and hers-she restrain ed their cXtravagant words saying simply, George seems to have de- served well of his country. but we must not praise too much; George has not forgotten his duty
 When she heard of the surrender at Yorktown she raised her hands and feryently thanked heaven that all was over. She had not seen her son for seven years. Now he was coming home. No word of glory or hon ors' fell from his lips or hers Yet this king among men had his reward.
 His mother had lived to welcome him back!
 One has only to recall the familiar story of this noble mothers life to recognize it's moulding power upon the patriot. the soldier and the states man. His high temper and his habit of self-control were like her, as were his principles of equity and justice, his power of dealing with great and grave issues and his habit of prac- tical business detail. It was like her and like him. when she knew the world was regarding him as head of the nation. leader of victorious hosts. to say. He has been good son. believe he has done his duty as a man."