Mower County transcript. [volume], February 16, 1898, Image 5

About Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
A Pattern for True Human Great
ness In Whatever Form.
|HERE was never a
great man whose
genei-ation was able
to place a proper esti
mate upon his worth.
Time is as necessary
to a true conception
to cast clouds about the glory of the bright
ness of the ascending luminary. Enemies
appear to be re-energized to effort at calum
ny, as the friends of the great man increase
in numbers and fervor. The rise of genius
is marked by opposition all along the way,
the rivalry increasing with every new reve
lation of the exalted merit of him whom
it seeks to overthrow.
So much of evil is said and such air of
plausibility is given to the'malign evidences,
that those who move amid these currents
of praise and vituperation are scarcely able
to discern between the true and the false.
The partisans of the man are prone to rate
him too highly, while the enemies are in
capable of seeing any good thing in him.
But with the passing of the man and his
generation asperities soften and an un­
a glory-crowned man of many of his gems,
Yet this illustrious man had many ene
mies among his own countrymen. He was a
THE TOMB OP WASHINGTON AT
MOUNT VERNON.
hearts. Jefferson and Henry, two of the
Uluminati of his own state, even, pursued
him unremittingly and brought no end of
trouble to his great spirit. The opposition
newspapers of bis day were filled with the
most vile scandals upon his fair fame. In
geniously worded pamphlets were scattered
broadcast over tbe whole country, assailing
his private life and impugning bis public
morals. But eternal justice has vindicated
his chaste reputation, and the literature
which was thus polluted with libels upon
truth has rotted like its authors.
The symmetry of Washington challenges
universal admiration. Careful study of the
HSKIMCOni VUMnlnl fiortow«MIgreat!
Che ckwn nu ft fctltay, fte (Uv-nar of Ae ctrtt!
CMbriMd hi twry eWMisfc tart, chiM-km of tbc tratfc
warrfer wary, and cool, ii tbv wtamtt* youth
ON* t* toMim of Mttork wart «aaiM at thefadiaa yell,
Ha4 fbe vision of tbe eaMpt was MH«M, and tlx stubborn geatral foil,
CIkn tbe raw vo«fl froM Virginia becamc a tower of strength,
KMI ltd tlK frliMencd veteran* safe through the dreadfal length
Of forest dark and deadly, and wild with fiendish foes,
Cutting hcbind each gracions tree, or cronching 'neath the rose.
Ctasbington! Washington! glorious and great!
the father of his Country, the Savicr of the State!
to whom all eyes were turning at the new-bora nation's birth,
When it sprang fail armed, like Pallas, from the Ruler of tbe earflt
Oho changeless led her armies, through changing good and Ills
Who, grand and calm in victory, in loss was greater still
Olho never faltered, never failed, and never lost his faiths
Who faced with grand, unwavering front, defeat and loss and death,
Had the treason of his trusted friends, while he kept the foe at hay,
Vet for his starving soldiers conid weep and groan and prayi
Washington! Qasbingfou! glorious and sublime!
the founder of the noblest state is the Doomsday Book of time!
Who fought the greatest Power on earth with thv people weak and small,
Hud kept tbe faith, finished tbe fight, and won the prize of am
Bat not the prize of wealth or fame or royal crown for tbee,
Cbe only crown of ioy tbo« songbtst, thv Country saved and free!
Had so tbv glory grows and grows, from passing age to age.
Us grows tbe greatnessol that £aud, our glorious heritage!
Cj development of the tion yet it endured scarcely more than a
bouquet of wine. The decade. The work of Washington, after
rising of the sun of more than a century, gives promise of un
greatness means the measured duration. Alexander, the Caesars,
passing out of the light of lesser stars, Genghis Khan and Napoleon sought personal
whose worshipers resent the eclipsing of glory in conquest, and Cromwell realized his
their idols and busy themselves in effort ambition in individual power and domin-
ernment back of it and a supeno army in its
front. Charlemagne was far more brilliant
as he swept Europe with his victorious
armies but he would have been helpless
in the role of wearing out the enemy through
seven long years by avoidance of battle.
Cromwell excelled him in breadth of scope
yet the lord protector would have quailed
before the task given to Washington when
he took the oath of office as chief of a little
nation that was bankrupt in treasury and
which was rent and torn by internal fac-
of his character aa tions and jealousies. Napoleon founded a
age is requisite to the great empire upon the ruins of the revolu-
prejudiced, because disinterested, .criticism years of his sorely tried life that the per
is reached. Sometimes, oftentimes, indeed, fect self-control of the man has passed into
it happens that the justice of posterity strips
if it do not tear altogether the circlet from Qf splendid physique, he loved the good
ion but Washington looked only to the
liberties of his people and the perpetuation
of a simple government whose greatness
should be established in tbe fruitful results
growing out of peace.
