File:The farmer boy and how he became commander-in-chief (1867) (14802910653).jpg

Identifier: farmerboyhowhebe1896thay (find matches)
Title: The farmer boy and how he became commander-in-chief
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Thayer, William Makepeace, 1820-1898
Subjects: Washington, George, 1732-1799
Publisher: Boston, Fuller
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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vial as the merry old lord himself. Speaking ofthese amusements, brings to mind an anecdote of him,which I must tell you, as it will give you a stiU morelively idea of the promptness and decision with whichhe was wont to act whenever occasion demanded. In those old-fashioned times, among many otherlaws that would seem odd enough to us at the presentday, there were many very strict and severe ones forthe protection of game, which made poaching (thatis to say, hunting on private groimds without leaveor license from the owner) no less a crime than theft,and punished the poacher as a thief accordingly.Now, there was a certain idle, worthless fellow,notorious for his desperate character, as being themost daring poacher in seven counties, who wasknown to be much in the habit of trespassing on thegrounds belonging to Mount Yernon. This had beenforbidden him by Washington, who had warned himof the consequences if he did not cease his depreda-tions, and keep at a safe distance; but to this the
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WASHmGTON AT HOME. 263 sturdy yagrant gave little heed. He would cross overthe river in a canoe, which he would hide, in somesecret nook best known to himself, among the reedsand rushes that fringed the banks, and with his fowl-ing-piece make ruinous havoc among the canvas-backducks that flocked in great multitudes to the lowmarsh-lands of that res^ion. One day, as Washington was going his accustomedrounds about the plantations, he heard the report ofa gun in the neighborhood of the river ; and, guessingwhat was in the wind, he forthwith spurred his horsein that direction, and, dashing through the bushes,came upon the culprit, just as he, paddle in hand,was pushing from the shore. The fellow, seeing hisdanger, cocked his gun, and, with a threatening look,levelled it du*ectly at Washington, who, withoutheeding this in the least, rode into the water, and,seizing the canoe by the painter, dragged it ashore.Leaping then from liis horse, he wrenched the fowl-ing-piece from the astonished p

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