The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-02-21

Washington all day long is a fraud. 1 have been
doing little detective work through the day and
have found out that he is soldier at ALL"
Johnny looked into Uncle Johns face in astonish-
ment but all he could say was, "Prove it, sr!'
Johnny, how dare you speak so rudely to YOUR
unce?' exclaimed mamma; but Uncle John silenced
her with a wave of his hand ''The boy has right
to demand proof of such serious charge" he said
and sister, because he is your son. L wish L could
not make the charge good' he added. Then he went
on, ''In the first place, General George Washington
whom he has been personating all day long-was
big man in every respect. He six feet in
height had big head, big feet, big hands, big heart
and above all big sense of right and honor, while
this pretender is small in every particular enumerat
ed Then Washington loved his mother, and even
when he was almost grown, gave up his desire to
come sailor, simply because it was his mothers
wish that he should do so; besides his obedience to
his mother, he kind to the unfortunate and
would have scorned to attack a party weaker and
smaller than himself, if sworn enemy Anoth-
er characteristic of Washington was he would not
tell lie. 1 wonder how he would feel to-day when
his avowed representative not only told fasehood
about half dozen buns, valued at five cents but
tried to get his soldiers into trouble by blaming
his own careless act upon them?"
surely this pretender is not my son, my Johnny"
said mamma, looking sad. 81 thought it was not
much like the George Washington we read about,
when my little boy refused his mother the trihing
help she asked of him this morning but scarce
y believe that in addition to being rude and disobe-
dent to mother, he is also cruel cowardy and an
untruthful boy
"What would you think of a ten-year-old boy. who
would head lads of his own size in
tormenting of Gods poor unfortunate creatures
scarcely able to distinguish between his right
and his left? Or what would you call a crowd of
boys who would set upon lot of little chaps not
half their size. and after abusing and frightening
them dreadfully, shout themselves hoarse over the
cowardy victory?"
"They could be called nothing but cruel towards"
said Johnnys mother "And L am Washington
would feel disgraced such representatives could
the of such cowardly acts reach his ear"
I'VE were only in fun said Johnny, trying to
look brave. owe only little boys yet, Uncle
John"
"True, Johnny" said Uncle John, "but if you
are such fraud at ten years old, what will you be
when you a man? Remember, my boy, it is not
easy to break bad habits as to form them, and
what boy learns when he is a child will be apt to
cling to him after he becomes a man. If Washing
ton had been disobedient, untruthfu, cruel and a
coward when boy of ten, do you think he would
have grown up to be the good and great man he
in his manhood?"
eff it had only been in fun, he might" argued
Johnny.
But Johnny, you not in fun this morning
when you refused to obey your MOTHER" insisted
Uncle John. cit not fun that kept you from
answering her when she called, and making excuses
when you heard what she wanted. You not
only dsobedient, but unkind and impolite all of
which unmanly. If you wish to represent Wash
ngton you must practice his virtues and grow up
big like him in other ways than in stature"
81 going to begin right away" said Johnny.
IL didn't think ABOUT pretending meaning in
est'-Christian TnteIHgencer.