The Elbert County tribune., 1909-02-18

Judgment which of II
the two men is the greater. But it is
not really important that this question
be decided. Destiny planned a certain
line of work for both men, and they did
that work well. Their innate ability is
only partly responsible for their sue
cess; it was their unselfishness and de-
sire to do well whatever they under
took which helped them to succeed
where others might have failed. If Lin "
coin deserves praise because necessity "
spurred him on to greatness, Washing m
ton deserves as much credit because he WI
became great without being driven on MI
by necessity. Destiny demanded a NI
double role of Washington-she made Ml
him soldier and a statesman, and he YlI
performed both well. His trials as Val
president were almost as great as those ME
he encountered as commander-in-chief WU
of the army He was placed at the head WT
OF a new form of government and did Kll
not have precedents to guide him in M
his undertaking. 1t was his early train VII
ing which taught him to think calmly w
and with Judgment. His mind once M
made up. to act without fear.
He was born on the banks of the Po-
'tomac river in farmhouse; though the
house was far better than a log cabin
1t was not the mansion 1t is supposed
to have been. 1t was a large roomy
place, with deep slopng roof and
big outside chimney at either end He
was one of many children. His father Il
was rich in crops and land. though he
had little real money. Most Virginia
farmers planted tobacco, and when mon
ey was scarce they traded this product J
for food and clothing. His early years
were spent on the farm, with plenty of
exercise and little schooling George loved to
tramp across the fields, forests and to swim
In the streams. His education was gained al
a country school where he was taught for three
hours day. Limited as his education was
he was fond of reading, and he had a book
into which he copied everything he wished to
remember. In this book he put many rules
which he himself had formulated These are
only few of the many:
Labor to keep alive in your breast that lit
tie spark OF celestial fire called conscience"
Think before you speak,
Whisper not in the company of others"
Lawrence, one of the half-brothers, had been
sent to England to school, and the parents
had planned the same for George, but the
father died suddenly, and Mrs. Washington
realized she could not afford to send him across
the ocean, The boy had spent considerable
time on the wharf and talking to seamen had
awakened desire for adventure. These sto
ries created desire to earn a living as a sail
or, and he suggested it to his mother Mrs
Washington did not like the idea of having
career. He was sent back to school to study
surveying When not studying he was training
his company of boys to become soldiers, and he
often got very impatient when they made mis-
takes
Shortly after his brother Lawrence had mar
ried the daughter of Lord Fairfax a member of
this family took great interest in the boy
He had such fancy for the lad he put him to
surveying large tract of land in the Shenan-
doah valley. Though the work was no easy
task he was SO strong and enthusiastic he
acquitted himself exceedingly well. He did
not go alone-a boy. George Fairfax, went as
his aid. They rather enjoyed the new expe-
rience of hunger, cold and facing Indian strat-
egy In later years George recalled his expe-
rience of roughing 1t in the Shenandoah val
ley with great pleasure. This work was sud-
denly interrupted by sickness in the family.
Lawrence, his half-brother. was i'll and the ply
sicians sent him to the West Indies. George
went along to keep him company, only to be
taken with smallpox. Although Lawrence
started for home, he died after his return.
This was great shock to George, for the
brothers were exceedingly devoted; but the
sting Of this loss was partly forgotten by a
commission to go to the French who were
building forts English territory. He was