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Four Great Americans: Washington, Franklin, Webster, Lincoln - A Book for Young Americans by James Baldwin
page 33 of 176 (18%)
Custis, a handsome young widow who owned a fine estate not a great way
from Williamsburg, the capital of the colony. This was in January, 1759.

At about the same time he was elected a member of the House of Burgesses
of Virginia; and three months later, he went down to Williamsburg to
have a hand in making some of the laws for the colony.

He was now twenty-seven years old. Young as he was, he was one of the
richest men in the colony, and he was known throughout the country as
the bravest of American soldiers.

The war was still going on at the north. To most of the Virginians it
seemed to be a thing far away.

At last, in 1763, a treaty of peace was made. The French had been
beaten, and they were obliged to give up everything to the English. They
lost not only the Ohio Country and all the great West, but Canada also.

* * * * *

XI.--THE MUTTERINGS OF THE STORM.


And now for several years Washington lived the life of a country
gentleman. He had enough to do, taking care of his plantations, hunting
foxes with his sport-loving neighbors, and sitting for a part of each
year in the House of Burgesses at Williamsburg.

He was a tall man--more than six feet in height. He had a commanding
presence and a noble air, which plainly said: "This is no common man."
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