A man of commanding presence, shapely
in limb and body, with most benign and in
telligent face and well-proportioned head,
he was no less symmetric in character.
What weaknesses pertained to him were
concealed by his magnificent self-control.
His temper was high, and there were occa
sions, as at Monmouth, when it displayed
itself in hot indignation but he curbed it
before it went beyond the bounds of right
eous wrath. The unlicensed vituperation of
his enemies wrung from him, sometimes,
earnest protest against their injustice yet
the apotheosis of sublime virtue, strategic should be placed before a man who sought
generalship, unselfish public service and
sacrificing rulership. His name in the uni
versal estimate stands out alone, as the sun
at noonday, with not another star in sight.
so few were these protests in the many
a
WOman,
his brow. things of the table but to his appetite he fusion that he could not give distinct utter
Washington, whose name is the synonym
of exalted patriotism, on the contrary, has
increased in character-stature with the
years, so that now, scarcely a century after
his demise, all the evil that men said against
him while living has been forgotten, and he
stands among all nations and peoples as
set proper bounds and partook in modera
tion of what was set before him.
Born of gentle parents, his tastes and
surroundings were those of an aristocrat
but in the great work of founding a repub
lic, he insisted that the rights of all classes
should be respected alike and that no bar
pant in the day of giants. They were sons
of Anak in their intellectual strength, those
colossi who formed the coterie known as
the revolutionary fathers. There were
many who aspired to be first, and these
were so loth to yield to the force of bis
superiority that they upbraided him in life he yielded readily to the popular call and
and they died with unforgiveness their accepted the leadership of the American
life and work of the man do not show that in all its pages. He alone of all humanity
he was transcendently great in any single
particular yet the marvelous harmonious
combination of forces in the man place him
far and away beyond any other of the unique
ly grand characters of history. Napoleon
was a greater general yet not one hundred
Napoleons could have held together the tat
tered and torn, ill-fed and poorly paid army
at Valley Forge, with an incompetent gov-
distinction because of his birth or social
position. Doubtless the richest man of his
time in America, his manner of living was
simple, although generdffs. A slave-holder,
he detested the institution, and at his death
manumitted his "chattels." Brave to dar
ing, he curbed the spirit of battle within
him, and forced peace and victory by a suc
cession of masterly movements that were
characterized chiefly by evasion of collision
with the enemy. Proud, he was affable,
ever reserved, all might approach him.
These were not contradictions in his char
acter rather are they evidences of the
majesty that was in him, which could shape
and control disposition to the forming and
framing of a perfect man.
He might have founded a monarchy, for
the people were ready to acquiesce in any
plan of his at the close of the seven years'
war brought by his genius to such a happy
termination. In such an event none would
have dared to question his assumption of
the kingly power. He chose, rather, to give
his voice to a government of the people,
whose rulers should be chosen by their suf
frages. Of his own act he surrendered the
reins of power after eight years of service,
when by a word he might have perpetuated
himself in the administration until the end
of his days.
He was no£ without ambition but it was
of that sublime quality which makes self
subordinate to country. He was in public
service almost continuously from 1775 to
1797 yet in all these years he longed for the
quiet and happiness of his home on the
Potomac. The perils of his country having
passed, he felt himself free to yield to this
temper which was accentuated by the decay
incident to age. Yet, when a little later
war with a foreign power seemed imminent,
army. Happily the cloud passed without
bursting, and he spent the remainder of his
days, brief their number, in his beloved
home, where he died the victim of medical
stupidity, in the closing days of the last
year of the century which had been made
glorious by his illustrious deeds.
Whether as private citizen, soldier, law
maker, or ruler of a predestinedly great re
public, the superb virtues of the man shone
as bright stars. So well poised was he, that
one might find it difficult to determine in
what he most excelled. Yet none may doubt
ideals of living. This country is great in
the matchless achievements of the now
dying century, but the world without holds
her greatest in that she gave to humanity
a Washington, as a pattern for true humao
greatness in whatever form.
A Small Boy's View of the Father
of His Country's Veracity.
He must 'a' been a bully ehapt that teller
.Washln'ton,
'Cos I have often heard my pa wush be
had sich a son
'N' ma says it must 'a' filled his mother's
heart with joy,
'Cos she could tell the folks next door she
had a.little boy
Which wuz the bestest boy In town 'n'
on her back yard fence
Could lean her chin 'n' tell Miss Brown
she didn't have no sense
'Bout ralthin' chil'ern ef she bad there
wuz no reathon why
Her Johnny wuzn't like her George, who
never told a lie.
My! I've told lots o' whoppers! 'n' George
must 'a' been a goothe
'F'e never told a lie when It went ibetter'n
the truth.
