The Life of George Washington. In Words of One SyllablePollard, Josephine
History
The Life of George Washington. In Words of One Syllable
Pollard, Josephine
Presidents -- United States -- Biography -- Juvenile literature; Washington, George, 1732-1799 -- Juvenile literature
He had thought much of the state of the red-men in the land. He had
but small faith in schools for the youth, save as far as to teach them
to read and write. The true means to do them good, he thought, was to
teach them to till the ground and raise crops in the same way as the
white folks, and he said if the tribes were pleased to learn such
arts, he would find a way to have them taught.
In the end, Gen-er-al St. Clair had to be sent out with troops to put
the red-men down. Wash-ing-ton's last words to him were to be on the
watch, for the red-skins were sly and would wait for a chance to find
him off his guard.
But St. Clair did not pay heed to these wise words, and the red-skins
got in-to his camp, some of his best men were slain, and the whole
force was put to rout.
When the news was brought to Wash-ing-ton he said in a quick way, "I
knew it would be so! Here on this spot I took leave of him and told
him to be on his guard! I said to him 'you know how the red-skins
fight us!' I warned him--and yet he could let them steal in-to his
camp and hack and slay that ar-my!" He threw up his hands, and his
frame shook, as he cried out "O what a crime! what a crime!"
Then he grew calm, and said that St. Clair should have a chance to
speak, and he would be just to him. St. Clair was tried, and was found
free from guilt.
Wash-ing-ton's mo-ther died at Fred-er-icks-burg, Vir-gin-i-a, Au-gust
25, 1789, aged 82. When her son first went to war, she would shake her
head and say, "Ah, George should stay at home and take care of his
farm." As he rose step by step, and the news of his fame was brought
to her, she would say "George was a good boy," and she had no fear but
that he would be a good man, and do what was right.
In the year 1789, a great war broke out in France, in which Lou-is XVI
lost his crown and his head, and deeds were done that you could scarce
read of with-out tears. Men seemed like fiends in their mad rage, and
like wild beasts in their thirst for blood.
In 1793 France made war on Eng-land; and in 1797 sought to break up
the peace of the U-ni-ted States, but of this I will tell you by and
by.
In the mean-time the four years--which was the full term Wash-ing-ton
was to rule--came to an end. He had no wish to serve for two terms,
but the choice fell on him, and he once more took the oath, on March
4, 1792. In 1796, as France was still at war, it was thought best that
Wash-ing-ton should hold his place for a third term.
But this he would not do. He had made up his mind to leave these
scenes and to give up that sort of life, and those who plead with him
could not move him. He took leave of his friends in a way that moved
them to tears; and his fare-well speech, though in plain style,
touched all hearts and made them feel what a loss it was to part with
so great and good a man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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