The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-12-10

blHltHl HtlittlllSll VI Aiit biu ifoAhiiioh'
Engrosscd with each other, the young cou-
pie continued 10 reside on their estate, until,
the war of Independence breaking out,
Washington was summoned to the field 10
lead his countiy's armies. Mrs. Washing
ton, however, even now would not consent
to part cntirel, from her husband. She ac-
companicd him to Cambridge, and remained
until the evacuation of Boston, when, the
army moving on 10 New York for an active
campaign, she returned for awhile 10 Virgin
ia.
After this, it was her custom to spend her
summers at Mount Vernon, rcjoining the
General as soon rs the army went into win
Ter quarters. At the close Of each cam
pAign, accordingly, an aid.de-camp WAS des'
patched to escort her 10 her husband. Her
arrival at camp was always season Of re-
lo;cins The plain chariot, with the neat
postillions in their scarlet and VIII livcrics,
was welcomed rs the harbinger Of rest and
cheerlulness. llcreydmple was followed by
the wives Of higher officers Thus every
winter something like society was establish
ed at headquarters, when the smiles and ai-
iecton of woman relieved, for a season at
least, the gloom Of disaster and despair.
Lady Washington was accustomed TO say
,hat it had ever been her fortune 10 head
the first cannon at the opening, and last at
the closing, of all the campaigns Of the war
Of Independence. During the terrible win
ter Of HIS, She was at Valley Forge The
pmya,ions to which She had TO submit ma,
be indscd iom a letter she wrote to Mrs
" Arren, in which She says: The Gener-
ais apartment is very small; he has had a
log cabin built to dine in, which has made
our quarters much more tolerablc than 'hey
were at first" Think of woman of Lady
Washneton's frtune and position, dinin.
nowadays, tor a winter, in Il los cabin =
Daring this awial season, this august fema'c
sought out the most distressed Of the soldiers
and allcyiated .hcir suilerlngs, as far as pos
siLlc on, OF her private purse. Such was Il
lady of the oden time Instead Of loung
ing idly at home in luxury, she shared full,
her husbands trials instead Of cShausiing
her wealth On selfish indugenccs. she divid-
ed it with the hungry and sick.
The Marquis dc Chastelcux, who visited
tie United States after the alliance with
France, thus dcscribcs The camp life OF Cen
cral and Lady WasAngton-" The head
quarters a. Newburgh consist OF a single
house, built in the Dutch fashion, and nesh-
er large nor ccnmodous. Tie largest room
in it, which Washington has converted into
his dining room, is tolcrably eapacicus, bu'
it has seven doors and only one window.
The chimney is against the wall, so that the
fire is in the roum Itself found the COM
pany ass mbcd in long room which served
as 4 par!or At hinc, supper was served,
and W hen bed time came, | found that tho
chamber to which the General conducted
me was the very parlor spoken Of, wherein
he had made them place campbell. We
UsStlhblth ~ AAt biitlNiaeA bNNA iiipi i'A4's "a
ten, during which interval my bed was fold
ed NJ and my chamber became the sitting
room for the whole afternoon for American
manners do not admit OF bed in the room
in which company is rccei, ed especially VIC
, men. The smancss of the house, and the
Inconvenience TO which saw the Genera
and Mrs. Washington had put thcmsevci
TO receive ne, made me apprchens,e les
NJ. RochamLeau might arrive on the sam,
day The day | remained a, head quarters
was passed either at the table or in conycr
smion"
When at Nj, Vernon. both before and ai
ter the war, Lady Washington, like Wis,
housewife, busted herself IN superiniendin.
personally her domestic affairs. As that wa
day when cotton factories were as yet un
known, every household had to do most 0
its own spinning; and Lady Washington
= kept sixteen spinning wheels constantly 90
=, ing. She was accustomed frequently l.
wear fabrics thus made. One Of her favor
ite dresses of this home manufacture was G
cotton striped with silk weighing not quite
pound and half Her coachman, iooima
, and waiting maid were all dressed in domcs
/ tie cloth. She was economical without be
+ ing niggardly, and this from principle. Sh
knew that in consequence OF her station, sh
was looked up to to be initiated aud she wish
q cd to show an example OF moderation. Eve
! when Washington was President, she con
, linucd this praseworthy cond act. As late .
1876, Mrs. Wilson, enquring for pocket
. handkerchiels at a fashionable store in Phi
adelphia, was shown some pieces of lawn, c
= which Lady Washington has just purchased
, and the information was added that she ha
q aid six shillngs for handkerchiefs for he
/ own use, but went as high as seven shilling
, for the Presidents.
Her elegance and case Of manner, joine
. 10 her allabili;y, rendered her, when lh
, wife of the Chief Magistrate, beloved by al
Mrs. Ellet says of this portion of her life
, The establishment of the Prcsideniiand Mr.
a Washington was formed AT the seat Of GOV
b. crnment. The evecs had more Of courll
i ceremonial than has been known since br
it was necessary to maintain the dignity :
o Office by forms that should inspire respec
D.. Special regard was paid 10 the wives of me
s. who had deserved much Of their countr!
ID, Mrs. Morris was accustomed TO sit at I'll