. Our country in story . soldiers bedhe has known for so many years! As he breathes thefresh air of his own beloved home, can there be a happierman than he on this Christmas eve of 1783? Tomorrowmorning he will come to his Christmas breakfast as aplain Virginia planter, free from the worry and bustleof the camp and the busy scenes of public life, so hethinks. He does not see in this happy hour that his pastservices to his country have but prepared him for stillgreater ones. The tolling of the bell on the Potomac below awakensus out of our day-dreams and brings us back to the pres-ent. We remem
. Our country in story . soldiers bedhe has known for so many years! As he breathes thefresh air of his own beloved home, can there be a happierman than he on this Christmas eve of 1783? Tomorrowmorning he will come to his Christmas breakfast as aplain Virginia planter, free from the worry and bustleof the camp and the busy scenes of public life, so hethinks. He does not see in this happy hour that his pastservices to his country have but prepared him for stillgreater ones. The tolling of the bell on the Potomac below awakensus out of our day-dreams and brings us back to the pres-ent. We remember that we are living now and not then,and that we have but reviewed in fancy and memory abeautiful story of the long ago. But Mount Vernon, the 156 OUR COUNTRY IN STORY scene of this true picture of fancy, is as real today as itwas then. PART Two. WASHINGTON AS MASTER OF MOUNT VERNONAND FIRST HEAD OF OUR NATION Let us tarry a while longer at Mount Vernon. The sum-mer house yonder overlooking the river must have been a. Nurse George Lafayette WashingtonCustis Mrs. Custis Nellie Martha Custis Washington favorite resort of the Washingtons. It is a fine place forus to sit and recall some of the interesting events con-nected with the past history of Mount Vernon. Do lookat those ancient trees Washington loved so well. Yondertwo trees were planted, one by the French nobleman, La-fayette, the other by Jefferson. What fine leafy monu-ments they are! How Washington must have enjoyed the quiet of this ON THE BANKS OF THE POTOMAC 157 beautiful place after returning from the bloody scenesof war and strife! Many were the gifts of esteem andaffection that came to him here from his countrymen,from private Englishmen, and from kings of the Great of Prussia inscribed upon his gift,a handsome sword, From the oldest general in the worldto the greatest/ Washington once more became entirely absorbed in themanagement of his plantation. The estate had grown tocover an immense area
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