, and they said the change was like the one the frogs made
from "King Log" to "King Stork."

What this meant you may find in AEsop's Fables. And I must say that our
first President was a good deal more like a King in his manners and his
notions than our Presidents are nowadays. Perhaps he was more so than he
would be if he were President now.

He was a proud man--not a vain one, but proud of his office; and he
wanted people to show their respect for his office by the manner in
which they treated him. He dressed very richly, and had his wife dress
richly too. He rode to and from the Capitol in a coach with four horses,
and sometimes even six, handsomely clad. He put his servants in a sort
of uniform, like the "livery" which nobles' servants wear. He gave grand
parties, where he and Mrs. Washington received their guests from a
slightly raised platform, called a "dais."

On every occasion where he appeared as President of the United States he
insisted that things should go on in a certain order, and with as much
display as possible. But in his private life and conduct he was as
simple and modest as any one could be.

In his public work Washington chose some of the best and ablest men in
the country to help him. He called Alexander Hamilton from New York to
take care of money matters, with the title of Secretary of the
Treasury. Hamilton was an officer on Washington's staff during the
Revolution, and had led the Americans over the British redoubts in the
last fight at Yorktown. Washington knew him to be as honest and skillful
as he was brave, and relied on him greatly. Then he called Thomas
Jefferson from Virginia--a very clear-headed man, with many bold
ideas--to take charge of any business that might come up with other
nations. His title was Secretary of State, and he had a great deal to
do, for the governments of Europe had not yet learned to respect the
rights of the United States, or to care much for this country in any
way.

General Washington took up his residence in New York, where Congress was
then meeting. The first thing he did was to lay out an order in which
business should be done, in such a manner that nothing should be
neglected, and things should not get confused. His plans were made after
asking advice from the chief men about him, for, great man as he was, he
was always ready to take the counsel of others.

Nothing is more striking in reading Washington's letters than this habit
of asking advice. I