The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-11-18

the FORMER, let us. in all matters Of
has a national character to support;
| if we are not, let US no longer act a
farce by pretending to it." AS the
months passed it began to look as if
the farce might be turned into a trag
edy.
Washington SeIf-Possessed.
The troubles of the country, though
y e''-,' l-i1 lott~re -r-;4h +hovr,. 90
wrung his heart for phrases Of protest
ually in the deep labor of working out
the sufficient remedy of reused and
united opinion, though he deemed
them personal to himself, and knew
his own fame in danger to be undone
by them, did not break the steady self
possession of Washington's life at
Mount Vernon.
cts astonishing the packets of let
tiers that daily come for him, from
all parts of the world exclaimed an
English visitor; but it was not till he
/ had struggled to keep pace with his
correspondence unassisted for a year
and a half that he employed a secre-
tary to help him.
Letters of friendship require no
study" he wrote to General Knox;
"the communications are easy, and
| allowances are expected and made.
This is not the case with those that
| objection, and the ID knows what
to prevent error. and to answer the
ends for which they are written"
He grew almost docile, nevertheless,
| under the gratuitous task of courtesy
thrust upon him. His gallantry, bred
| in him since boy, the sense of duty
to which he was born, his feeling that
what he had done had in some sort
committed him to serve his country
though it were only in answering
questions, disposed him to sacrifice
his comfort and his privacy to every
one who had the slightest claim upon
his attention.
Submits to the Painters.
He even found sitting for his por-
trait grow easy at last. In for a pen
ny, in for a pound, is an old adage,"
he laughed. writing to Francis Hop
kinson. 81 am SO hackneyed to the
touches of the painters pencil that l
! am now altogether at their beck; and
sit like patience on a monument
whilst they are deIlneating the lines
/ of my face. -. At first ! was as
! impatient at the request, and as rest
i've under the operation, as colt is
of the saddle The next time / sub
mitted very reluctantly, but with less
flouncing. Now no dray horse moves
more readily to his thill than I do
to the painters chair
Besides the failure Of the public
credit, it concerned Washington to
note the fact that, though he kept a
/ hundred cows, he was obliged to buy
butter for his innumerable guests.
He saw to it that there should be at
least a very definite and efficient
government upon his own estate, and,
when there was need, put his own
hand to the work. He often works
with his men himself-strips off his
coat and labors like a common man."
measures with his own hands every
bit of building or construction that is
going forward. and shows a great
! turn for mechanics" one OF his guests
noted. amidst comments on his great
| ness and his gracious dignity.
/ Unchanged by War.
It was such constancy and candor
and spirit in living that took the adj
nliration Of all men alike upon the
instant; and his neighbors every day
saw here the same strenuous and SIM
pie gentleman they had known before
ever the war began
1t was through the opening of the
Potomac, after all, the thing nearest
his hand-that a way was found to
cure the country of its aalady of
weakness and disorder.
Washington had been chosen presi-
dent of the Potomac company, that 1t
might have the advantage both of his
name and of his capacity in affairs;
and he had gone upon a tour OF In
spection, with the directors of the
company, to the falls OF the river in
the summer of 1875. keeping steadily
/ to the business he had come upon,
and insisting upon being in fact a
private gentleman busy with his own
Affairs. despite the efforts made every
where he vent to see and to enter
tain him: and it presently became