Four Great Americans: Washington, Franklin, Webster, Lincoln | Page 4

even at the
end of each year. Was it not time that George should be earning
something for himself? But what should he do?
He wanted to go to sea. His brother Lawrence, and even his mother,
thought that this might be the best thing.

A bright boy like George would not long be a common sailor. He
would soon make his way to a high place in the king's navy. So, at least,
his friends believed.
And so the matter was at last settled. A sea-captain who was known to
the family, agreed to take George with him. He was to sail in a short
time.
The day came. His mother, his brothers, his sisters, were all there to bid
him good-bye. But in the meanwhile a letter had come to his mother,
from his uncle who lived in England.
"If you care for the boy's future," said the letter, "do not let him go to
sea. Places in the king's navy are not easy to obtain. If he begins as a
sailor, he will never be aught else."
The letter convinced George's mother--it half convinced his
brothers--that this going to sea would be a sad mistake. But George,
like other boys of his age, was headstrong. He would not listen to
reason. A sailor he would be.
The ship was in the river waiting for him. A boat had come to the
landing to take him on board.
The little chest which held his clothing had been carried down to the
bank. George was in high glee at the thought of going.
"Good-bye, mother," he said.
He stood on the doorstep and looked back into the house. He saw the
kind faces of those whom he loved. He began to feel very sad at the
thought of leaving them.
"Good-bye, George!"
He saw the tears welling up in his mother's eyes. He saw them rolling
down her cheeks. He knew now that she did not want him to go. He
could not bear to see her grief.
"Mother, I have changed my mind," he said. "I will not be a sailor. I
will not leave you."
Then he turned to the black boy who was waiting by the door, and said,
"Run down to the landing and tell them not to put the chest on board.
Tell them that I have thought differently of the matter and that I am
going to stay at home."
If George had not changed his mind, but had really gone to sea, how
very different the history of this country would have been!
He now went to his studies with a better will than before; and although

he read but few books he learned much that was useful to him in life.
He studied surveying with especial care, and made himself as thorough
in that branch of knowledge as it was possible to do with so few
advantages.
* * * * *
V.--THE YOUNG SURVEYOR.
Lawrence Washington was about fourteen years older than his brother
George.
As I have already said, he had been to England and had spent sometime
at Appleby school. He had served in the king's army for a little while,
and had been with Admiral Vernon's squadron in the West Indies.
He had formed so great a liking for the admiral that when he came
home he changed the name of his plantation at Hunting Creek, and
called it Mount Vernon--a name by which it is still known.
Not far from Mount Vernon there was another fine plantation called
Belvoir, that was owned by William Fairfax, an English gentleman of
much wealth and influence.
Now this Mr. Fairfax had a young daughter, as wise as she was
beautiful; and so, what should Lawrence Washington do but ask her to
be his wife? He built a large house at Mount Vernon with a great porch
fronting on the Potomac; and when Miss Fairfax became Mrs.
Washington and went into this home as its mistress, people said that
there was not a handsomer or happier young couple in all Virginia.
After young George Washington had changed his mind about going to
sea, he went up to Mount Vernon to live with his elder brother. For
Lawrence had great love for the boy, and treated him as his father
would have done.
At Mount Vernon George kept on with his studies in surveying. He had
a compass and surveyor's chain, and hardly a day passed that he was
not out on the plantation, running lines and measuring his brother's
fields.
Sometimes when he was busy at this kind of work, a tall, white-haired
gentleman would come over from Belvoir to see what he was doing and
to talk with him. This gentleman was Sir Thomas Fairfax, a cousin of
the owner of