Evening Star Newspaper, February 21, 1926, Page 68

2 Tattered Sails on a Windjammer Em- phasize Perils Through Which Craft Passes as It Leaves Port Behind—A Battle With Thrashing Canvas—Climb- ing to Dizzy Heights—"Lost in the Wide Spaces of the Sky"—An Autocratic Skipper and a Hard-Earned Lesson. Occasfonally passengers on tr: far away and all white in the dist: with all sails set, gliding swiftly before a spanking breeze. ansatlantic steamers have sighted— ance—a three or four masted vessel It is a relic of the past--the windjammer of other days—for with the advance of m and science the deep-water arth’s waters. rit of romance. But even to the landlubl sailing ship has almost disappeared ie portrays the It was this spirit that led Rex Clements, an Engllshman, to the f the bark Arethusa, setting forth on a globe encircling voyage. is application to serve as an apprentice had been accepted by owners of 11 vessels, but the Arethusa was selected, partly because of her name, which to Mr. Clements smax cked of the sea. Lucky his choice, for at the end of his apprenticeship she was the only one of the 11 ‘vessels that remained afloat. Mr. Clements vividly picture: 9 lfe aboard a salling vessel—the tardships, the bravery of men struggling against the unleashed forces of Nature, and the iron discipline, brutality. which to some may seem a form of But through it all there is a love of ships and thc sea. Setting forth upon her leng voyage and after breasting the choppy noted for its storms. BY REX CLEMENTS. is S IF to assure us that we had got into his own domain at last, the North Atlantlc de- termined to introduce himseif. All day the wind had been ris- Ing; the light salls had been taken in a8 soon as the anchors were secured, ard at four bells in the first dog- watch, in a ringing hail-squall, the vgallants’ls were clewed up. Still, with steady persistence, the wind rose. Little seas slopped over the weather-rail and scurried viciously to leeward, and the lurches of the bark became ever more sudden and viclent. In the halfdeck, the quarters of the tpprentices, there was nothing but sod- den, cheerless confusion. The floor wus awash and the remains of our tea littered a sea-chest. It was a dreary evening and our mood was in keeping with it. Suddenly there came the loud order: ‘All hands on deck! Weather main clew garnet!” We ambled out on deck and stared into the wet darkness that shut us in on every side. It was a wild- looking prospect—what little we could see of it. High above our bulwarks wolid black walls of water, streiked sna crested with lines of foam, drove furfously past. Overhead a low sky, packed with racing scud, seemed im- pendent above our mast-heads. The decks were a foot deep {n swirl- tng water, and in the black caverns aloft the wind drummed and scream- ed like a legion of lost spirits. The hands, In answer to the call, were stumbling their way aft, their vellow, ollskin-clad tigures gleaming in the wet. Just as I left the shelter of the ho a sousing dollop of water came in over the weather-rall, swept me off of my feet, and landed me in the lee scuppers ““’h"plvuily-bc}'," said a surprised volce, “phwat are yez doin’ down there?” and I felt myself grabbed by the coat and swung to my feet. Looking up, I saw it was “big Mac, the huce, bearded Irish seaman. He was barefooted and wi hout ollskins; a stringy old blue jersey, with the =leeves cut off at the elbows, had been drawn on above his one and only shirt, but his big red face was as smil- ing as ever. 1 plowed on in Mac's wake to lhg main rigging where, under the mates’ Irection, the men were clearing the “opes and preparing to start the tack. He 3 W that sall was taken I never realized. It was like a fight with w lving monster. The second mate, shouting orders and cursing vocifer- ously, was slacking away a rope in te darkness to wind'ard, while the nen manned the clew garnet and buntlines that were to snug the sall Pl away at the lines. Tey sheets of stinging spray and ¢he tops of waves kept leaping over the weather bulwarks, sweeping down on us and drenching us to the skin. Pretty well bewildered as I was, haul- ing at seemingly endless ropes, I yet -ealized that slowly, inch by inch, the sall was being mastered. At last the tearing, slatting canvas was dragged close up to the yard and ‘he order given: “ "Way aloft and furl it The men clambered aloft, fisted the sail, and roiled it up on the yard. At +*he bunt was Mr. Miller, the second nate, and still, ubove the roar of the ~ind and the din and clatter of the swinging ports, I could catch frag- ents of his volce encouraging the nen in bursts of frenzied profanity. The wind took ot down to the latitude of the Span- ish coast and the topgallants'ls were sat. The weather steadily cleared and #oon we were bowling along under all plain sall, and the world began to look a different place. 