When the bed was prepared, he wrote
George's name in full in the pulverized earth, and sowed the same with
cabbage seed. In due time, of course, the seed appeared in green,
thrifty shoots, forming the letters as clearly as they stand in the
alphabet. George discovered them one day. He was then seven or eight
years old. He stood for a moment in silent wonder.

"Those are letters sure enough," he thought.

Then he read them aloud, "G-E-O-R-G-E W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N."

With wondering eyes he rushed to the house, and excitedly broke the
news.

"Oh, pa, come here! come here!"

"What's the matter, my son? what's the matter?" responded his father.

"Oh, come here, I tell you, pa; come here!" and the boy could scarcely
contain himself, so great was his excitement.

"But what is it, my son? Can't you tell me what has happened?"

"Come here, and I'll show you the greatest sight you ever saw in your
life!"

By this time he was pulling his father along towards the garden, the
latter understanding full well what had happened. Very soon they reached
the bed, where the bright, thrifty cabbage plants had spelled the name
of GEORGE WASHINGTON in full.

"There, pa!" exclaimed George, pointing to his name in cabbage plants,
and exhibiting the greatest astonishment by his appearance. "Did you
ever see such a sight in all your life-time?"

"Well, George, it does seem like a curious affair sure enough," his
father answered. "But who should make it there, pa? Who made it there?"

"Why, it _grew_ there, of course, my son."

"No, pa! No, no! somebody put it there."

"Then you think it did not grow there by _chance_?"

"No, indeed, it never did. That couldn't be."

"How is that, my son? Don't it look very much like _chance_?"

"Why, no, pa; did you ever know anybody's name in a plant bed before?"

"Well, George, might not such a thing happen though I never saw it
before?"

"Yes, pa; but I never saw plants grow up so as to make a single letter
of my name before. How could they grow up so as to make _all_ the
letters of my name! And all standing one after another so as to spell my
name exactly--and all so nice and even, too, at top and bottom! Somebody
did it. _You_ did it, pa, to scare me, because I am your little boy."

"Well, George, you have guessed right," answered Mr. Washington. "I did
do it, but not to scare you, my son, but to teach you a great truth
which I wish you to understand. I want to introduce you to your _t