Evening journal., 1916-02-21

take Of allowing me too little time
to answer. For instance. a boy Will
write me on Tuesday for informant. n
he wants to use in a composition on
Thursday; of course l cannot reply in
time"
How much time should we and
these other boys and girls allow you?''
asked jimmy
AT least week, and if possible.
ten days"
'I'll remember that" said Joe to
himself; then he added aloud But
you can tell us a great deal about
George Washington, can't you, Uncle
Harry?'
Yes said Uncle Harry. Every
patriotic American knows about
George Washington. Sometimes. how
ever in the hurry and hustle of mod
ern times we are apt to think of
George Washington as a great and
good man, as the Father of his Coun.
try and so on-but we forget that he
was human just like us. and that
doubtless when he was a boy he had
compositions to write like Joe here
and that when he was a man he had
mems problems to solve like mine
Let's think Of him, not as historical
character, but as a living acquaintance
OF Ours-a friend"
"All right said both boys. and
Jimmy continued. "That makes it a
whole lot more interesting"
George was a good scout when
he was a boy. There was nothing of
the mollycoddle about him. He was
a real outdoors boy. He was a leader
among his fellows in athletic sports.
He was the kind of fellow who would
play fullback on the football team If
he lived today and would probably be
captain of the team because he had
head on his shoulders. He would
probably play first base on the base.
ball team, and be president of his
class. He was big and strong One
story says that in his boyhOod, he
threw a stone clear across the Kappa
hammock feat, it is said, that no
one either before or after has dupli
Gated. Then, too. he was a splendid
horseman.
"You know the story Of the cherry
tree and the hatchet. George doubt
less told the truth on that occasion
as he always did but I'll wager he
didn't do II in such goody-goody
way. Instead of saying, father. ! can
not tell a lie he probably said. I did
chop that tree. father. and I'm sorry.
81 would like to have known him
when he was a boy" unused Jimmy.
"And l." said Uncle Harry, taking
up the thought, would like to have
known him when he was a man. AL
his good qualities as a boy contributed
to his splendid manhood as a man
He was dignified, fearless. wise and
modest. He took an active part in the
fighting in the early days of the colon
les. In one battle four bullets passed
through his coat. Always he led hi:
men ably. In 1853 he was elected &
member of the House of Burgesses o
Virginia. At the first meeting he at
tended, the speaker complimented hin
on his military success. Washington
rose to reply but his modesty over
came him; he stammer, trembled anC
could not say word. Sit down. Mr.
Washington, said the speaker, You
modesty equals your valor and tha
surpasses the power of any language
possess.
Gle served his country faithfully
as soldier, general statesman ant
President Only his courage ant
bravery maintained the Americ.I
cause during the dark days of thu
Revolution. when the American arm,
"a few thousand hungry soldiers
poorly equipped, stood out the win
ter at Valley Forge. Only his deter
mination to win out for what he knew
was right-the right Of people L