The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-07-24
Washington's Advice
 To Foster Children
In Letters Told Them To Choose Friends Care fully-Also Spoke of Love.

this family has heard from you, though you were requested to write once fortnight Knowing how apt your grandmamma is to suspect you are sick. how could you omit this?''
 T have said that none of us have heard from you, but it behooves me to add, that from persons in Alex andrfa, I have, with much surprise, been informed of your devoting much time and paying much attention to a certain young lady of the place. Knowing that conjectures are often substituted for facts, and idle reports are circulated without foundation, we are not disposed to give greater ere dence to these than what arise from fear that your application to books is not such as it ought to be, and that the hours that might be more profitab1y employed at your studies are mtsspent in this manner. 'tRecollect again the saying of the wise man-fThere is a time for all l things'-and sure I am, this is not a time for boy of your age to enter into engagements which might end in sorrow and repentance. Yours af fectionately,
 "G. WASHINGTON" In reply to this, Curtis admitted that he loved the "certain young lady" but was not engaged to her | and that he would enter into no en- agreements inconsistent with my duty | or situation,' but at the same time l he hinted broadly that he thought 1 he had about enough schooling and l was anxious to have paterna1 ap- | proval of his leaving it entirely. This brought forth the following peremp- 1 tory letter from Mount Vernon:
 Dear Washington: You letter of 1 the 21st was received last night The | question, T would thank you to in- | form me whether I leave it entirely, | or not, so that I may pack up ac- cording1y,' astonishes me, for it would l seem if nothing I could say to you made more than momentary impress I sion.
 "Did I not, before you went to 1 that seminary, and since by letter, | endeavor to fix indelibly on your ! mind, that the object for which you | were sent there was to finish a course of education which you yourself were { to derive the benefit of hereafter, and for pressing which upon you, you would be the first to thank your l friends so soon as reason has it's pro- per way in the direction of your thoughts?
 l As there is a regular stage between Annapolis and the federal city, em- DIdCe lIldl as lHe SdSieSI ciiu IlOSL | convenient way of getting to the latter, from whence MT. Law or MT. Peter will, I have no doubt, send you hither, or a horse might meet you
 there, or at Alexandria, at au ap pointed time The family are well and I ann as usual. Your affectionate,
 "G. WASHINGTON"
 The letters are full of such wise
 and typically Washington admoni- l
 "I would guard you against inn
 bibing nasty and unfavorable impress | sions of any one. Let youS judg- l ment always balance we'll before you
 decide, and even then, where there is no occasion for expressing an I opinion, it is best to be silent, for there is nothing more certain than that it Is at all times more easy to
 make enemies than friends. And to
 speak evil of any one is an injury
 for which there is no adequate rep
 aration.
 Choose Friends Carefully.
 '"Tis well to be on good terms lswith all your fellow students, and am pleased to hear you are so, but
 while a courteous behavior is due to
 all, select the most deserving for your
 friendships, and before this becomes
 intimate, weigh their dispositions ano
 characters well.
 ''One thing more and I will close , this letter Never let an indigen1 : person ask without receiving some thing, if you have the means, .alway: , recollecting in what light the widows mite was viewed.
 Think seriously of the advantage: which are to be derived, on the ont
 iiand,. from the steady pursuit of 2 7 course of study to be marked out fol f iyou by your preceptor. whose 1uds