By his personal influence he did very much to secure the aid which
France gave us.
LAFAYETTE JOINS THE AMERICAN ARMY
Even before an open treaty was signed France had secretly helped the cause
of the Americans. She had sent them money and army supplies and, besides
this, able Frenchmen had come across the Atlantic to join the American
army. The most noted of these was the Marquis de Lafayette.
The circumstances under which he came were quite romantic. Lafayette was
but nineteen when he heard for the first time at a dinner-party the story
of the American people fighting for their liberty. It interested and
deeply moved him. For in his own land a desire for freedom had been
growing, and he had been in sympathy with it. Now he made it his business
to find out more about this war, and then he quickly decided to help all
he could.
[Illustration: Marquis de Lafayette.]
He belonged to one of the noblest families of France, and was very
wealthy. He had a young wife and a baby, whom he regretted to leave. But
he believed that his duty called him to join the cause of freedom. His
wife was proud of the lofty purpose of her noble husband, and encouraged
him to carry out his plan.
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