Illustrations from Original Drawings by Garrett, Robert BOSTON. D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY FRANKLIN AND HAWLEY STREETS JOHN S. PRELL Civil & Mechanical Engineer. 956 was THE WASHINGTONS' A ENGLISH HOME. Educ Library WAY in the centre of Northamptonshire, among great solemn woods and heavy clay pastures, lies a stately park round a noble house. On the hill above sits an ancient brown sandstone church, brooding like an old hen over her chickens the yellow-brown sandstone cottages of the village. And a mile beyond the church, in a smaller village, a low sandstone house stands by the roadside, with thatched roof, and high gable-ends, and stone mullioned windows, and an inscription carved over the door. The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Constructa. 1606. The Park is Althorp Park, Lord Spencer's splen 7 810 did home. The church is Brington Church; and it contains monuments which should stir every American heart. For in the sandstone house at Little Brington lived the ancestor of George Washington; and he lies buried in Brington Church with his wife and several of his children and kinsfolk. Yes! In that low sandstone house now a cottage Mr. Lawrence Washington, son and heir of Robert Washington of Sulgrave in Northamptonshire, lived and died. And it was his second son, John, who emigrated in 1657 to Virginia, there to found the family of the illustrious first President of the United States. The Washingtons who were originally a Lancashire family, had been settled in Northamptonshire for several generations; first in the town of Northampton; then at Sulgrave; and when their fortunes declined-in consequence, some say, of the ill luck which always came to those who held church property, and the manor of Sulgrave had belonged to St. Andrew's Monastery at Northampton and they were obliged to leave Sul - grave, Lawrence Washington settled at Little |