The New York herald., 1922-02-22
Washington's Human Side.

Set IN the forefront of the nations
history, the figure of WASHINGTON
loses none of its majestic proper
tions as the years recede. Rather is
our perception of him clearer, as
when moving out from the city
streets into the distance of perspec-
tive we realize the grandeur of a
noble edifice. Moreover, the recent
international conferences have done
more than bring to the front the full
purport of his utterances and his
personality. They have added sigpif-
canoe to his prophetic warnings.
Yet the very fact that this august
figure suffers naught in the passing
of the years, while his fame refuses
oblivion, may blind us to the helpful
symmetry of his full humanity. His
was so we'll balanced an organization
of body mind and spirit that we are
apt to dwell upon his lofty serenity
and majestic poise, forgetting those
phases of his personality that cheer
and uplift the average man. For
this otherwise praiseworthy repre-.
sentation of WASHINGTON our art is
largely responsible. In literature
also the historian rightfully dwels
upon and sets in high lights those
traits that allure the populace and
those mental requirements that are
as rare as snowy peaks.
Yet there are fertile valleys and
flower bordered paths through the
level meadows. While we say, Away
with WEEMs! it can be proved that
WASHINGTON because he had the
merry heart that doeth good like q
medicine was very near to the peo-
pie who called him Father. In this
case family traditions are not to be
despised. There are persons living
who talked with eye witnesses who
themselves saw and talked with
WASHINGTON. These have told us
that whether in military or in civic
life WASHINGTON won the admiration
not only of warriors and statesmen
but even of little children and rosy
maids.
We have the story from those
reared in the same household with
those who as very young girls had
seen WASHINGTON at Valley Forge.
Later as eager maidens robed in
white and standing in the throng
along the Old York road they well
coined with music and garlands the
President-elect on his way through
Philadelphia to New York. AS young
ladies they later attended the recep-
tions of the Chief Executive on Mar
ket street. No White House then but
commodious dwelling when the
Quaker City was the nations capital.
AS true as anything committed 10
formal documents is this testimony
of the contemporaries on both sides
of the house in their commonplace
fireside talk of old experiences to
their grandchildren.
They saw or served the Comman-
der-in- Chief when he was in the vigor
of his early forties and the President
when in the wisdom of his late six
ties, and all of them told the same in
innate story of gentleman at per-
feet ease without affectation. When
these little girls of Valley Forge went
to Philadelphia for their education
they used to slip out of the Lutheran
church at Fourth and Cherry stree's
and HE across the then green fields
to Christ Church at Second and Mar
ket streets with double hope: They
might see the President put Lady
WASHINGTON in her carriage and they
might catch his smile and bow to the
people. Then-and how they did tell
it with girlish volubility interlarded
with many uperlatives-they at
tended the Presidential receptions on
Market street where the Republican
Court assembled.
Did the Father Of his Country un-
bend? Yes, and literally so. Nothing
better did those sirens love than
toward the end of the formalities to
get his Excellency in a corner, tell
him stories and even make pert re-
marks about the visitors and social
appraisements which we're not al
ways reverent. Then It was that an
august form assumed more and
oftener the curve of bow than
the rigidity of a ramrod. When
WASHINGTON went sleighing, a pas
time in which he INDUCED often, it
is remembered that his laughter
could be heard rods away.
or other emotions-not hidden In
that armor OF reserve with which
he froze the all too numerous climb
ers and sympathy with
his soldiers and tears even when,
without condescension, but himself
suffering the pain of comrades sor-
row, he visited the unlucky hnancier
Of the Revolution, ROBERT NORRIS,