1 was just beginning to enjoy things, 4 turned out for my afternoon wteh on deck with seamanlike alac- but hardly had I got my foot the threshold before Paddy, the thtrd mate, halled me: ‘You been up aloft vet?” said he, D iltted T hadn't admitted hadn't. “YWell, up you £o then,” sald he, and sbediently I swung myself inlo the main rigging and clambered cautious- X loft. ¥ 5100 on to the shrouds, not the ratlines.” he shouted, “and don't look at your feet!" L.(g;un I did as I was foid and made my way up till I was stopped by the futtock shrouds at the head of the lower rigging. ~wards to the edge of the maintop, and realizing that to surmount them I whould have to turn on my back and 2 arm, I thought I had done enough ‘or one day But “Go on!" sternly encouraging, came to me from below and, taking my courage in both hands, I went. With a desperate effort I swung my- self over into the top and, almost breathless, caught hold of the top- mast rigging and dared to look about we. Strange (ndeed everything looked! p there one seenad in a world of anvas and cordage, lost in the wide spaces of the sky. The great bellying mainsail was actually below me and *he deck looked a perilous distance be- neath. But 1 was not allowed to dwell for ‘0o long on the newnees and wonder )£ the scene. “Go ahead. get along «1ith you!"” came an impatient hall and Pinging myself, spread-eagled, into the «wpmast rigging 1 went up step by Iptarmlmble that ascent seemed, and when, after long ages of climbing. T reached the topmasthead, I had an- other shock. The complicated web of rigging that led to the comparative security of the ¢ trees wus worse than ti and the spidery ~cpes looked ridiculously flimsy and insecure. With a horrible qualm I in- tusted mysel? to them agd, hardly over, the gentls roll of the ship, which | ter stick it off a little when we | They stre‘ched out-| Taul myself up by sheer strength of « Jraves of the English Channel, the Arethusa soon entered the Bay of 3 It is here that thiy article, the first of | knowing how I managed it, found myself standing in the cross-trees. kncouraged by this, I climbed gin- serly up the t'gallant rigging. It was shorter than the topmast— thank heaven!—and ended abruptly at the t'gallant masthead. Nothing re- mained above me but the bare pole of the royal mast, with the tie-chain abaft, and on either side, but out of reach, the port and starboard royal backstays. “‘Well, this is as_high as one can get,” thought I, as I clung grimly on and wondered what to do next. But I was not yet at the end of my trials. “Don't stop; go right on!"— Paddy's powerful voice sounded faintly up to me at that tremendous height. I didn't move; I didn't see how I could; it seemed tmpossible to get further. I simply hung on. Paddy must have realized I was at the end of my resources, for he Jjumped into the rigging and came swarming up like a cat, taking two ratlines at a time, and swinging him- self over the futtocks and cross-trees with hardly an effort. He was up be- side me in no time. “You're all right,” he sald, “now follow me.’ He didn’t give me a chance to tell him I would rather not, but reached out and grasped the royal backstay with one hand, swinging his feet clear of the ratlines. For the fraction of a second he hung by one hand only, | then twisted his legs around the back- stay and swarmed up in a flash, end- ing by swinging himself over and astride of the royal yard. “Come on,” he said encouragingly, “you're as safe as houses.” I had my own doubts about that, but “anyhow,” thought I, “it's do or dle, | 50 here goes!” I grasped the backstay. { Jumped clear, hung for the briefest moment with only empty air for a {hundred-odd feet below me, and | scrambled madly up. ‘The Third’'s hand grabbed me by the collar and almost lifted me on to the yard beside him. “You see that truck,” said he, pointing to the little | ball at the top of the 6 feet of bare | pole that formed the masthead, “shin | up and touch t!" Almost mechanically I did so, then slid down and got back astride of the yard, firmly clutching the tie-chin with one hand. Then, and then only, did I dare to look about me. Paddy pointed out to me the various ropes and spars and explained thelr uses, then leisurely made his way down again. I followed him, and, re- gaining the deck, looked up at the dizzy heights from which I had just escaped and wondered how often I should have to go aloft. But, curfously, after this first soul- searching experience it came wonder- fully easy. I wasawkward at first, of . 