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WASHINGTON'S APPOINTMENTS

RESIDENT WASHINGTON entertained notions about appointments to office which in these days would be thought quixotic. He accepted the presidency with the purpose not to be "swayed in the disposal of places by motives arising from the ties of friendship and blood." There were hundreds of competitors for every office of any importance, among whom were friends, but Washington acted with sole reference to the public good.

A friend and a political opponent applied for the same office, and Washington gave it to the latter. He thus explains the act:

"My friend I receive with cordial welcome. He is welcome to my house, and welcome to my heart, but with all his good qualities he is not a man of business. My opponent, with all his politics, so hostile to me, is a man of business. My private feelings have nothing to do in the case. I am not George Washington, but President of the United States. As George Washington I would do this man any kindness in my power. As President of the United States I can do nothing." -Youth's Companion

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WASHINGTON AT PRAYER

REV. MASON L. WEEMS

Formerly Pastor of Mt. Vernon Parish

N THE winter of '77, while Washington with the American army lay encamped at Valley Forge, a certain good old Friend, of the respectable family and name of Potts, if I mistake not, had occasion to pass through the woods near headquarters. Treading his way along the venerable grove he suddenly heard the sound of a human voice, which as he advanced increased in his ear, and at length became like the voice of one speaking much in earnest. As he approached the spot with a cautious step, whom should he behold in a dark natural bower of ancient oaks but the Com

mander-in-Chief of the American armies on his knees at prayer! Motionless with surprise, Friend Potts waited in the place till the General, having ended his devotions, arose, and with a countenance of angel serenity, retired to headquarters. Friend Potts then went home, and on entering his parlor called out to his wife, "Sarah! my dear! Sarah! All's well! All's well! George Washington will yet prevail!" "What's the matter, Isaac?" replied she; "thee seems moved."

"Well, if I seem moved, 'tis no more than what I am; I have this day seen what I never expected. Thee knows that I always thought the sword and the gospel utterly inconsistent, and that no man could be a soldier and a Christian at the same time. But George Washington has this day convinced me of my mistake.'

He then related what he had seen, and concluded with the prophetical remark, "If George Washington be not a man of God, I am greatly deceived, and still more shall I be deceived if God doth not, through him, work out a great salvation for America."

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WASHINGTON

JOHN FISKE

MERICAN youth know that Washington captured Cornwallis, made a brilliant retreat after the battle of Long Island and worried and fretted the British armies into exhaustion during a seven years' war. They also know that he was President twice and declined to become President a third time. There are not many who know that the only time tears were seen in his eyes was at the close of the war, when his army, encamped upon the banks of the Hudson, was about to be disbanded. There were men in his army who were fearful that the ambitions and jealousies of some of those who had been of influence during the Revolution would attempt to gain great personal power. There were others who believed that there

would be established in America a constitutional monarchy modeled after that of Great Britain. The nation, as we now know it, was a government yet to be created.

So a company of officers-men having influence-having talked this matter over, agreed to go to Washington, ask him to accept the crown of empire and to promise him the support of the army in thus establishing a personal throne. When they approached Washington, he thought that as friends they had come to him for counsel. He was in a happy frame of mind that morning. The war had ended victoriously, and he had already been in consultation with Hamilton respecting the form of civil government which the now free colonies should undertake.

They offered him the crown in but a single sentence. A few years before, across the river, Washington, being seated at breakfast, had been approached by an officer, who told him that Benedict Arnold had fled after an attempt to betray West Point into the hands of the British. The news was appalling, for he had admired Arnold's splendid courage and loved the man. Yet so great was his self-command, so superb his capacity for controlling emotion, so thoroughly had he schooled himself to face adversity with calmness, that those about him only saw a look of sad sternness come to his countenance as he uttered the now historic words, "Whom can we trust?"

But when these officers proposed to him the empire, and tried to put the sceptre in his hands, Washington broke down. There was sorrow and there was anger in his countenance and in his manner. Tears came to his eyes, and, when he dismissed them with a sad gesture and only a brief word, these men realized that Washington had been shocked and grieved that it could have entered their hearts that he could for one moment have regarded an empire as possible, or could have fought through those seven years that he might himself attain the throne. In his actions Washington not only revealed his moral greatness, but made it impossible that a monarchy could ever be established in the United States.

Fame was too earnest in her joy,

Too proud of such a son

To let a robe and title

Mask our noble Washington.

The fame of Washington stands apart from every other in history, shining with a truer luster and a more benignant glory. With us his memory remains a national property, where all sympathies meet in unison. Under all dissensions and amid all storms of party, his precepts and examples speak to us from the grave with a paternal appeal; and his name by all revered-forms a universal tie of brotherhood -a watchword of our union.

THE PART GEORGE WASHINGTON HAD IN THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN FLAG

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T WOULD be interesting if we could tell just what were the earliest ideas of our forefathers about the making of the flag.

As soon as the colonists had fully decided to separate from the British, they began to think about having a flag of their own. We have no record of the devices that were proposed, nor the speeches that were made. But, finally, about a month before the Declaration of Independence was made, the design was drawn out on paper, and a committee appointed to see about having the flag made. George Washington was one of this committee.

This committee reported its findings and recommendations to the Congress and on Saturday, the 14th of June, 1777, the American Congress

"Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes,* alternate white and red; that the union be *AFTER Vermont and Kentucky were admitted, in 1791 and 1792, the stars and stripes were each increased to fifteen. In 1818, the original number of stripes was restored and since that time each new state when admitted is represented by a star only and not by a star and stripe.

thirteen white stars in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

A design having been drawn and approved, who should make the flag?

In a little house on Arch street lived a woman whom Washington knew to be very skillful with her needle. She had embroidered the ruffles for his shirt-fronts for many years. Her name was Mrs. John [Betsy] Ross. To her, therefore, the committee went, and in her little back parlor the Father of his Country sat down and unfolded the design of his country's flag. She agreed to undertake the making of it, and must have been successful, for it is said that she was afterwards employed for many years by the Government in making flags.

There is no record of when or where the Stars and Stripes were first unfurled, but they were in general use soon after the Declaration of Independence.

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHPLACE AND EARLY HOME

WASHINGTON IRVING

THESE selections from IRVING'S LIFE OF WASHINGTON are suitable for reading and will be found very interesting as parts of a regular program. The first furnishes a description of Washington's birthplace, Bridges Creek, Virginia; the second of his next early Virginian home.

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HIS house commanded a view over many miles of the Potomac and the opposite shore of Maryland. It had probably been purchased with the property, and was one of the primitive farm-houses of Virginia. The roof was steep and sloped down intò low projecting eaves. It had four rooms on the ground floor, and others in the attic, and an immense chimney at each end. Not a vestige of it remains. Two or three decayed fig trees, with shrubs and vines, linger about the place, and here and there a flower-grown wild-serves to mark where a garden had been. Such, at least, was the case a few years since; but