The weekly Placer herald., 1853-07-30
Last DAYS at Mt. Vernon.

The year 1859 was in its last month;
Washington had nearly completed his
sixty-eighth year; the century was fast
drawing to close, and with it the great
mans life. Yet the "winter'' of his age
had shed it's snow $50 kindly" upon him
as to mellow, without impairing his facul-
ties; both physical and mental, and to give
fair promise of additional length. of days
Nor was Washington lipmindful of the
sure progress of time, and of his liability
to ho called at any moment to "that bourn
Sm hSa rSS %hsh tas go Ktaa Faye@sf @ HIM. anM
after mature reflect, had so disposed of
his large property, as to be satisfactory
to himself and to many who were so for
tunate and happy as to share in his testa-
mentary remembrance.
The last days, like those that preceded
them in the course of long and we'll
spent life, were devoted TO constant and
useful employment. After the active ex-
ercises of the morning in attention to
agriculture and rural affairs; in the even
ing came the post bag, loaded with letters,
papers and pamphlets. His correspond
ence, both at home and abroad, was i'm
mense; yet was it promptly atd fully re-
piled to. No letter was unanswered -
One of the best bred men of his time,
Washington deemed it grave offence
against the rules Of good manners and
propriety to leave letters unanswered
He wrote with great facility, and it would
be difficult matter to find another, who
had written so much, who has written so
well. His epistolary writings will de-
scend to posterity as models ofgood taste,
as we'll as developing superior powers of
mind. Gen. Henry Lee once observed to
the chief, ''we are amazed, sir, at the vast
amount of work that you accomplished. "
Washington replied, "sr, rise at four
O'Clock, and great deal of my work is
done while others are asleep"
So punctual a man delighted in always
having about him a good time-keeper.-
In Philadelphia, the first President regu-
larly walked up to his watchmaker's
(Clark, in Second street,) to compare his
watch with the regulator. At Mount
Vernon, the active yet always punctual
farmer, invariably consulted the dial when
returning from his morning ride, and be-
fore entering his house.
The affairs Of the household took order
frem the masters accurate and methodl-
! cal arrangement of time. Even the fish
ermep ON the river watched for the cooks
signal when to pull on shore, so as to de-
liver his scaIy products in time for dinner.
The establishment of Mount Vernon
employed a perfect army of servants; yet
to each one was assigned certain special
duties, and these were required to- be
strictly performed. Upon the extensive
estate there was rigid discipline, without
severity. There could be no confusion
where all was order; and the affairs OF
this vast concern, embracing thousands OF
acres, and hundreds Of dependants, were
conducted with as much ease, method and
regularity as the affairs of any ordinary
homestead.
Mrs. Washington, an accomplished
Virginia housewife of the olden time,
gave her constant attention to all matters
of her domestic household, and by her
skill and superior management, greatly
contributed to the comfortable reception
and ertainment of the crowds of guests
always to be found in the hospitable man
sion Of Mount Vernon.
Invariably neat and clean in his person
with clothes of the old-fashoned cut, but
made Of the best materials, Washington
required less waiting upon than any man
of his age and condition in the world. A
single body-servant attended in his room
to brush bis clothes, comb and tie his