At length, America having secured her independence, and the war being ended, Washington, who for eight years had not tasted the repose of home, hastened with filial reverence to ask his mother’s blessing.  The hero, “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” came to lay his laurels at his mother’s feet.

This venerable woman continued, till past her ninetieth year, to be respected and beloved by all around.  With pious grief, Washington closed her eyes and laid her in the grave which she had selected for herself.

We have now seen the man who was the leader of victorious armies, the conqueror of a mighty kingdom, and the admiration of the world, in the delightful attitude of an obedient and affectionate son.  She, whom he honored with such filial reverence, said that “he had learned to command others by first learning to obey.”

Let those, then, who in the morning of life are ambitious of future eminence, cultivate the virtue of filial obedience, and remember that they cannot be either fortunate or happy while they neglect the injunction, “My son, keep thy father’s commandments, and forsake not the law of thy mother.”

[Illustration:  L.E.  Fournier.]

* * * * *

CONDUCTRESS, a woman who leads or directs.

The suffix _-ess_ is used to form feminine name-words.

Tell what each of the following words means: 

ab’ bess ac’ tress duch’ ess li’ on ess count’ ess po’ et ess song’ stress au’ thor ess di rect’ ress

Use the following homonyms in sentences: 

air, ere, e’er, heir; oar, ore, o’er; in, inn; four, fore; vain, vein; vale, veil; core, corps; their, there; hear, here; fair, fare; sweet, suite; strait, straight.

* * * * *

76

na’ tal a main’ toc’ sin re count’ ed

WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY.

’Tis splendid to have a record
So white and free from stain
That, held to the light, it shows no blot,
Though tested and tried amain;
That age to age forever
Repeats its story of love,
And your birthday lives in a nation’s heart,
All other days above.

And this is Washington’s glory,
A steadfast soul and true,
Who stood for his country’s honor
When his country’s days were few. 
And now when its days are many,
And its flag of stars is flung
To the breeze in radiant glory,
His name is on every tongue.

Yes, it’s splendid to live so bravely,
To be so great and strong,
That your memory is ever a tocsin
To rally the foes of wrong;
To live so proudly and purely,
That your people pause in their way,
And year by year, with banner and drum,
Keep the thought of your natal day.

Margaret E. Sangster.

By permission of the author.