The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1909-02-26
Two National Heroes

This month is sacred to the mem
.ry Of the birth of two Of tAe
brightest lights in the annals OF
american history, Warrington
aud Lincoln.
Washington, the dearly beloved
VINO lett n o posterlty so that (as 1t
mas 50 fittiugly been said) that the
nation might call him
Father-Linc0ln, that great noble
hearted soul who became the
emancipation of the slaves at the
same time being the Savior OF a
lnited nation.
The lives Of these two noble
men while loved alike by every
honest American heart present
throughout their Uy,s at somc
faces striking contrasts, at other
places beautiful parallel.
Experiences and circumstances.
Both lived at q time when men
{ ,tanln4. grit, EuHHnesS OF
mind and kindness Of heart and
sympathy were needed one dur
.ng the Revolutionary war tho
,ther during the civil war-anC
aoth men possessed these character
istics in such abundance that they
won s. prominence and popular
owe from the people that will Only
Increase as the years go by. Even
the bible saith that time ana
hance happeneth to us all" Sc
hey lived in a time when c;rcum-
stances Glanced to be such as to
out all Of their noble guam
and make Of them beloved by
the nation.
In personal appearance we find
striking contrast. We are told
hat Washington was tall six feet
. inches, his manners easy and
lignified, his countenance refined
and intelligent, He was q mode
n all athletic sports strong mus
yular and proof against exposure
and fatigue, Lincoln too was tail
but he was thin and gaunt, awk'
ward and EXTREMITY homely il
features yet his eyes had a lightir
them which betokened love and
wit and intelligence.
Washington was the son of q
planter and was related in a dis
tant way to many Of the best fam
lilies of Virginia. His early days
were spent in the sports and pleas.
ures peculiarto the sons of planter;
and although his youthful edu.
was not entirely neglected
vet it was not what one would
call very good. His most marked
peeuliarties were good sense and the
faculty of seeing good shings as
thew are or were. AS his parents
neither rich or poor George
prepared himself for the work Of
surveyor for which he was excel
fitted. Through the influence
of a friend Lord Fairfax he was ap,
pointed a public surveyor and fol
three years he faithfully persuec
this laborous profession. From
this public life his growth in pub
lie esteem increased very rapidly
and he arose swiftly from on'
position to another, mayor and ad
jutant general of one of the Mill
tary districts OF Virginia, late
when the French and Indian wa
broke out Mayor Washington wa
sent as a commissioner to Frencl
headquarters to demonstrate. Iii
admirable conduct on this occasion
ended only in his appointment a
lieutenant colonel of the Virgini
regiment of six companies sen
to the Ohio frontier. Besides cor
slant acquisition in positions an
places Of trust, through the deaf
of o relative he became tn
posessor sof Mt. Vernon, a domai
which extended ten miles along Il
Potomac River. This made hi
one Of the richest planters in vi
ginia, His fortune vas futher az
vanced when in 1853 he Marie
a wi low lady Mrs. Martha Cnrti
His style Of life was for a time a
most baronial. He had 3 chari'
and four, with black position
In livery for the nse Of his Wi
while he himself usually rode .