nselfish, as he had always been. "I
am not afraid to go," he said to those about him, and he begged them not
to take too much trouble for him. The pain he bore was very great, but
he never complained.

When he died, grief spread like a shadow over the whole land. In every
home men felt that they had lost a faithful friend, a wise and loving
guide. Wherever men gathered, words of sorrow for his loss, and praise
for his great life, were spoken. Nor this alone. The French Generals,
against whom he was preparing at the moment of his death to defend his
country in arms, wrapped their flags in mourning in honor of his memory.
The English ships in the Channel hung their flags at half-mast in sign
of the grief of the English people. Surely no better proof of his high
character could be given. It had won the love of those who had fought
against him, and those who were on the point of going to battle with
him.

It was found by the will which Washington left that he had given freedom
to the slaves which he had held during his life, and whom he could not
free before; that he had provided for all the aged and weak among them,
and for the children; and that he had left large sums of money to give
free schooling to the children of those in his neighborhood who could
not get schooling otherwise. His last thoughts were of others, and how
to do them good.

Indeed, the thing which made Washington so great was the earnest way in
which he tried to find what was right, and to do it. Other men have had
greater gifts of mind than he, and could do what he could not. But no
man was ever more true to duty, small or great. At each moment he asked
himself what he ought to do, and he spared no pains to make a true
answer to that question. He carefully studied the rights of others as
much as his own. He looked ahead to see what would follow his acts, that
he might do no wrong by mistake. And when he had made up his mind what
was right, he bent himself to do it. No fear for himself, no love of
ease, no hope of gain, prevented him from going the way that he thought
he ought to go. It was given to him to serve his country better than any
other man has ever served it, and to leave a name which will be honored
for a long time. But if we were to try to tell the secret of his
greatness, it could be done in this short sentence: He always tried his
best to do his duty.

THE END.

[Illustration: FLIGHT OF THE ARROWS.]

AN INDIAN GAME.

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