When my ma's Jam Is mlssln' 'n' she takes
me on her knee,
Pulls off her thlipper, 'n' I think a lickln*
won't suit me,
I don't mind a-sayin' I saw little Wully
there,
'N' that he couldn't reach tbe shelf, 'n'
so he tuk a chair.
1
HBymaatba Qbipple Sbou*
guess they had no jam them days, *P'
that's the reason why
That little boy George Washln'ton never
told a lie.
I heard pa tell the story wunst about tbe
cherry tree,
'N' 'bout the little hatchet. I'll bet If It
wuz me
I would 'a'chopped the thing clean down'n*
et the cherries, too.
'N' I'd 'a' said that Wully done It—that's
what I would do.
I'll bet, though. Mister Washln'ton lived
to be old an' gray.
He never had no little boys like we'uns
anyway,
He never told that yarn hisself, that's
the reason why
The great 'n' good George Washln'ton
never told a lie.
My pa run for office wunst, 'n' promised If
he'd win
He' give each one a bully Job who'd help
to git him in
But when he was elected 'n' got his seat,
he found
There wuzn't Jobs enough to go one-tenth
the way around
'N' so he wuzn't 'lected the next time that
he run.
I guess there wuz no Jobs them days, or
mebbe Washln'ton
Never run fur office, 'n' that's the reason
why
The Father of His Country never told a lie.
Me 'n' my pa went flshin' wunst 'n' didn't
get a bite
But I heard pa say that we caught nine
teen the other tiight
'N' when I said "Why, pa!" his face It Jes'
got awful red,
'N* 'e slipped a penny In my hand, 'n* 1
looked up 'n' said:
"Why, pa! I found 'twuz twenty when I
counted 'em again."
Well, I guess the presidents never went
a-fishin' then
Like they do sometimes nowadays,
that's the reason why
Pa says that Mister Washin'ton never told
a lie.
—G. H. Conrad, in Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON'S MODESTY.
It Was Equal in Every Way to His
Great Prowess.
Washington, in 1759, was chosen by the
people of Frederic county, Va., to repre
sent them in the Virginia house of burgesses.
When he first took his seat in the house an
interesting incident occurred, which is re
lated in Wirt's "Life of Patrick Henry:
The house of burgesses resolved to return
their thanks to him in a public manner for
the services he had rendered his country,
and this duty devolved on his friend, Mr.
Robinson, the speaker of the house. As
soon as Col. Washington had taken his seat,
the speaker discharged the duty imposed
upon him with all the warmth of panegyric
which personal regard and a full apprecia
tion of his merits could dictate. This un
wonted and unexpected honor completely
pr0Verb. He was an ardent admirer of robbed the young warrior of his self-posses-
yet sternly chaste in character. I sion. He rose to express his acknowledge
ment,
1
that the combination of the whole gives to which candor could not excuse."—Washing
history the loftiest character to be found
but such was his trepidation and con-
ance to a syllable. For a moment he blushed,
stammered and trembled, when the speaker
relieved him with a stroke of address that
would have done honor to Louis the Four
teenth in his proudest and happiest mo
ments. "Sit down, Mr. Washington," said
he, with a conciliating smile, "your modesty
is equal to your valor, and that surpasses
the power of any language that I possess
NAMED AFTER GEORGE.
Rev. Mr. Chestnut—So your name Is
George McTuffy, is it, my little man? I
suppose you were named after the immortal
George Washington?
George—Yep. A hundred years after.—
Chicago Tribune.
Had an Easy Time.
"What most impresses you in regard to
George Washington?" asked the teacher.
The boy debated with himself for several
minutes before answering. Then he said:
"Tbe easy time he had when he went to
school."
"What do you mean by that?" demanded
the teacher.
"Well, he didn't have any long list of
presidents to learn iu their regular order."
—Chicago Post.
Following a Clue.
"1 can't help thinking," said young Mrs.
Torkins, "of what a wonderful thing it was
I for George Washington to go through life
without telling an untruth."
"Yes," replied her husband "it gives a
very interesting hint of their domestic life.
She must have refrained from asking him
how he liked his breakfast, or else he must
have been guilty of a degree of discourtesy
ton
WILLIAM ROSSER COBBBL
Star.
The Annual Affair.
is the ideal man of all the nations, the
adored of all who reach out after the noblest N°w Washington's birthday comes again,
And the poet his pencils trim,
While he starts to write of the cherry tree
And the hatchet with vigor and vfm.
It has all been said in an annual say
Since the first of the century,
Rut, like George, the poet must have
A whack at that cherry tree.
—Cincinnati Tribun*
WESTERN ENTERPRISE.
Small Towns That Have Adopted Electric
Lighting In Spite of Difficulties.
The far western part of the United
States—that is, the part west of the Missou
ri river—is a country full of enterprise.
