Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-02-18

my Companions Had we not been very tired,
am sure we should not slept much that
night" ss 8 5 .s ~ sl@ i. sz5a@ %tE.
4 The next night he related that they had good
dinner & a good Feather Bed which was a very
agreeable regale.' Hui Il #
In describing an Indian war dance, he went on,
S"Some liquor elevating their Spirits put them in
We Humor OF Dauncing. Ye best Dauncer jumped
about We ring in a most comicle Manner! 's s$
VI Others OF that wilderness gang told a story OF
the boy surveyor which he was too modest to
relate about himself-h young George turned
the tables on Big Bear, the willy chief who was in
{ the habit Of holding out his sinewy hand with
seeming friendly intent and saying Indian fash.
ion, How" Woe to the unsuspecting white man
whose hand Big Bear seized in his terrible grasp,
while he laughed in savage glee at the pale
faces anguished contOrttons. 5$g5
,#Eg Young Washington had been warned In time.
He had huge strong hand Of his own and knew,
a trick or two that he thought he would like to
try on that Indians wiry claw If he could Just get
the right hold. His chance came soon enough for
Big Bear, who presented seemingly am1caDle
paw with an innocent How 2 IN &S:s s@5i
:. The young surveyor seized the Indians hand
h with such friendly enthusiasm that Big Bear did an
agonizing little dance "in very comical manner"
while the spectators both white and red, stood by
and shouted with glee to see the cruel savage
caught in his own trap ~ Never again did Big
Bear show such solictude for the health of George
Washington 45
AT the age Of twenty George the chosen
envoy to carry notice to quit from the gov
ernor OF Virginia to the French commander en-
camped in the Ohio region He wrote in his jour
nal Of that expedition concerning the supper given
him by the French and Indians at the fort at Ven
ango: && j, 2s.,
" 1.-THE wine, as they dosed themselves pretty
plentifully with it, soon banished the restraint
which at first appeared in the conversation, and
gave license to their tongues to reveal their
sentiments more freely. They told me that it was
their absolute design to take possession Of the
Ohio-and by c. they would do it,"
At the French fort, while awaiting the COM
mandants reply, the young envoy from Virginia
played diplomatic game for the friendship Of the
Indians. When the French piled the Indians with
liquor, young Washington promised them guns;
and the game of diplomacy, seasoned with savage
sauce went on between the grizzled chevalier, old
in the arts of war and duplicity, and the young
Virginia major, who possessed common sense and
humor withal. n ss,s sgI s,&
After the awful slaughter of Fort Duquesne,
into which he had rushed from a bed of fever, In
a vain attempt to save Braddock and his army,
Major Washington was left in command Of the
scattered forces. At this time he wrote to his
brother Jack" letter, which at least suggests
Mark Twain's attitude toward the grossly exag
gerated" story Of his own DEATH vs. 3a ~
Il Forth Cumberland 1S July, 1855
Dear Brother: AS have heard, since my ar
rival at this place. circumstantial account of my
death and dying speech, take this early oppor-
tunity of contradicting the first, and of assuring
you that have not yet composed the latter.