The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-02-28
Again HOnorS Washington.


1 1nC1u0uG, ana puTdSeOlOSys Wu1Cu
quote verbatim:
One day George father went into
| the garden and prepared a little bed
of finely pulverized earth, on which he
wrote Georges name at full in large
! letters-then strewing in plenty OF
cabbage seed, he covered them up, and
smoothed all over neatly with the
roller
Not many mornings had passed
away before in came George, with
ewes wild rolling, and his little cheeks
ready to burst with great news.
"Oh, Pal come here come herel''
What's the matter, my son? What's
the uatter?''
ssOh, come here, tell you Pa. come
here and I'll show you such sight
as you never saw in all your life
time -
The old gentleman suspecting what
George would be at, gave him his
hand, which he seized with great
eagerness, and Juggling him along
through the garden, led him point
blank to the bed whereon was in
scribed in large letters, and in all the
freshness of newly sprung plants, the
full name of
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
There Pa said George, quite in
an ecstasy Of establishment, did you
ever see such sight in all your life
timer
Why, it seems like a curious affair.
sure enough, George
But, Pa, who did make it there?"
cit grew there by chance, 1 sup
pose, my son.
Then under Georges cross exami-
nation. the old gentleman was COM
PEELED to acknowledge that he could
tell lies, and that this was one of
them.
AS this incident is given subse-
quent to the cherry tree fable, it may
have been intended to inculcate the
doctrine that the truth is not to be
spoken at all times except by small
boys.
1t is wonder that great men ever
extricate themselves from the boyhood
that their biographers give them in
their search for signs Of future great
ness.
If Washington s early days were as
unnaturally and unpleasantly heroic,
as some of his biographers have repre-
sented them we can understand that
the outcome might have been the aus
tere and unapproachable man CT
quote) whose presence inspired awe
which { did not subside on closer
acquaintance, = with whom no man
was ever connected by the reciprocal
and unconstrained ties OF friend
ship, and who never smiled.
But if that be true picture OF
Washington I think we should almost
be inclined to celebrate the 14th of
December, for he died on that day.
There is nothing more impossible of
belief in the delineation have
given and nothing perhaps more gem
orally believed than that he was
man without a smile.
If our individual biographies are
ever written by some people--they
might truthfully say that they had
never seen us smile--the proper con-
ditions might be wanting, but if it
could be truthfully said of us that
we never smiled, / am sure the biogra-
ply would read like an Indictment.
/ am sure that ha smiled often; at
the prattle of children. whom he
loved, in the retirement and freedom
of private life.
| am sure Ne must have smiled,
even through his tears, at the motley
band OF patriots in their ragged
regimentals'' who won everlasting
fame as the Continental Army.
I am sure he must have smiled at
the scions of nobility who sought
positions on his staff by platoons.
And am just as sure that he
smiled at the eccentricities of Gen.
Charles Lee as am that he swore
when he met him in retreat at Mon
mouth.
Irving gives us several instances
when he actually laughed and you
will remember with pride that one
of these rare events happened in the
camp at Morristown Irving says:
I" Washington had purchased young
horse Of great spirit and power. A
braggadocio Of the army. vain of his
asked the privilege of
breaking 1T. Washington gave his
consent, and with some of his officers
attended to see the horse receive his
first lesson.
After much preparation the pre-
tender to equitation mounted into the
saddle and was making a great dis
play of his science, when the horse
suddenly planted his forefeet, threw
up his heels, and gave the unlucky1
Gambado a somerset over his mead
Washington, a thorough horseman,
and quick to perceive the ludiorous
in these matters, was so convulsed
with laughter, that, we are told, the
tears ran down his checks !"
But Irving gives only a few IN
stances and says he seldom laughed.
So to all its other claims Of pre-
eminence Morristown may add the
browning fact, legend that might
fifty find place on these walls, Here,
Washington laughed
One word on the celebration of this day.
| have quite recently called the attention
of some of you to the fact that il was eele-
brAted during Washington's lifetime.
Isaac Weld in his Travels in America 7
writes from Philadelphia in 1896 as follows;
ION General Washington's birthday,
which was few days ago. this city was
gay, every person Of consequence
in it, Quakers alone excepted, made 1t
point to visit the General on that day. As
early as eleven O'Clock in the morning he
was prepared to receive them, and the
lasted till three in the afternoon.
The society Of the Cincinnati, the clergy,
the officers of the militia, and several
Others who formed distinct body on cit
liens came by themselves separately
This foreign members attended in their
richest dresses aud most splendid equip
ages.
Two large paFlors were open for the re-
eepti0n of the gentlemen. the windows Of
one of which towards the street were
crowded with spectators on the outside,
The sideboard was furnished with cake
I never observed so much cheerfulnesa
before in the cOuMtenance Of General