TAGS TWO. THE GA8T0MA GAZETTE. "TUESpAV, FEBRUARY 22, 1910. HIE SURRENDER OF VIRGINIA. By CLARISSA MACK1E. fOspyrurht, 1910, by American Prees Asso ciation. J V URGIXIA KOSWELL surveyed the garments laid uuu her pretty IhhI with manifest ap proval In her brown eyes. fbere were a quilted natlirpettleoat of White, a pannlered overdress of blue brocade with lace trimmed half sleeves, pair of hlfrh heeled red slippers and a small red fan. "I wonder If that dreadful Howard nan will be there." she mused, with dancing eyes, as she brushed her gold ja brown locks into a lofty pile on her Stately little head. "I hope not. for I coakl Dot recognize him en manque and I might dance with him. That Would be horrible!" Miss Itoswell shuddered at this awful possibility. When the civil war had drawn all Southerners together to fight for a fommon cause the Koswel! Howard fead grew lew fierce. Since the war the depleted families had died out. aud now in the year of our Ixrd 1905 there remained but one representa tive of each family to perpetuate the fend. High spirited Virginia Roswell hug gred the traditions of her family with INTO THK BRIKB HI DOB. loyal affection. Twice bad she been Introduced to the bated Howard and twice had she afterward cut him dead on the highway. She remembered the look of mingled anger and admiration tn hla face when she had last met him, sxnd she remembered with a sense of llsconifirure the sweeping courtesy of bis manner as he backed his horse Into the brier hedge to permit her to jpasa. How Virginia bated the enemy of the house of Roswell! Cousin Em tnellne Vernet, with whom Virginia lived, was not a Roswell and had not that bitterness toward the Howard (faction. If Mrs. Vernet had been er nltted to have her way young How ard would hare met a warm welcome wrlLbln her hospitable doors when he returned from bis long sojourn at a northern university. It was the 226 of February, and It rwas the occasion of the masked ball at the Oaks, where all the guests jrere to appear In colonial garb and for which Virginia Roswell was now preparing. She powdered her hair and pinned a red rose In the snowy gHe. She donned the white satin pet ticoat and pale blue overdress. She . tied a black velvet ribbon about her pretty throat, and the pearl pendant nestled in the sweet hollow Just be low. When she had drawn on a pair . of long gloves she caught up her fan and took a few steps of the stately minuet. There was n tap at the door, and a young mulatto girl entered. "Fo' de Ian'. Miss 'Glnia. I didn't low you'd Be dressed so soon. 1 corned Jes' " "Never iniud. Hannah." returned Bliss Roswell amiably. "I got along Very nicely indeed. Is Mrs. Vernet ready ?' "Yes, ma'am. Mis' Emmeline she "oeen down In de drawln' room fo' de Has' ha'f hour." "Bring my carriage shoes, then, (launiih, and my cloak." Five minutes later Mrs. Vernet, ar rayed iu a sumptuous gown of purple brocade and yellow lace, hid her mag nificence beneath rt long cloak and Joined her niece in the wide hall. "Am I not gorgeous. Emmeline?" tcrled Virginia gayly. with a deep cour tesy to the elder woman. "You are very lovely, my dear," re- "if AT I HAVK THE PLBASFBE V piled Mrs. Vernet affectionately. -i reckon you'll dance yourself to death . au usual before morning." . At the Oaks the long drawing rooms rere a mass of brilliant color, the men arrayed In the buff and blue of the colonial army or In the gay brocades of the beans of the sarnev period, the romen ln ererr rarlahiaa' conceit of color that taste could contrive. One rod all' were masked, and as Virginia 2ioawH mnimroA thm hrtlltanttv Itvht. fed room Jn the wake of her cousin her eager eye sought for familiar face or forma. "May I hare the pleasurer The pecker was dressed In the uniform of a general In the Continental army. Ills powdered wig waa tied back with black ribbon, and through the biaci mask that hid bU features black eyea flashed inoulrinclT. Hla skin was bronaed from exHsure, and the fine, well muscled baud be extended was brown and capable. For once Virginia waa voiceless. She extended her card, and the stranger deliberately filled iu all the vacant space. Then he returned It with a low bow and a murmured word of thanks and disappeared. "How impertlueiit:" muttered Mlsa Roswell as she scanned the oerd Indlg nantly. She wnltsed and rested and waltzed again seventl times before the stranger tame to claim her. The waltx that the harp and violins were throbbing was an old, old one. a familiar melody that the dancers caught up and hummed In tuneful unison as they dauced. and Vlrirtnla In the very ecstasy of her happiness and glow of youth forgot all about the impertinence of the stranger and sang iu a low. rich contralto as they glided around. 