mused
himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge
of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree,
which he barked so terribly that I don't believe the tree ever got the
better of it. The next morning the old gentleman finding out what had
befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favorite, came into
the house, and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author,
declaring at the same time that he would not have taken five guineas
for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently
George and his hatchet made their appearance. 'George,' said his
father, 'do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry-tree
yonder in the garden?' This was a _tough question_, and George
staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself; and
looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with
the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out,
'I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie; I did cut it
with my hatchet.'--'Run to my arms, you dearest boy,' cried his father
in transports, 'run to my arms. Glad am I, George, that you ever
killed my tree, for you have paid me for it a thousand-fold. Such an
act of heroism in my son, is more worth than a thousand trees, though
blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold.'"

JOHN DRAYTON.

~1766=1822.~

JOHN DRAYTON, son of William Henry Drayton, was born in South
Carolina, educated at Princeton and in England, and became a lawyer.
He was governor of South Carolina, 1800-2, and again 1808-10; and he
was District Judge of the United States at the time of his death.

WORKS.

Letters written during a tour through the Northern and Eastern
States.
A View of South Carolina.
Memoirs of the Revolution in South Carolina, [prepared mainly
from his father's manuscripts].

Governor Drayton's writings are characterized by a desire to express
the simple and exact truth. His style carries with it a conviction of
his sincerity and of the reliability of his narrative.

A REVOLUTIONARY OBJECT LESSON IN THE CAUSE OF PATRIOTISM, APRIL 1775.

(_From Memoirs of the Revolution._)

With all these occurrences, men's minds had become agitated; and it
was deemed proper to bring forth something calculated to arrest the
public attention, to throw odium on the British Administration, to put
down the Crown officers in the Province, and to