2 “I GRABBED HOLD OF THE FOOT OF THE LONG TUSSLE TO MASTER IT.” THE SUNDAY was nothing much when felt ondeck. caused the royal yard, 120 feet in air, to sway from side to side in a wide sweep, moving swiftly across a big arc of the sky. However, there I was, and as I knew enough to pick up the bunt first, I proceeded to tackle it. Digging my fingers nto the canvas, I dragged it in inch by inch and, aftér much effort, | seized the gasket, hauled it tight and | made it fast to the s le of the tie Then gingerly I edged my way out to the weather yard arm. The sail was blowing back over the yard and made it necessary to keep'a firm hold of the jackstay and be ready to duck, to avoid being hit in the face by the | slatting _canvas and knocked back- | ward. But I got out, grabbed hold of the foot of the sail, and began a long tussle to master it. I do not know how many times I dragged the canvas on t. fore 1 succeeded in Sometimes I would get it there and be unable to hold it, sometimes a gasket wasn't within reach, and each time the canvas blew out and all was to do over again. But at last 1 got the gaskets passed and the sail lashed to the vard—somehow. Breathless but cheered, I scrambled over to leeward and began a similar struggle on that side. It was easier than the other and in something les than half an hour I had the sail stowed and all well fast. So I swung | myself into the rigging and clamber | ed down on deck. By this time it was well Into my | watch below and I was hasten.ng to | the half-deck when the old man, who | was still on the poop, called me: | “Well, Clements, do you think you | can stow a royal now?” he demanded. 1 replied confidently that I could. “Then up vou go again and do it cald he, “and”—raising his volce— ‘make a better fob of it this time! | With less enthusiasm than hefore I turned again to the rigging, climbed aloft, and, laying out on the yard, cast ‘adritt those hardiy-won gaskets Doggedly I turned to; mastered the | sail bit by bit all over agaln and finally got it fast—a little more quickly and neatly than the first time, I think I hurried down again as { could, for the watch was s aickly as T ping by | | { SAIL AND BEGAN A course, but in two or three days had after quite indifferent to the m | of height. e fact * ¥ % x ON the eleventh day out we were in the latitude of the Straits of Gibraltar. The breeze freshened in the afternoon and hauled ahead and ijust at midday, as we of the port were clewed up. Eight bells having struck, one of the starbowlines swung himseif into the rigging to lay aloft and furl the sall, but the old man (Capt. West), who was standing by the poop rail, called out to the first mate: “Send one of the boys up, Thomas.” Anxfous to show I had mastered the art, I jumped into the rigging and swarmed aloft. Over the futtocks I went, managed the cross-trees all right, and laid out on the royal yard. The sall was bigger than I imagined end looked a much more formidable task than it appeared from the deck. The footropes there seemed nothing much te hold on to, and though the buntlines were close up, the sail was thrashing and banging about in fine fashion. More- Mr. grown accustomed to it, and was ever | watch were going below, the royals swayed awkwardly, | and my dinner—or what the others had left of it—was growing cold all this time. I had just reached the ! | halfdeck door, hunerily expectant, when the old man hailed me again: “Lay aft hers’—his voice had tre. ! mendous carrying power. I turned | round. “Do you call that a good stow?” he shouted. “Pretty good, sir,” sald I dublously, wondering what was coming next. “You do, eh? Damme if I do! { Jump aloft and furl it again.” | ERE OTTLING my down, I mounted the rigging, got on the yard, cast loose that infernal | sall, and painstakingly re-stowed it all | over again. I had hardly got my | foot on to the t'ggallant rigging be- fore T found that the old man was | still not satisfled. | “Royal yard there! Cast that sail loose"—there was no pretending I dldn’t hear that skysail-yard voice of | s, s With a feeling of despair T