'You are very happy," remarked the man suddenly, with a wistful empha sis to his toue. The soug stopod ou Virginia's Hps. "Why should 1 uot be?" she asked, looking at him out of eyes suddenly grave. "There is no reason that 1 know of." returned the stranger slowly. When one possesses youth, beauty, a clear conscience I presume you have a clear conscience. Miss Roswell" "You know who I am?" cried Vir ginia eagerly. "It Is only fair that I should know your name." "You inhibt uot dance with me If you knew," returned the mau lightly. "Perhaps I will not unless you tell me!" cried Virginia, pausing breath lessly and facing her partner. "And so you want to know who I am? It is only fair that you should know," he said with sudden resolu tion. "I am" "Don't pleuse!" exclaimed Miss Roe well hastily. "I don't wish to know. We will unmask at midnight, and that will be time enough to unveil all mys teries." As you please," he returned in a relieved tone. "I believe the walU is over. Let us go into the conserva tory." She went submissively. There waa something In the air and manner of the man that attracted Virginia Ros well. He had a manner of authority that compelled her. who had never submitted to authority, to follow his lead meekly, yet rebelliously. He found her a seat beneath a cun ningly contrived arbor of jasmine and climbing roses. The distant music of the orchestra seemed to stir the quiet leaves. They were quite alone. The dancers had trooped to the supper room. "Let me get you something to eat," he said when she was seated, and. In "LET C8 BURY THK HATCHET." spite of her protest, he went. He re turned with n small tray, which he had supplied with several dainties. "Here are favors," he said, lifting two tiny sliver hatchets from the tray, "commemorative of the immortal Washington." "Dear, dear George!" gushed Vir ginia enthusiastically. "What would we do without his memory to celebrate each year? I owe many a delightful dance to George Washington," bhe added, with assumed flippancy. "The woman of it:" murmured the man ironically. Virginia did not reply. She was looking at his well shaped head bent forward on his baud and thinking that she liked the way his straight, dark hair was cropped. "My name is George," he murmured Irrelevantly, gazing intently at a beautiful oleander, which he was lik ening to the color of Virginia's lips. Well"- Virginia blushed rosily. What was it she had said? "Dear, dear George!" L'gh! This man was detestable. Most people like my name," sued the man pleasantly. pur- "1 don't V exclaimed Virginia hastily. "1 know you don't!" he retorted. "Do you believe in feuds?" "Why. yes, of course I do!" returned Virginia, surprised Into vehemence. "Don't you?" "Why. no," he said, with a slow em phasis which she found waa one of his pleasant characteristics. She liked to hear him talk. She liked the low, modulated toues of his voice and his familiar southern accent. "Why, no," he repeated. "1 can't say that I da Tlvy're barbaric, don't yon know." "I don't know!" retorted Virginia hotly. "How many Roweils are there left?" he drawled Irrelevantly. "One." replied Virginia lamely. "And that one Is" He paused. That Is myself!" returned Virginia proudly, lifting her chin with a sudden movement that shook a sparkling mist f diamond dust about them. When Washington Crossed the 2Jk CE'RA.L'D vrimb. Will you ride with me, Betty, down to the ford? Dear, a hero is passing, so say but the word And White Eagle shall bear us both swiftly, my lass, To the spot which the patriot army must pass. Iff?-" --Ji ClAVVv 'ii. Yes; I'll ride with you, Eth&n, down to the ford To see our brave leader in top boots and sword, A figure majestic, his great vict'ry won My hero forever, the dear The man gazed intently at the small black patch placed provoklngly near the dimpled white chin. "And bow many Howards are there left?" he asked presently. "One." "Ah! So you, Virginia Roswell, are still waging the feud with the last of the Howards!" Virginia caught her breath. She could not make this man understand. "And does this man Howard show a disposition to forget the er feud?" Inquired the stranger, looking at her intently. Virginia blushed again. She tried to be indignant and felt a strange help lessness. She found herself stammer ing meekly in reply, "I believe he does." "And you will have none of it You will carry it out to the bitter end until you both are old, and after you are gone there will be no more to carry ou the old fight, and there will peace, but only after many years and much suffering and" "Don't, please." Virginia put one hand to her throat and rose to her feet "Please do not say any more. Will you take me back to Mrs. Ver net'" He rose slowly. "In a moment, Miss Roswell. First I would like to ask a favor of you." "What is it?" she asked nervously. He stepped to the huge tub which contained the oleander tree. He held out one hand. In its palm lay the two silver hatchets. "Let us bury the hatchet," he said slowly, removing his mask nnd reveal ing himwelf. Without a word she drew near to him and stood beside him while he dug a small hole in the soft earth. Tenderly he placed the little hatchets therein, and Virginia put in a sprig of Jasmine. Then he covered them and extended his hand. Virginia placed hers In It. Closing Paragraph of Washington's Farewell Address Though