The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-03-28

TIE LEA DER-FilNl ElII ~.
such inconveniences, had borne what
ever came in his way very cheerily,
with that wholeome strength of mind
which made older men like him, and
would have come off remembering
nothing but the pleasure of the trip
had his noble brother only found his
health again.
AS it was, Lawrence's death put a
final term to his youth. Five other
executors were named in the will;
but George, as it turned out, was to
be looked to to carry the burden of
administration, and gave full proof OF
the qualities that had made his broth
err trust him with SO generous con-
fidence.
Becomes a Major of Militia.
His brothers death, in truth,
changed everything for him. He
seemed of sudden to stand as Law
rence's representative. Before they
set out for the Bahamas Lawrence
had transferred to him his place in
the militia, obtaining for him, though
he was but nineteen, commission as
major and district adjutant in his
stead; and after his return In 1852,
Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie, the
crowns new representative in Vir-
ginia, added still further to his re-
sponsibilities as a soldier by reducing
the military district of the colony to
four, and assigning him one of the
four, under renewed commission as
major and adjutant-general. His
brothers will not only named him an
executor, but also made him residuary
legatee of the estate of Mount Yer
non in case his child should die. He
had to look to the discipline and &C
coutrement of the militia Of eleven
counties, aid his mother in her bust
ness, administer his brothers estate,
and assume on all hands the duties
and responsibilities of man of af-
fairs when he was but just turned OF
twenty.
The action of the colonial govern
mept in compacting the organization
and discipline of the militia by reduc-
ing the number of military dis
tricts was significant of a SIMS
ter change in the posture of af-
fairs beyond the borders. The
movements of the French in the west
had of late become more ominous
than ever; twas possible the Virgin
ia militia might any day see an end
of that Everlasting peace" which
good Mr.. Beverley had smiled to see
them complacently enjoy, and thai
the young major, who was now adju-
tant-general of the northern division,
might find duties abroad even more
serious and responsible than his du-
ties at home.
War Was Inevitable.
Whoever should be commissioned
| to meet and deal with the French up
on the western rivers would have to
handle truly critical affairs, decisive
of the fate of the continent, and it
looked as if Virginia must undertake
the fateful business. The northern
borders, indeed, we're sadly harried
by the savage allies Of the French;
the brunt of the fighting hitherto had
fallen upon the hardy militiamen OF
Massachusetts and Connecticut in the
slow contest for English mastery up
on the continent. But there was real
ly nothing to be decided in that quar-
ter.
The French were not likely to at
tempt the mad task of driving out
the thickly set English population, al
ready established, hundreds of thou
sands strong, upon the eastern coasts.
Their true lines of conquest ran with
in. Their strength lay in their COM
mand of the great watercourses which
fanked the English colonies both
north and west. Twas long from
tier to hold, that may line of lake
and river that ran all the Way from
the Gulf of ST. Lawrence to the wide
mouths of the sluggish Mississippi.
French Well Armed and Ready.
Throughout all the posts and set
Elements that lay upon it from end
to end there we're scarcely eighty