Fancy a Russian or even a German or
British town of 1,500 Inhabitants, order
ing an electric light plant which would
have to bo hauled over mountainous bridle
paths for 150 miles from the nearest rail
way station before it reached its destina
tion Yet this is what the town of Lander,
In Wyoming, had the courage to do, each
mule employed taking 13 days to make
the round trip between Bitter Creek, on
the Union Pacific railway, and the town
whose progress was apparently impeded
for want of the latest and most expensive
means of artificial illumination.
The town of Sheridan, also in Wyoming,
had only 600 inhabitants and was 200 miles
from the nearest railroad when it discover
ed that an electric light plant was essential
to a continuance of its self respect. Ac
cordingly the plant, packed in very small
pieces, was hauled 200 miles, and Sheridan
was happy. Since then this town has had
a streak of luck, for the Burlington rail
way, pushing its way toward the Yellow
stone river, has gone right through it,
thereby increasing its population at a sin
gle bound from GOO to 1,000. Buffalo, an
other town in the same state, having 600
inhabitants, thought 44 miles a compara
tively short distance to haul its electric
|gbt plant..
In the adjoining state of Idaho tlio im
portant town of Lewiston, with 2,000 in
habitants, had its eleotxvic light plant
hauled on boats for 80 miles up the Snake
river. Murray, with 700 population, had
a 60 inilo overland passage to accomplish,
or about the same length that Silver City,
with 100 less population, hauled its elec
tric light plant. Turning now to places,
situated on the railways, it is found that
Newcastle, Cambria, Rawlins, Rock
Spring, Green River and Evanston, in
Wyoming, and Pooatello and Idaho Falls,
in Idaho, have each an electric light plant,
though the population of not a single one
of these towns exceeds 800. Boise City,
Ida., as befits a town puffed up with 8,000
inhabitants, has not only an eleotrio light
plant, but a system of trolley cars. More
over, as some natural hot springs happen
to be close to Boise City, the citizens heat
their houses from them and even raise
early spring vegetables by using tbe hot
springs for irrigation purposes. The three
small mining camps of Coeur d'Alene,
Wallace and Wardner use electricity for
lighting purposes all the year round,
while their available water power is
used to run the mills for stamping ore,
But in winter, when the main water sup
ply is frozen, the electrio current is con
nected with the stamping mills, and light
ing and power is furnished by a lavish ex
penditure in coal at $10 a ton.—Cassier's
Magazine For February.
Caramel Sauce.
One-half cupful of granulated sugar,
an even tablospoonful of flour, a cupful of
boiling water, a lump of butter the size of
a hickory nut, vanilla flavoring. Beat the
sugar in an iron skillet until it molts and
is alight brown and stir continually. Add
the flour, mix well, tho boiling water next
and boil until it thickens. Just before
eurving add the butter and vanilla flavor
ing then your caramel sauce is ready for
use.—February Wimian's Home Compan
ion.
FINAL CLEARING SALE
II -OF-
The Continental Bankrupt Stock.
SWEEPING REDUCTIONS ON ALL
Men's Suits and Overcoats,
Boys' Suits and Overcoats,
Gentlemen's Furnishing Goods,
Values beyond comparison in all departments. Cost
cuts no figure during this sale. Do not miss this
grand opportunity of securing some of the greatest
bargains ever offered. The time is limited.
Continental Clothing Co.,
H. K. FLOM, Manager, Austin, Minn.
DOES ENDOWMENT
INSURANCE IN THE
AETNA
PAY AS AN
INVESTMENT?
Hats and Caps, Shoes.
NO HARD TIMES IN THIS!
$5,000 IN CASH FOE $904.68
AND
30 YEARS' INSURANCE FOR NOTHING.
Record of Policy No. 63315.
Issued in 1869 to Geo. E. Adams of
tbe Albany Dry Goods Co., Albany,
N. Y. Amount $5,000, annual pre
mium $262.85, 10-payment, 30 year en
dowment:
10 Annual Premiums $'2,628.50
Deduct 30 cash dividends 1,723 83
The rates for Endowment Insurance in the ^Et-na are lower and the divi
dends to policy holders MUCH LARGER than those of any other first-class
life insurance company. All .Etna policies are guaranteed for the full amount.
For additional-statements and particulars address,
STATE YOUR AGE WHEN WRITING.
FORTUNE
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If it is smooth and white it shows she uses her head to
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it shows she is still using the old soap and socfa combination.
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Largest package—greatest economy.
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Can be had at the Transcript Office.
Net cost of policy $ 904.68
Mr. Adams will receive the full
$5,000 in 1899: for every 90c paid in
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life insurance for 30 years FREE.
J. E. MEYERS, Manager,
ST. PAUL, MINN
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