r him was greater than ever. His methods of assisting them were often
original, and always practical; as, for example, keeping a boat on the
Potomac for their use in fishing. Here was an opportunity for them to
obtain subsistence without sacrificing the virtues of industry and
self-reliance.

Mr. Peake, who had charge of one of his plantations, said:

"I had orders to fill a corn-house every year for the sole use of the
poor in my neighborhood, to whom it was a seasonable and most precious
relief, saving numbers of poor women and children from miserable famine,
and blessing them with a cheerful plenteousness of bread."

One year, when there was a scarcity of corn, and the price of it went up
to a dollar per bushel, the suffering among the poor was much increased.
Washington ordered his agent to distribute all that could be spared from
the granaries, and he purchased several hundred bushels in addition, at
the high price, to be used in charity.

Governor Johnson of Maryland, a hero of '76, related the following
incident to Mr. Weems:

The governor went to the Virginia Springs for his health. The place was
crowded with people, but he secured "a mattress in the hut of a very
honest baker" whom he knew. The baker did a large business, and every
day Mr. Johnson noticed that many poor negroes came for loaves, and took
them away without paying a cent.

"Stophel," said Mr. Johnson one day, "you seem to sell a world of bread
here every day, but notwithstanding that, I fear you don't gain much by
it."

"What makes you think so?" replied Stophel.

"You credit too much."

"Not I, indeed, sir; I don't credit at all."

"Ay, how do you make that out? Don't I see the poor people every day
carrying away your bread, and yet paying you nothing?"

"Pshaw! what of that? They will pay me all in a lump at last."

"At _last_!" exclaimed the governor, "at the _last day_, I suppose. You
think the Almighty will stand paymaster, and wipe off all your old
scores for you at a dash."

"Not by any means, squire. The poor bakers can't give such long credit;
but I will tell you how we work the matter. Washington directed me to
supply these poor people at his expense, and I do it. Believe me,
squire, he has often, at the end of the season, paid me as much as
eighty dollars, and that, too, for poor creatures who did not know the
hand that fed them; for I had strict orders from him not to mention it
to anybody."

In a former chapter we le