climbed out once thore and went through the whole wearisome job afresh. At the | end of it came another hail—I felt like going down and standing the consequences, but decided I had bet- indignation well | | for it. my dinner was a thing of the | | taught me tnoroughly and uniorget- | On the 24th of January we entered | fresher | bulwarks, | nothingz. | pecting a call, { came the order, and | tops'l | bark hummed like a top aloft. | shouted the ‘mate, and we dashed | sheet. | then split into ribbons and a thousand | tatters of canvas whirled away into | the darkness. | tumbling green eea, rearing above the | duietly. STAR. WASHINGTON, D. Again and again at an order from the captain I flung the canvass adrift and restowed it and stowed it again. Very soon my back was aching, my tingers were raw and bleeding, and 1 was drenched with perspiration and buffeted all over with the thrashing canvas. But that didn't save me. For four solid hours I was kept at it on the yard. Not till I had made the sall fast for at least the tenth time, and one bell had been struck to call the watch—my watch—was the old autocrat on the poop satisfled. When at last I did climb down the rigging I was just about dead beat and every limb in my body seemed dis. ‘ocs 1 Eight bells struck as I stepped on deck There was no help | nd without even a chance of nning below for a smoke I turned to with the avatch at washing dow It was the first lesson in practical seamanship that 1 received from Capt. West and I quickly learned that it was typical of his instruction, one side at least. Even now it ap- pears to me a somewhat drastic method of training but, after all, it met with a fair amount of success. 1 know this particular Instance anyhow ably how 1o stow a roval. needed any tnore point. All this time the fresh breeze blew | and slowly hauled into the nor'-east I never teaching on that he tropics, with the wind a steady whole-sail breeze and the horizon piled With fleecy masses of white cloud. There was little doubt that we had got the “trudes” at last. Two days later, when we were an the latitude of the Cape de ‘-A‘Y‘GQ‘ Islands, having run 500 miles In the | 43 hou The steady, singing breeze, true to a handsbreadth; the tumbled whites and blues of the sea all parkle in the sunshine; the untroubled rim of the ar horizon—thesa were signs unmis- rkable of the authentic trad the glorious winds that make seu pleasure cruise. After many deligh trul days, broken | by a period of calm, when the dol-| 1794, is drums had us in their grip. the| weather gradually chanzed. The air | grew more chilly and the nights ned downright cold. Day after | day the sky assumed a harder tinge, | the wind came more and more in | gusts and the frequent sprays lcapt through the fore-rigging struck | one’s face with a viclous sting. i Slowly we lald aside our thin tropt- | cal gear and donned warmer gar- ments. The flying fish disappeared, | our hunting tackle was put away and almost insensibly we reached the realms of the great west wind * X * " | TTHEN, suddenly, the weather broke up. All day the wind had been freshening and when we of the port watch came on deck at midnight the prospect looked threatening. The ship was still carrying every stitch of canvas, but at_times, to.a puff than usual, she stag- gored under the tremendous pressure | an, ahcard over the almost subm.arged lee | The mate. wio hadn't | spent hix life in the tea <lippers for wedged himself Into the cor- ner of the poop-rail and let the bark rip. And rip she did. Paddy, Burton, another apprentice, and 1 stood ready under the break, momentarily ex- But Mr. Thomas hung his canvas. One bell was : two bells: a moment later a sharp drops of rain began to pat- ter on the deck and the wind's note d to a Keener edge. and by vour staysl halsards!” en—to the ris- Aft on to | ing drone of the gus:t—"Leggo! here. and brail in the spanker!” ‘Brail in the spanker!” shouted Paddy, springing to the pin-rall and throwing off the coils, as the men came blundering along from for'ard. “Lee bruils, some of you!