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Touch of May
This cherry photo from last May reminds me that spring will soon touch us despite 17 degrees and snow outside my windows! :)
Although, President's Day is past, enjoy the "Cherry Tree" fable by Weems and "Honest Abe" telling.
The Cherry Tree
When George Washington was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.
One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.
Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it.
Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.
"George," said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!"
This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried: --
"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet."
The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said: --
"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! yes, though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!" _Weems
Works by Mason Locke Weems (1759-1825)
1800 The Life and Memorable Actions of George Washington. Published anonymously in its first edition the year following Washington's death, this immensely popular biography would undergo continual expansions and revisions during the author's lifetime, with a twenty-ninth edition published the year of Weems's death. Not a model of strict factual biography, the work originates many of the Washington myths, including the cherry-tree story, which first appears in the fifth edition (1806).
Parson Mason Locke Weems (1756-1825) was an American printer and author known as the source for almost all of the half-truths about George Washington, "the Father of his Country," including the famous taleof the cherry tree. ("I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.") The Life of Washington, Weems' most famous work, contained the story.
Why Lincoln Was Called 'Honest Abe'
In managing the country store, as in everything that he undertook for others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, ready to do anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of pleasantries, patient, and alert.
On one occasion, finding late at night, when he counted over his cash, that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due, he closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the deficiency.
At another time, discovering on the scales in the morning a weight with which he had weighed out a package of tea for a woman the night before, he saw that he had given her too little for her money. He weighed out what was due, and carried it to her, much to the surprise of the woman, who had not known that she was short in the amount of her purchase.
Innumerable incidents of this sort are related of Lincoln, and we should not have space to tell of the alertness with which he sprang to protect defenseless women from insult, or feeble children from tyranny; for in the rude community in which he lived, the rights of the defenseless were not always respected as they should have been. There were bullies then, as now._Noah Brooks _presidential history
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Beautiful entry!
{{{ Hugs }}}
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Neat picture, neat entry.
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(laughing here at Rich's comment below mine. ) I love this journal. This pic is one of my favorites. Kind of hit on a memory I'd forgotten. Hugs. *Barb*
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Think I'm gonna take my "little hatchet" and "honestly" try to cut down GW and the BUSHWACKERS!! They only know how to lie and cheat!! rich...By the way, great photo, and interesting reading!!
3/11/05 4:58 AM
What an amazing picture. I love it! :)
Always, Carly :)