Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1891 — Washington's Hot Temper at Times. [ARTICLE]

Washington's Hot Temper at Times.

‘when canvassing 'Fairfax County- against the Know-Nothings'; fowrtd two old negrees who had belonged to Washington., One, when a boy, witpeSscd gm illustration of his master’s temper. It pepped old Sam was a'rofigh carpenter; constantly engaged in building and repairing cabins. Washington cautioned him in ihortising logs /or. the cabins to cub. half -through the Jog on one sida,-.then turn it over and cut through from the other side, so the joint would be in the middle and the log less liable to decay. The General rode in the woods one day and asked Sam if he had strictly followed his instruct ons. “Yea, Marae George, - said he, “I tuns

’em over and mortises jes as you tefla me.” | Washington gave his horse’s reins to his body servant, who always accompanied him, got down, scratched under one of the logs with his fingers, and found all the splinters running downward. “Sam,” said he, “you have lied to me; now take that!” and whack went a stick over his shoulders. His bootblack had a similar experience. It was his duty to polish the General’s huge boots all the way ud to the legs every morning and place them ,in front of the chamber door at a certain hour. “What did he do if they were nol shined to suit him?” asked Wise. ** “He lammed me over de hade wid ’er all through de hall,” was Yet his negroes were devoted to him. It was not ouly his slaves who suffered when he was angry, but any one else, regardless of color, wlio offended him. When asked if the report was true that one of his slaves had run away, taking with him certain important papers. “Sir,” said he, sternly? “I never had a slave to run away, ” Though a devout churchman and a genuine Christian, he could not always keep his powerful passions under control. While riding from church in his coach one hot day one of the young bloods of the county on horseback rode rapidly by him and’filled the air with clouds of dust Washingion, it is said, put .his head out of the window, and the young man'declared he “never got such a cursing in his life.”