Washington learned in his youth to do what is right according to character traits. One of the ways he learned was by practicing good penmanship while writing over and over again “The Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation” as they were dictated to him by his tutor.

I’m quoting one of those rules in this message today because my grown daughter who has a husband and grown children herself, was stung by a scorpion tonight. My wife and I had to go to her for comfort and some consolation as her husband and children were away. She was stung twice by the same scorpion. Ouch!

My wife and I drove to her house to give her some relief with techniques my wife knows too well. Anyway, for some reason it reminded me of one of the “Rules” George Washington repeated in his lessons.

It goes like this: “Kill no vermin as fleas, lice ticks &tc in the Sight of Others, if you see any filth or thick spittle put your foot Dexteriously upon it if it be upon the Cloths of your Companions, Put it off privately, and if it be upon your own Cloths return Thanks to him that puts it off.” (Spelling and Capitalizations as in the original.)

I think my daughter was happy that we came to put it off privately! And I think George would have been proud of us!