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CHILDREN'S LETTERS.

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a little reading, a little writing, a little ciphering; not much more-but he had a great deal of fun with his schoolmates. Little remains. to us of this childhood; only a letter from Richard Henry Lee, and George's answer to it--both written when the friends were about nine years old-still exist :

RICHARD HENRY LEE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.

"Pa brought me two pretty books full of pictures he got them in Alexandria they have pictures of dogs and cats and tigers and elefants and ever so many pretty things cousin bids me send you one of them it has a picture of an elefant and a little indian boy on his back like uncle jo's sam pa says if I learn my tasks good he will let uncle jo bring me to see you will you ask your ma to let you come to see me.

book you gave me.

"RICHARD HENRY LEE."

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S REPLY.

"DEAR DICKEY,-I thank you very much for the pretty pictureSam asked me to show him all the pictures in it; and I read to him how the tame elephant took care of the master's little boy, and put him on his back, and would not let anybody touch his master's little son. I can read three or four pages sometimes without missing a word. Ma says I may go to see you and stay all day with you next week if it be not rainy. She says I may ride my pony Hero, if Uncle Ben will go with me and lead Hero. I have a little piece of poetry about the picture-book you gave me, but I mustn't tell you who wrote the poetry.

"G. W.'s compliments to R. H. L.,

And likes his book full well.

Henceforth will count him his friend

And hopes many happy days he may spend.

"Your good friend,

"GEORGE WASHINGTON.

"P.S.-I am going to get a whip-top soon, and you may see it and whip it."

One other remembrance of his childhood we have, in a story which is familiar to us all in England, and which shows

us what a good and wise father George had to watch over his boyhood. Mr. Washington had given his little son a hatchet, and the boy had carelessly tried its sharpness upon a young cherry tree, which his father valued very much. The bark was injured, and Mr. Washington, when he found it out, was seriously displeased, and began to question the servants as to who had done it.

"I did it, father," said George, holding out the greatlyprized hatchet, which he knew he must forfeit for his folly. "I did it with my new hatchet, which you gave me."

"I

"Come to my arms, brave boy," said his father. would rather every tree I possess was killed than that you should deceive me."

When George was about eight years old, his brother Lawrence returned from England. George became devoted to him. He looked up to him, and thought there was no one so clever, no one so handsome, no one so perfect as Lawrence. Lawrence, on his part, took a great fancy to the little boy; he thought him intelligent, and, better still, he thought him true, and a very strong friendship grew up between the two brothers.

Lawrence, at the age of twenty-two, was made captain in a regiment which was being raised in the colonies to join the English in the West Indies for the purpose of fighting the Spaniards.

George was greatly excited by this event, he wished he could be a soldier too. He had seen the soldiers being drilled before embarkation, and so he began to drill his schoolfellows, and "all their playtime was spent in mimic parades, reviews, and sham fights; a boy named William Bustle was sometimes his competitor, but George was commander-in-chief of Hobby's school."

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GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOTHER.

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Lawrence distinguished himself as much as was possible in his short campaign, and returned home after two years' service. He then became engaged to marry Miss Anne Fairfax, of Fairfax County, and the marriage would have taken place at once if trouble had not fallen upon the Washingtons.

Little George was away on a visit during his father's short illness; he was summoned home only just in time to receive one last loving look from him. The boy's first trouble had come. From the time of his father's death he seems to have grown more than ordinarily sedate and grave.

He was left to the guardianship of his mother, and by his father's will it was provided that when he came of age he was to inherit the lands on the Rappahanock.

Lawrence married Miss Fairfax a few months after his father's death, and settled on the estate left him by will-a large property on the banks of the Potomac, which he named Mount Vernon, after Admiral Vernon, who had commanded the fleet in the West Indies during his short military service. His brother Augustine also married about this time, and went to live at the old home at Bridges Creek.

George's mother was a woman capable of ruling and developing such a nature as his. She is described as being a small woman, very beautiful and dignified. She was firm and strict, but also affectionate. Having a high standard herself of principle and action, she endeavoured to set the same before her boy.

George revered and loved her always, and often said what cause he had to be thankful for having such a good mother. She, on her part, when in later days she was congratulated upon the achievements of Washington, said

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