Page:The youth of Washington (1910).djvu/56

 me. After my father's death, and in the absence of my elder brothers, the house and farm soon showed the want of a man's care, and we lads enjoyed at this time almost unlimited freedom. My older brothers saw it, and felt that I, at least, might suffer, being of an age and nature to need discipline and to be guided. In fact, I delighted to skip away from my man Peter, and find indulgence in roasting ears of Indian corn in the forbidden cabins of the field-slaves, or in coon-hunts at night, when all the house was asleep. When my pranks were discovered my mother was sometimes too severe in her punishments, or else only laughed.

Nothing was assured or certain in the house, now that the hand of wise and strong government was gone.

We were taught the catechism as a preparation for Sundays, and my mother read the Bishop of Exeter's sermons or Matthew Hale's "Commentaries, Moral and Divine." I still have this book. It belonged originally to my father's first wife, Jane Butler, and below her name my mother wrote her own, "Mary Ball." At this time she was much given to Puritanical views, which