The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-22

He could paddle canoe all day
and leave anything in these parts be-
hind him and when 1t came To walk
ing. running and riding there wasn't
a man in his class.
Old Chris Gist was something Of
an athelete but George was the cham
pion aA-around wonder of his day.
And shoot! Why that boy was
wonder with the rifle. Old Chris
taught him but he could beat Chris
hollow from the time he was big
enough to tote a gun He could
drive nail with a bullet as far as
ne could see IL and that was some
shooting even in those days
Don't say tut! TUT l know what
l m talking about. Some OF you old
codgers never knew George was a
young man once and was rather proud
OF the fact that he was the CHAM
pfon at any old game.
Did Not Hang Around Home.
/ know he didn't have all the time
in the world to himself and that he
was practically manager OF his half
hrother's estate from the time he was
llttIe more than a kid, but George
dion hang around the house all the
while. Used TO take time to call en-
! the girls. toe. and let me tell you when
eseofge showed up at party ell the
-, 1AO poyS TOOK BACK seat
But the outdoor life was the life for
him. ava
II know there has been all sorts
OF stories told about him. WHY.
honne fool person went and circulated
the story that George one time chuck
cd silver dollar across the Potomac
1ast 10 ,shaa how far he could throw.
Don't you believe 1t. Silver dol
lars hadn't been coined then ana
George never chucked money away.
even IL IL was to prove how far he
could make dollar go.
But IL you want TO know ws,a. .or,
OF an athlete George Washington was
just consider the little outing he took
In the winter OF 1753.
Its quite little Journey fran.
Williamsburg to PittsburK even these
days Automobiles complain Of bad
roads. but still there are roads. YET
you would not find many of our bright
Young athletes undertaking to walk
there and back. would you.
Yet that was one of Georges nsat
little feats.
Cross Country Feat.
Don't forget the conditions. Winter
IA genuine old Colonial winter: snow
Ice. sleet and occasional sunny days.
No roads,
The way led over rivers and
streams, frozen or filled with loose
Ice. through trackless forests save FOR
bison or deer path. or an Indian
trail. And Mr.. Indian was to be COR
sidered. too. Mr.. Redman was sun-
posed to devote his time to hunting
and trapping that time OF year, but
he never hesitated to annex a white
mans scalp and his hunting OUTFIT
when he had the chance and could
get away with It.
There We're no farm houses at
which to put at night. No cabins in
which to take shelter. The way from
Williamsburg to Pittshurg. or For,
Du oaesne. as the French called it
then. was mighty rough way, bnt II
had no terrors for George Washing
ton.
'Old man Gist. who loved him mora
than q son and admired him as only
a true conrade can. went along with
him, but there were times when Gist.
tough. old backwoodsman ~ he was.
was forced TO call quits for the day.
George Was Tireiess.
George Was fought and simply
tireless. and he set terrific pace. You
and me. Judge. are tired after a stroll
Of mile. The average young fellow
Is all in II he does walk OF 1--WE
miles, and the best trained athletes
In our respected universities are con-
siderably eene up at the end OF n
ten-mile cross country run.
What II they had to do a piece OF
cross-country travelling that young
George Washington performed. q con-
tinuous performance for thirty days
and more. north and the same back?
II don't III CIV the distance he COW
cred, but Just consider doing forty
miles day in midwiater over noun
tains. through forests; wadins half
frozen streams crossing wild rivers.
where huge Ice cakes swirled. on logs:
ana then. generally drenched to the
skin. camping out for the night in
u brush make-shift shelter. And car
rying big rifle, ammunition. hlan-
kets. quantity OF parched corn and
some deer Efsat. and living on that
sort OF rations. There's little feat