Washington and the Children
I
There were two joyous little people who went to live with the bride in her new home at Mount Vernon. They were her two children, Jack Custis, six years old, and his sister Patsy, just four years old.
Washington gave them little ponies to ride. He bought fashionably dressed baby dolls for Patsy, silver shoe and knee buckles for Jack, and for both of them toys, gingerbread-figures, sugar-images, and little books with coloured pictures in them. He gave them each a Bible bound in turkey leather with their names printed in gilt letters on the inside covers.
II
Washington loved all children. He always smiled at them. He was specially popular with boys.
When he rode in state to Independence Hall in his cream-coloured coach drawn by six bays, and with postilions and outriders, boys were always at hand to cheer as he drove by. And when he returned to Mount Vernon, there were other boys waiting to welcome him. He could always count on boys, wherever he went, to shout and wave their hats. He used to touch his own hat to them as politely as if they were veterans on parade.
After his great dinners at Mount Vernon, as soon as the guests were done eating, he would tell his steward to call in the neighbours’ boys, who were never far away at such a time. In they would come, crowding around the table, and make quick work of the cakes, nuts, and raisins the guests had left.
At twilight, Washington had a habit of pacing up and down the large room on the first floor with his hands behind him.
One evening, a boy who had never seen him, climbed up to a high open window to look in at him.
The boy fell and hurt himself. Washington heard him cry, and sent a servant to see what was the matter.
The servant came back and said, “The boy was trying to get a look at you, sir.”
“Bring him in,” said Washington.
And when the boy came in, he patted him on the head, saying:—
“You wanted to see General Washington, did you? Well, I am General Washington.”
But the little fellow shook his head, and replied:—
“No, you are only just a man. I want to see the President.”
Washington laughed, and told him that he was the President and a man for all that. Then he had the servant give him some cakes and nuts, and sent him away happy.
Grace Greenwood and Other Sources (Retold)