"

"When was it that Washington was there?" asked Elsie. "I know that
some of the time he was in Massachusetts and at other times in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania."

"Yes," said her father, "but he was here on the Hudson, holding his
headquarters at Newburgh, at the close of the Revolution. It was in
April, 1782, he took possession of his quarters there, and there he
continued most of the time until November, 1783, when the Continental
Army was disbanded."

"Because the war was over?" asked Eric Leland.

"Yes; and the brave men who had done and suffered so much together had
to bid each other farewell, separate, and go to their homes. Of course
they were very glad and thankful that liberty was gained and the
dreadful struggle over, yet it was sad to part; especially from their
beloved chief."

"Wasn't it there, father, that some of them had proposed to make him
king?" asked Grace.

"Yes; but he received the proposal with abhorrence. Washington had
fought to win freedom for his country, not to win power and glory for
himself. He had no hunger for them, but a great love of liberty for
his country and himself."

"Do you think he was as great a man as Napoleon, captain?" asked
Sydney.

"Greater, much greater! Napoleon undoubtedly had genius, but he was
utterly selfish, utterly unscrupulous in the means he took to gain
power and satisfy his own ambition--even sacrificing the wife he
probably really loved (after his own selfish fashion) in order to get
an heir to the throne he had usurped."

"And his fortunes began to wane from the time that he divorced poor
Josephine," remarked Mr. Leland.

"Yes; and the son and heir to gain which he had done such wickedness
never succeeded to the crown or throne," remarked Grandma Elsie. "'The
triumphing of the wicked is short.'"

"I never thought of it before," remarked Sydney; "but isn't it odd
that each of those great men married a widow with children, and had
none of his own by her?"

"And of our Washington it has been said, 'Providence left him
childless that his country might call him father,'" said Mrs. Leland.
"I have always thought that a very pretty idea."

"A true one too, I do believe," said Evelyn; "he was so true a
patriot--so wise, so unselfish, so true and good."

"A countryman to be very, very proud of, and very thankful to God for
giving us," said Grandma Elsie; "especially at that time, when he was
so much needed."

"Are there not a good many places in