"Sir James Thorn'ill, sir! Me and my mates has been a-workin' for you,
in this here church, good six weeks and more, and we haven't seen the
color of your money yet; and now we ain't going to do another stroke,
without you pays us all that's owing!"

"That'll do, my man," said Sir James, hastily; "you may come down. Your
elocution's perfect, but I can't say I quite admire your choice of a
text."

However, the sermon was not thrown away. The very next morning the men
received their wages in full, and Sir James gave the clever carpenter
half a guinea extra for himself.

[Begun in HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 24, April 13.]

THE STORY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.

BY EDWARD CARY.

CHAPTER X.

It is not pleasant to think that when Washington went back to his quiet
home on the Potomac he was not as generally beloved as when he took his
high office. He had had to disappoint a great many men who looked to him
to help their private ambition at the expense of the country. He had had
to enforce laws which some people looked upon as unjust. He had differed
from various public men as to the war between France and England, and
the payment of the debt, and other things, and it is so easy for all of
us to think that a man who differs from us is in some way a bad man. A
good many writers in the newspapers of that day had said hard things
about him. But, after all, the moment the country got into trouble, all
hearts turned toward him.

The men who had come into power in France after the Revolution of 1789
were proud, quarrelsome, and selfish. Because the Americans would not
side with the French in their quarrel with England, these men directed
American ships to be plundered. When the American agents in France
complained, they were insulted; there was danger that such conduct would
lead to war, and the American government began to get ready for it. The
first thing was to choose a commander for the army, and again all eyes
turned to Washington. In 1798 he was made Commander-in-chief, and for
the next year and a half he was closely engaged getting the army ready
for war. Happily it did not come.

[Illustration]

In the midst of this work General Washington's noble life was brought to
a sudden end. In December, 1799, he was taken with a violent disease of
the throat, from which he died on the 14th of that month. In his last
sickness he was brave, as he had been on the battle-field; patient, as
he had been in public council; and u