-—Clear that head-outhaul'—Leggo your gaff- ds!” The squall shrilled fiercely, and under the strain the Cursing the darkness and the beat- ing rain, the men searched for the ropes and with quick cries began to spill the wind from the shaking canvas. Hardly was the sail snugged in to the mast hefore there was a sharp crack for'ard, a quick rattle of chain, and a nolse like a volley of pistol shots. “There goes the fore-royal,” soms one. “ILet go your royal halyards,™ sald for'ard to carry out the order. The yard came dow:n with a run and as it did so, bang went the fore-t'zallant For a moment the sail blew out, tugging wildly at the bolt-ropes, Things were getting lively and a weather bulwarks, hung for a mo- ment, then crashed aboard and filled the decks walst-high in a welter of foam. “Call all hands,” sald the mate A man ran to the fok's'le door, flung it open and shouted into the dim slumberous warmth of the interior: urn out, me sons, she's’in | aloft.!” of answereed him; the hands roiled out | trees, ng a | | Fairfax’s which I desire you will take a long white cascade foamed | in@ Room that use to be, & have them up the t'gallants'ls. The buntlines were no sooner snugged up than there came an order to furl the mans'l and, glancing aft, we saw that the old mian hud come on deck = This looked as thouxh It would prove a ticklish fob. The wind was piping up In great gusts. green seas were pouring aboard, and darkness and driving rain envoloped every- thing. “All ready, sir.” sang out Paddy, as soon as the hands were at their places. “Lecgo then,” sald the mate, slip- ping the tack, “haul away!’ The tack whipped around the cross- the great sall bellled out, thrashing heavily, and all hands haulad furfously at the spilling-lines, heedless of everything except master. ing the sall before anything carried away. It was too late. We heard a sharp warning—""Look out there! hang on everybody!” and cast an Instant's glance to wind'ard. Iight ahove the bulwarks towered a great foam- crested s Even as we looked It fell, @ C., FEBRUARY 21, 1926—PART 5. Apprentice on Globe-Circling Voyage Is Initiated by Furious Gale l “IN AN INSTANT WE WERE CAUGHT IN A TORNADO OF LASHING ROPE AND CANVAS." sweeping across the deck with the volume and impetuosity of a burst dam. All hands were thrown off their feet and washed into the scuppers. Clewgarnet and buntlines were torn from our grasp and before we could regain them the mischief was done. The great sail took charge. With a volley of reports like & battieship's broadside, th: canvas soared upward like a balloon, thrashed madly for a moment, then, with a swift ripping and rending, split from earring to ear- ring a foot below the jackstay and col- lapsed bodily into the sea to leeward. For a few minutes our hands were full. Gfiroy, another apprentice, and 1 were sent to cut the boltrope and fluttering strips of canvas from the Jackstay, while the men, up to their necks in water, climbed on the lee- rail and by main strength dragged the sall back on board. We carried the tattered remnants aft and then systematically started to snug the ship down. For hours we were at it. The t'gal- lants’ls were clewed up and when the ship was sufficlently shortensd down we had to lay aloft and furl every- thing. It was § o'clock and near daybreak when the last man was down from aloft and the order was given to re- lleve the wheel and lookout. By this time it was our watch below and we turned into our bunks in our wet clothes to snatch a couple of hours’ sleep. Coming on deck at eight bells we found a change indeed. The wind was biowing harder than ever and the great gray seas rushed past, streaked with foam and indescribably wild and grand in appearance. The ship was plunging heavily, under only tope Is, lower stays'ls, and fores’l The canvas aloft was still our fine weather suit and was standing the strain badly. The foresall had split in two places and Nellsen and I were sent aloft with palms and needles to try and stay the rents from spreading farther. We might as well have taken sticking-plaster with us. | The rents soon stretched from head to foot, and the old man decided to furl the sail. Before tack or sheet started, however, two other seams split and the job looked pretty hope- less. Still, it had to be dune. All hands were called, the clew-gar- nets manned, the tack slipped, and we started to haul away. The tack was barely a third of the way up when the sall gave two or three flutters and split literally into ribbons. In an in- stant we were caught in a tornado of lashing rope and canvas. Someth'ng hit me on the side of the head and knocked me flying. I lay for a few moments helpless under the crabwinch, with my head going round like a top. Stedman, a fine English seaman, came and picked me up; he was bleeding himself and several oth ers had received cuts from the flying ropes. It took us & couple of hours to lash the remnants of the sall to the yard and then the order was given to un bend the topsls and get up storn canvas in their places. Till six bells In the afternoon the job took us Then, dinnerless, but with good “nu ber nought” canvas above our heads, the watch was sent below. Again it was our turn, and the unfortunates in the starboard watch remained on deck to clear up. They got altogsther the worst of this first touch of bad weather, for they had been on deck a full twenty out of the last four hours. The wind the nigl t'gallants’l, bitterly cold a my Winter clothing. ‘This blow was our first Indication of what was coming and reminded us that the roaring forties lay ahead. (Copyright. 