The Washington herald., 1913-01-20

(Coporight le96. By Harper * BrotherA All nshis I
resuved-)
Copyright, 1917. by Mcclure Newspaper sJndicatc)
NO. 13.
\ Washington has emgered. as 1t were, |
after a tense and troubled youth. upon |
a peaceful tract of time, where his pow |
ers could stretch and form themselves
without strain or hurry.
He had robust health. to which he |
gave leave in unstinted work, athletic
strength, and an insatiable relish for
being much afoot and IN tne open,
which he satisfied with early rounds
Of superintendence in the fields where
the men were at their tasks. with many
a tireless ride after the hounds, or
steadfast wait at the haunts OF the
deer; a planning Will that craved some
practical achievement every day. "hlch
he indulged by finding tasks OF better
ment about the estate and keeping MS
men at them with unfiagging discipline;
a huge capacity Of being useful and
for understanding how to be so, which
he suffered his neighbors, his PARISH
his country. the colony itself, to employ
when there was need.
A Competent AIl-round Man.
To Young man. bred these ten
years IN the forests and in the struggle
of warfare upon a far frontier, II had
been intolerable to live tamely, with
cut executive tasks big and various
enough to keep his energy from rust
The clerical side of business he had
learned very thoroughly in camp, as
well as the exceeding stir and strain OF
individual erort-the incessant letter
writing necessary to keep promised per
formances afoot, the reckoning OF men
aud of stores. the nice calculations OF
time and ways and means; and scrutiny
n =
critical a part Of management, and the
slow organization OF effort. He had
been in a fine school for these things
ali his youth. and would have Thought
shame to himself not to have learned
temperance sagacity. thrift and pa
tience wherewith to use his energy
4 Model Family Man.
His happy marriage did him the serV-
ice TO keep him from restlessness HIS
love took his allegiance. ana held him
to his home as to post OF honor ana
reward He had never before had leave
| TO be tender with children, or snow with
what a devotion he could preside over
a household all his own HIS home got
strong hold upon MIN. Ills estates gave
him scope OF command and a life OF
action.
Twas no wonder he kept his factors
busy, and shipped goods authenticated
by the brand.
The sUldierly young planter gave those
who knew him best, as we'll as those
who met him but to pass, the impress
sion OF n singular restraint and SELL
command. which lent a peculiar dignity
and charm to his speech and carriage
They deemed him deeply passionate, and
Vet could never remember to nave seen
him in a passion. The impression was
often a wholesome check upon strangers,
and even upon friends and neighbors,
who would nave sought to impose upon
him.
No doubt he had given way TO bursts
| Of passion often enough IN camp ana
upon the march. when inenciency. dis
obedience, or cowardiCe angered MN houy
| and of 4 sudden. There were stories 10
| be heard of men who had reason to re-
member how terrible he could be in ms
wrath. But he had learned, IN the very
! heat and discipline OF such scenes, how
| he must curb and guard himself against
| surprise, and il was no doubt trials of
! command made in his youth that had
given him the fine sclt-polse men noted
| in him now.
He had been bred IN a strict scnool CT
manners at Belvoir and GTeenway Court.
| and here at his own Mount Vernon in
| the old days, and the place must nave
/ seemed to him full OF the traditions of
| whatsoever was Just and honest and
| lovely and OF good reports as he looked
| back to the time OF his gentle brother.
| Il was still dangerous to cross or thwart
| him indeed. Poachers might look TO De
caught and soundly thrashed by the mas
| ter himself II he chanced their way.
Negligent overseers might expect sharp
| penalties, and unfaithful contractors
strict accounting, il necessary work went
wrong by their tauIt.
! Always Open to Conviction.
| He was exacting almost to the point
| Of harshness in every matter OF just
right or authority. But he was open and
| wholesome as the day. and reasonable
| to the point OF pity in every affair OF
humanity, through it all. Now II was
| my rascally overseer, Hardwtck, In
| his diary, when certain mares were sent
| home scarce able to htghlone, much
less to assist in the business of the plan
! ta,ion,r but not a month later il was
| my worthy overseer. Hardwick. lying
| in Winchester of a broken leg" 1t was
not in his way to add anything to the
| penalties OF nature
| A quiet simplicity OF life and a gen.
uine love of real sport rid him of NOR
bid humors. All up and down the Eng
| lish world. while the eighteenth century
| lasted, gentlemen we're commonly to be
| found drunk after dinner-outside New
| England, where the efficient Puritan
| Church had fastened so singular dis
| cipIine in manners upon n whole society,
\ and Virginian gentlemen had reputa-
| ton for deep drinking which they had
| been at some pains to deserve.
| A rural society Graves excitement, ana
| can get 1t very simply by such practices.
| There is always leisure to sleep after
| ward. even through your dinner comes
| in the middle of the day, and there Is
| good reason you should be thirsty II
you have been since daybreak In the
\ saddle.
| Not n Hard Drinker.
| To ride hard and TO drink hard seemed
to go together in Virginia as inevitably
| as the rhymes in a song, and twas
| famous hard riding after the fox over
the rough fields and through the dense
thickets. II Washington drank only
small beer or cider and couple Of
| glasses of Madeira at dinner, 1t was no
doubt because he had found his quick
blood tonic enough, and had set himself
| a hard regimen as soldier.
He did not scruple to supply drink
enough for the thirstiest gathering when
he presented himself to the voters Of
the country side as candidate for the
House of Burgesses- "A hogshead and
a barrel of punch, thirty-five gallons OF
| wine forty-three gallons of strong cider.
and dinner for his friends" was what
he cheerfully paid for at his first cleo
tion. and the poll footed but few hun
dred votes all told.