in reviewing the in cidents of my administration I am unconscious of intentional error. I am nevertheless too sen sible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have com r l mitted many errors. Whatever they .iay be. I fervently beseech the Almighty to' evert or mitigate the evils to which they may tend. 1 shall also carry with me the hope that my country will never cease to view them with Indul gence and that, after forty-five yearsof my life dedicated to Its service with an upright reel, the faults of Incompetent sbllitles will be consigned to oblivion, as myself must soon )be to the mansions of rest. Relying on its kindness In this as In other things and actuated s by that fervent love toward It which is so natural to a man who views in it the native soil of himself and his progenitors for several generations. 1 an ticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize, without alloy, the sweet enjoyment of partsklng. In the midst of my Callow citizens, the benign Influence of good laws under a free government, the ever favorite object of my heart and the hsppy reward, as I trust, of our mutual cares, labors and danger. Ford. t . . irit Washington! A NATION 4 PAYS TRIBUTE by Arthur J. Durdick Here, standing on the pinnacle Success. Strong in our might end of achieve ment proud. Leader in world affairs and hearing now The chorus of the nations' plaudits loud. We, champion of liberty and right; We, pilot on the path to Progress' goal. Pause on this day to proudly point to one Whose name is graven upon Fame's great scroll. Son of the sacred land that he so blessed. Her needs he learned to know in early youth. He drew the breath of freedom from her air And lived to make her free in very truth. With faith in man and God. he faith inspired And led his Krmiei by the bonds of love. He drew his courage from a righteous cause. He owned no master save the King above. Great he in war, but greater still in peace. He ruled with gentle, tender, guiding hand. He firmly laid upon the rock of right Foundation of a mighty structure grand. And not alone this nation did he bless. For not a nation bides beneath the sun That hath not mere of hope and blessed cheer Because he lived, our brave George Washington. WASHINGTON'S PHYSICAL ILLS, By r W By JOHN C WALLACE. 'UTILE Washington was pres ident he was dangerously 111 several times. lo 1788 he had what in our day we would call the jrrlp. During a cere monial visit to Cambridge, Mass., the president came down with this ailment. which came to be called "the Wash ington influenea" in the vicinity of Boston, where It raged for some time. Washington described this attack thus: 'Myself much disordered by a cold and Inflammation in the left eye." In New York some mouths later the president caught another bad cold, which developed Into "a case of an thrax so uiallguant as for several days to threaten mortification." Ills physi cian remained constantly wt?b him. One day Washington looked the doctor squarely In the face and requested his opinion as to the outcome of the disease. The doctor expressed both hope and fear, and Washington re plied, "Whether tonight or twenty years hence, It makes no difference." One who visited the president at this time relates that his life was despaired of and every eye was full of tears. One feature of this attack was a very large and painful tumor on the protuberance of the president's thigh. It was necessary to operate upon this tumor, which bad a happy effect In relieving the fever, but left the putlent weak. He could not walk or sit up, so In order to obtain needed outdoor exercise he bad his coach so extended that he could recline bis full length of six feet three and a half Inches therein An operation for cancer was per formed on Washington in 1794. ills mother also had suffered from this disorder. During the same year the president's back was severely wrench ed In an effort to save himself and horse from falling among the rocks at the lower falls of the Potomac, near his Mount Vernon home. He was con fined to bis bed for some time on ac count of this Injury. After Washington retired from pub lic life he suffered from a fever which reduced his weight by twenty pounds. lie bad frequent colds, and It was only with the greatest difficulty that be could be Induced to take medicine. Washington's sight became impaired during the Revolution. He found it necessary to begin wearing spectacles In 1778, at the age of forty-six years. During his presidency be became bard of hearing. A guest at one of the president's dinners relates that "he was so deaf that I believe be heard little of the conversation." Present day dentistry would have saved Washington much suffering and would have enhanced his good looks AM EFFORT TO SAVE HIMSELF. His teeth became defective early in life. From year to year he had one tooth after another drawn after un dergoing severe toothaches. By the year 1789 he began to wear false teeth, poorly constructed, which gave his mouth a curious malformation. Stuart in painting his famous