1026.) ‘ Leisurely Spain Proposes Reform \ OVERTL’RNING all soclal precedent | | in Epain, the new clvil govern- | ment has unleashed a turmoil in the country of the Castillans by sugg ing a complete change in the habits |and customs of the people of Spain |and particularly those living in Madrid, the Spanish capital. hours and lengthy slestas are to give way to early rising, hard working and elimination of the siesta, if the new government has its way. The old four hour day for government employes will stretch out to the unconscionable length of six hours, the rest hour be abolished and nocturnal pleasures will begin earlier and end before the wee small hours. All of which presents a pretty picture for the employes of Uncle Sam, who get down to toil at | 9 o'clock and quit at 4:30. | The average Spaniard, according to | official advices to Washington, rises at | 8 or 8:30, breakfasts lightly on choco- | |1ate or coffee and rolls, and goes to ! his office or shop at 9:30 or 10—at the | |latter hour if he is a government of- | ficial. Government offices close for the | day at 2 p.m., while other offices, banks and shops close at 1:30 &nd re- open at 3:30, working until 7 p.m.| Every one goes home to lunch at the long noon hour. At night the Spaniard really begins his day -a dav ‘hai stretches well! into the small hours. The dally mat- | inee in the theaters begins at ¢:30 or | 7 p.m., which is also the fashionable hour for afternoon tea, coffee and | chocolate and dances in the fashion- | able hotels and cabarets. The dinner | hour for the “common people” is 9 | p.m.; that of the aristocracy, 9:30 or | 10 p.m. Evening performances at the theaters, including the opera, begins | at 10:30, while balls and other evenh.s fu an der who rnment Rivera | v of ed s a Lazy ways of living, short working|10:80 and close at 4:3i functionarles will comp missions during five continuous ho from 11 to 4. Lives of the others | would have to be refashioned to co ply with the new schedule for state officials, through compulsion, if neces- sary. Commenting on the new eftuatl the Spanish newspaper La Nac recognized as the organ of th government, says: “In this the advantage torlous. The early risers free hours before their off could go to bed early without depr ing themselves of nocturnal re tions which today, for the advanced hour which they terminate, repre- sent ar the obligations which have to be ful 1 the first hour of the morr h a loss of health ener; which influences the results of work The night-passers could rise late, out the press: of being in at 9, and ¢ wake, therefore, at 7 or 730 am. Th ers of familles would dispose of hours of the morning, before go to th tions, for the instruction of t dren, the dispatch of fan Previous governments before the military directorate, notably thos: Moura and Cierva, attempted refor: milar to that now ested, without succes: |much to this {nfluence, and Was quick hands on deck to shorten to say so on many occasions. of their bunks, reaching hastily for go-us and boots as they made for the oor. How the Father of His Country Wooed And Won the Charming Martha Custis BY UTHAI VINCENT WILCOX. EORGE WASHINGTON was a good bookkeeper and a most human sort of indl vidual, who Ilked to have the staircase and the furni- . there wasn't a doubt of it. | ture polikhed and the house well pre- | pared when he returned to Maum; Vernon with his bride. | revealed in an examination | illuminating cld docume: t come into the pos: on of the Mount Vernon Ladie: oclation. The general's own account of his| personal expenses from April to June, ept with as great detail and accuracy as any modern public budget where red tape is glorified and made supreme. For instance, under “Butch. | er's” he glves the items, bacon. tongues, turkeys, fowls, geese, bird while under the head “scaled” he en- tered lobsters, crabs and oysters. But it s {n the letter written re- garding his homecoming with his bride that George Washington reveals ! his kindness to all others in similar | positions. This new letter just | brought to light was signed “.