Chapter Page I Boyhood 11 II The Surveyor 25 III Three Years in the Wilderness 32 IV The Ambassador 38 V Washington’s First Battles 45 VI A Year of Peace 54 VII Quarrel with the Mother Country 68 VIII A Trial of Arms 78 IX Washington Chosen Commander-in-Chief 82 X Washington Before Boston 86 XI The Declaration of Independence 93 XII Trying Times 98 XIII Washington Crosses the Delaware 106 XIV Lafayette—Kosciuszko—Steuben 113 XV Peace is Declared 120 XVI Washington’s Farewell to the Army 126 XVII Last Days 135 XVIII Blest be His Memory 142 Appendix 145 Illustrations Page George Washington _Frontispiece_ Washington among the Indians 34 Washington Crossing the Delaware 108 Washington as Proprietor 134 George Washington Chapter I Boyhood The contemplation of the wonders of the universe is always inspiring and uplifting—the crystalline purity of the sky, the splendor of the sunrise and sunset, the grandeur of the starry night, the fragrant forest, the smiling landscape, the tree, the flower, the boundless ocean, and all the countless manifestations of nature. But how much greater our admiration and inspiration when we reverently contemplate the progress of a noble human soul toward ever higher and higher planes of perfection! Some of the good seed which it scatters may take root in our minds to strengthen and develop the best that is in us. We perceive the possibilities of the race and what we may ourselves become if the will to strive keeps pace with a love for what is good.