portrait of Washington sought to overcome this appearance by placing cotton padding under the lips. The great man's lust tooth disappeared in 1795. The next year the distortion of bis mouth was removed by the substitution of a new set of teeth. In fact, there were two new sets, so that the general bad a change. These were made of the ivory from the teeth of the hippopotamus. The summing up Bhows a remark able array of bodily ailments borne by the illustrious Washington, Includ ing measles, fever and ague, small pox, malaria, grip, tumor, cancer and frequent "very bad colds," the last of which, singularly enough, after all those earlier and more serious mala dies, resulted in the death of the pa tient Washington's Size. George Washington was big as well as great. One of the doctors who at tended him In his last illness meas ured the body and found that the great man's exact height was six feet three and a half inches. A man who saw him during his service as presi dent wrote that Washington looked to be at least six and a half feet tall. Washington's tallness, however, was not accentuated by spareness, as In the case of Abraham Lincoln, who was half an Inch taller. The average man wears shoes of No. 7 or No.' 8 size. Washington's enormous boots were No. 11. Accord ing to a memorandum written In 1811 by David Akerson, who saw the gen eral several times, his bands were cor respondingly larger than his feet. WASHINGTON by ouh. STANDARDS Q 0 JamssAEdgcrton Copyria-ht. 1910. by American Press Asso ciation.! Cv WASHINGTON, a mm you may recsQ. Whose owner wu the father of u all. Had such wealth oi tides onto fame I have eot time to catalogue the ium; But. looked si from this distance, would aeess The chiei of all his claims to our esteem Lies in the marked and gratifying way He differed from some stalmmfn of today. As an example, history record That he refuted all offers of rewards For his long yean of toil and sacrifice. But gave them without money, without pries. In theee our tames the procex is reversed Where he placed service of hi country tint And took no wage, our patriots today Omil the service and accept the pay. The difference appear, in other things i He freed the country from the rule of kings. While we have those, or so I have been told. Who foster trust kings worse than those of old. He drove the mercenaries from our shores. The hireling armies feeding on our stores. We have foe more fierce and ravenous The army of the grafter, feeds on us. Great Washington, who lacked the gift of speech. In deeds, not wordi, his lessons sought to teach. But we, with floods of talk that know no bound. Drown our performance m a sea of sound. His wisdom lay in knowing his defect. Which grows a virtue seen in retrospect. Our statesmen, who can speak no more than be. Are not restrained by his humility. He spumed a crown. We make of wealth a king And crown not man, but an insenute thing. He sought retirement when his work was through. But certain statesmen of the modern crew, Who heard their own and not their country's calL Have not the aoercy to retire at all. He fanned his farm like Cincinnatus old; They farm the people and the crop is gold. They call him first in peace and first in wsr And first m the esteem his country bore. We have some statesmen first, I understand. In making peace with those who rob the land. First in the gains of buying war supplies. First in the hearts of those who victimize Their countrymen and first to speculate On inside news that they themselves create, We need such contrasts to appreciate How purely, loftily and nobly great Was this unselfuh statesman, Washington. He grows in stature by comparison. When measured by the standards we maintain He seems a being of another plane. He served mankind, and so it is, 1 say. The nation need some Washington today. Facts About Wasnington. George Washington never was much of a speechmuker. Thomas Jefferson, who served with him in the Virginia house of burgesses, stated that be never heard wasnington speaa ior more than ten minutes at a time. ' Washington had a high temper, but he usually kept it under excellent con trol. Several notable occasions are on record, however, when be became "raging mad." Washington served on a grand Jury after his retirement from the presi dency. Before he became president he had been a petit juror several times. Cornwallis' Surrender. Many thousands of Virginia citi zens were gathered to watch the scene, all eager to get a glimpse of Lord Cornwallis. But they were disappoint ed in that. Cornwallis pleaded Indis position and stayed in his quarters. He sent his sword by one of his offi cers. General O'Hara, to be delivered, to Washington. General O'Hara of fered the sword to Washington, who directed him to General Lincoln, the officer whom Washington bad appoint ed to conduct the surrender. .Lincoln took the sword from O'Hara's hand and then politely handed It back, to be returned to Cornwallis. ' vf-NCSa v.:: -eft-I : a,- i v,,

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view