| Washington,” instead of the usual| “Geo. Washington.” He wrote: I have sent Miles on today, to let you know that 1 expect to be up to- morrow, & to get the Key from Col. care of. You must have the House very well cleaned & were you to make Fires in the Rooms below it w'd air them. You must get two of the best Bedsteads put up—one in the Hall Room, and ye other in the little din very well rubd & cleand—the Stalr case ought also to be polished in order to make it look well. “Enquire abt. in the neighborhood | & get some Eggs and Chickens, and | prepare {n the best manner you can for our coming; you need not however take out any more of the Furniture than the beds, Tables & Chairs in order that they may be well rubd & cleand. ‘I am yr. Fd. &c. “G. WASHINGTON.' The mention of Col. Fairfax in con- nection with these new documents re- calls other letters, diaries, and fncl- dents in the life of Washington which have been found during the past year, showing his interest in society while he was still a young man and before | he had met the charming Mrs. Custis. As a surveyor, Washington went to live with the Fairfaxes. George Wil- llam Fairfax was a boon companion and a very close and intimate friend of the young Washington at that time, although somewhat older in years and experience. Living with the Fairfaxes after his friend had married, he found in the companionship of youthful Mrs. Fairfax, who was but eighteen, that Wwhich interested him greatly. It was a platonic friendship and innocent in its character, yet his letters and his dlary show that he enjoyed greatly the hours that he spent with Mrs. Bally Cary Fairfax. for it was her in- terest in literature and history that stimulated him and encouraged his Ppolitical aspirations. She prodded his wavering ambition, for there is evi- dence that she recognized his genius and courage. This came at an im- portant time, when Washington needed a wider horizon. Because of his close companionship and propinquity with this splendid woman he came to have for her a mute, if hopeless, affection. His let- | ters at this time indicated that. Yet| he never brought unhappiness to the home of the Fairfaxes. However, his feelings almost over- flowed on the eve of a military cam- | paign against the Indians. He wrote in a letter telling of his loneliness and his high regard for the great worth and noble sentiments of Mrs. Fairfax. In later years he showed that he owed 1 In those youthful days, while grow- | | Ing to man’s estate and before coming tired men |under the vaptivating influence of Martha, there is evidence a-plenty that George was very popular with the ladies. Even at 16 he had experi- enced something of the trials of the Both watches were 00n clewing lover, for he tells in his diary of & ! her: THE HOST THOUGHT THAT “WASHINGT! FOR YE NIGHT.” AN] 1 | | i ni night, and the servant into comfort- able quarters. He ‘“thought that Washington was going to stay for ve ht. Washington did indeed stay. the Widow ing her even was high the | vers of D WASHINGTON DID. “hurt of the heart uncurable.” Many times after that he mentions some “faire mayde” who has captured his admiration for the time. On one occasion, when chosen to carry a message to some official in the French possessions in America, he found time er route to call upon a noted Indian princess, Aliguippa. He wrote of how impressed he was with her grace and beauty. He records in his uccounts the gifts that he gave A blanket and a bottle of rum! He says that the “latter was thought much the best present of the two.” In his diary and expepse account books during those early years there are numerous items which indicate that Washington was human and sub- Ject to the feelings of any normal young man. There are such entries s “Treating the ladys, 2 shillings”; Present for Polly, 5 shillings’; “My share of music at the dance, 3 shill- ings”; “Lost at love, 5 shillings.” His special iInterest in Mary Philipse of New York is noted in his- toric records. Miss Philipse was a few years older than Washington. She was a belle of Gotham, a noted beauty, and her favors much sought. It was apparent that her sophistication im- pressed young Washington. At the same time the society girl found some- thing_to interest her