The Washington herald., 1913-01-06

But the end came for him before lie
could see the lad out of boyhOod. He
died April L, 17i3. when he was but forty
nine years of age. and before George
was twelve: and in his will there was.
of course. for George only a younger
sons portion. The active gentleman had
been twice married. and there were seven
children to be provided for. Two sons
of the first marriage survived. The bulk
Of the estate went, as Virginian custom
dictated, to Lawrence, the eldest son. To
Augustine, the second son, fell most of
the rich lands in Westmoreland.
He Inherits n Farm.
George. the eldest born of the second
marriage, left to the guardianship of his
young mother, shared with the four
younger children the residue OF the estate.
He was TO inherit his fathers farm upon
the Rappahannock, to possess, and to
cultivate II he would. when he should
come of age; but for the rest his fortunes
were 10 make. He must get such serv-
iceable training as he could for life of
independent endeavor. The two older
brothers had been sent to England to get
their schooling and preparation for life.
as their father before them had been TO
get his-Lawrence 10 make ready to take
his fathers place when the time should
come; Augustine, it was at first planned,
to fit himself for the law.
George could now look for nothing of
the kind. He must continue. as he had
begun. to get such elementary and prac-
tical instruction as was to be had of
schoolmasters in Virginia. and the young
mothers care must stand him in the
stead Of a fathers pilotage and oversight.
4 Wise and Provident Mother.
Fortunately Mary Washington was
wise and provident mother. a woman
of too firm a character and too stead
fast a courage to be dismayed by re-
sponsibility. She had seemed only a fair
and beautiful girl when Augustine WASH
ington married her, and there was a ro-
mantle story told of how that gallant
Virginian sailor and gentleman had lit
orally been thrown at her feet out of a
carriage in the London streets by way of
Observation-Disclosures she, too, was a visit
ing stranger out of Virginia But she
had shown a singular capacity for busi-
ness when the romantic days of courtship
were over.
Lawrence Washington. too. though but
when his father died and
left him head of the family, proved him
self such an elder brother as it could but
better and elevate a boy to have. For
all he was so young, he had seen some
thing Of the world. and already had made
notable friends. He had not returned
home out of England until he was turned
Of twenty-one. and he had been back
twelve-month before he was
off again. to seek service in the war
against Spain.
His Brother a Captain.
The colonies had responded with an
unwonted willingness and spirit in 1740
to the home governments call for troops
to go against the Spaniard in the West
Indies, and Lawrence Washington had
sought and obtained commission as
captain in the Virginian regiment which
had volunteered for the duty. He had
seen those terrible days at Cartagena.
with Vernon's fleet and Wentworth's
army, when the deadly heat and blight
ing damps of the tropics wrought a work
Of death which drove the English forth
as no fire from the Spanish cannon could.
He had been one of that devoted force
which threw itself LOO strong upon Fort
San Lasaro. and came away beaten with