The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-04-08

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depend upon being received with hos
pitality;" and twas certain many be-
sides strangers would seek out the
young major at Mount Vernon whom
his neighbors had FASTENED to make
their representative in the house of
burgesses, and the old soldier OF the
soldierly house of Fairfax, who was
president of the kings council, and
so next to the governor himself A
boy who was much at Mount Vernon
and at Mr.. Fairfax's seat, Belvoir,
might expect to see not a little that
was worth seeing of the life of the
colony.
George was kept at school until he
was close upon sixteen; but there
was ample vacation-time for. visiting.
Mrs. Washington did not keep him at
her apron-strings. He even lived,
when it was necessary, with his broth
er Augustine, at the old home on
Bridges creek. in order to be near
the best school that was accessible.
while the mother was far away on
the farm that lay upon the Rappahan-
mock. Mrs. Washington saw to it,
nevertheless, that she should not lose
sight Of him altogether.
Apprenticeship In the Woods.
When he was fourteen it was pro-
posed that he should be sent to sea,
as so many lads were, no doubt, from
that maritime province; but the pru-
dent mother preferred he should not
leave Virginia, and the schooling went
on as before-the schooling of books
and manly sports. Every lad learned
to ride--to ride colt or horse, regard
less of training, gait, or temper-in
that country, where no one went afoot
except to catch his mount in the pas.
ture. Every lad, black or white. bond
or free, knew where to find and how
to take the rowing game in the for
ests. And young Washington, robust
boy that he was, not to be daunted
while that strong spirit sat in him
which he got from his father and
mother alike, took his apprenticeship
on horseback and in the tangled
woods with characteristic zest and
ardor
Acquires the Art of Mastery.
! He was, above all things else, a
capable, executive boy. He loved
mastery, and he relished acquiring the
most effective means of mastery in
all practical affairs. His very exer-
else books used at school gave proof
of it. They were filed, not only with
the rules, formulate, diagrams and ex-
ercises Of surveying. which he was
taking special pains to learn, at the
advice of his friends, but also with
careful copies Of legal and mercantile
papers, bills of exchange, bills of sale,
bonds, indentures, land warrants,
leases, deeds and wills, as if he meant
to be a lawyers or a merchants clerk.
1t would seem that, passionate and
full Of warm blood as he was, he
conned these things as he studied the
use and structure OF his fowling piece.
the bride he used for his colts, his
saddlegirth, and the best ways of
mounting. He copied these forms Of
business as he might have copied
Beverley's account of the way fox or
the wild turkey trapped.
The men he most admired-his
elder brothers, Mr.. Fairfax, and the
gentlemen planters who were SO much
at their houses-were most of them
sound men Of business, who valued
good surveying as much as they adj
mired good horsemanship and skill in
sport They were their own mer-
chants, and looked upon forms of
business paper as quite as useful as
plows and hogsheads. Careful exer-
else in such matters might well
enough accompany practice in the
equally formal minuet in Virginia, and
so this boy learned to show in almost
everything he did the careful preci-
sion of the perfect marksman.
Goes to Mount Vernon.
In the autumn of 1747, when he was
not yet quite sixteen, George quit his
formal schooling. and presently join
ed his brother Lawrence at Mount
Vernon, to seek counsel and compan-
ionship.
Lawrence had conceived a strong
affection for his manly young broth
er. Himself man of spirit and hon
or. he had high-hearted mans hk-
ing for all that he saw that was in
domitable and well-purposed in the
lad. generous mans tenderness in
looking to the development of this
thoroughbred boy; and he took him
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..cs5I.is3 -. 80. -. 70