in the upstand- ing Virginian, with his courteous country manners and his acquaint- ance with military life. A short and spirited acqualintanceship was all that resulted. Washington was by that time older in years and the ways of the world, and had developed something of & philosophic turn of mind in such mat- ters. He made a note In his diary that indicates the reason for the loss of his suit for the hand of Mary, for he wrote that he had “not waited until ye ladye was in her mood.” Martha Dandridge Custis, who later became Martha Washington, had ex- ceptional financial ability. She was not educated, in the sense of a finish- ing school or having a degree in a college of fine arts. Like many an- - ‘WASHINGTON WAS IN A HURRY, BUT ACCEPTED A! XHAT THE CHARMING WHDOW CUSTIS WAS A GUEST IN THE HOUSE | other colonial dame, she misspelled {like a lady. But her knowledge of cooking and housekeeping &nd sewing and the social graces was of the 100 per cent variety, judging by the rec- | ards left. writer of that time describes her as “belng rather below the middle size, but extremely well shaped, with an | agreeable countenance, dark hazel ieyes and hair and a frank, engaging | manner.” That her personality was of the sort that Impressed the voung and eligible young men, even though she was a widow at 25 and had four chil- dren, is evident, at least in so far as Washington was concern: ago, & number of horsemen in form passed down the road. The of ficers were dressed in the British scar- let and accompanied by a dignified black servant who was also on horse. back. The commander in charge was George Washington. A planter of the neighborhood, rec- ognizing him, asked him to stop over for dinner, but he declined, saying that he must hurry to Willlamsburg and lay before the governor and coun- cil of Virginia matters relating to the march of the British and the colo- nials against Fort Duquesne. Additional urging was of no avail, until his would-be host happened to mentlon that he had stopping with him the charming Willlamsburg widow, Mrs. Daniel Parke Custis. Evi- dently the Information intrigued the young commander, for he finally ylelded to the repeated invitation. He told his old servant to have the horses in readiness, for after he had dined and exchanged compliments he would hurry along. 4 The old colored servant waited long that evening. It was dark and he was hungry, and still he waited with the anxious horses. Knowing his Master George as a punctual man, he was fearful of some unknown trouble. The planter, happening to see the old serv- ant, took {t upon himself to order ! Washington's horse put up for the Hn view It happened that in May, 188 years | uni- | ued on hi hip was most great need of management of the n idred as bonds and other pro ght. v-seven they were fec about from W new Lom The denco history), was . Tt was at i n meu. tioning Col. Fairfax, his old friend. |~ Washington must have had very human isfaction, some years | after, when he was in the thick of the | fight as commander of the Revolu | tionary armies, in thinking of the | choice that Miss Mary Philipse had 1m‘4<‘]€, He could scarcely miss the | comparison, for he and his staff occu- pied the mansion of one Col. Morris who had fled with his wife when the Continentals captured New _ York. Mrs. Morris was the former Gothan belle who had rejected young Wash- i ington. Perhaps at a later time Ma. too, had her thoughts of the situatior Politically least, she had chose: poorly, as history records nothi more of these Morrises. imsburg to be present. of s | called the *“W S0l Measuring Waves €Y\ AVES bigher than th ering like moantains” -y d about them and heard ocean describe them. Perhaps y {actually have seen them. , But be care | ful what you say about them, for now | scientists will check tip on your state ments, says Popular Science Monthly The length and height of ocean waves have at last been measured exactly means of a speclally constructed camera, according to a German maga zine. Ordinary waves are from 6 tol2 feet high. In a high sea they may rise t 27 feet, or in a violent gale may 36 feet. This is the ult of a wave. The length of wave, that is from crest to c sald to be 900 feet. It that it takes to replace 1 express train. Takes Place of Rain. LECTRIC power recently was .wasinitted from Britisn Colum )14 to the State of Washington to help make up a shortage of power due to lack of rain in the Pacific Nortuwest last Fall. N INVITATION TO DINNER WHEN HE LEARNED