Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-26

the century was fast drawing to close, and with 1t
this great mans life. Yet the winter" of his age
had shed its SHOWS 50 kindly upon him as to
mellow without mpairng his faculties both physical and
mental and to give fair promise of additional length Of
days,
Nor was WASHINGTON unmindful Of the sure progress
Of me and of his liability be called at any moment to
that bourne from which traveller returns lie had
for years kept will by him, and after mature reflection
had disposed of his large property to be satisfactory
10 himself and to the many who were so fortunate ana
happy to share in his testamentary remembrance
The last days, like those that preceded them in the
course of long and wellspent life, were devoted TO
and useful employment After the active exer
of the morning in attention 10 agriculture anu rua
affairs in the evening the post bag, loaded with
letters papers and pamphlets His correspondence both
al home and abroad immense; yet was It promptly
and fully replied TO. No letter unanswered One Of
the best bred men Of his time, WASHINGTON deemed it
grave offence against the rules Of good manners and pro
prety to leave letters unanswered He wrote with great
facility and would be difficult matter to find another,
who had written so much, who has written 50 well HIS
epstolary writings will descend postery models Of
good taste well developing superior powers Of mind
General HENRY LEE observed to the chief We are
amazed sir the amount of work that you accom-
pish." WASHINGTON replied Sir, rise at four o'clock
and great deal of my work is done while others are
asleep"
So punctua a man delighted in always having about
him good tmekeeper In Philadelphia the first Presi-
dent regularly walked up his watchmakers Clarke in
Second street, compare his watch with the regulator
At Mount Vernon the active yet always punctua fsrmer
invariably consulted the dial when returning from his
morning ride and before entering his house.
The affairs of the household took order from the masters
accurate and mehodcal arrangement Of time Even the
fisherman the river watched for the cooks signal when
TO pull in shore, to deliver his scay products in
time for dinner.
The establishment of Mount Vernon employed per-
feet army Of yet each assigned GER
tain special duties and these required to be strictly
performed Upon the extensive estate there was rigid
discipline without severity There could be confusion
where all order and the affairs Of this vast concern
embracing thousands and hundreds ofdpendants
conducted with much method, and regularity
as the affairs of an ordinary homestead
Mrs WAsuryGroS, an accomplished Virginia housewife
Of the olden time gave her attention TO all mat
ters of her domestic household and by her skill and
perior management greatly contributed 10 the comfort
able reception and entertainment Of the crowds Of guests
always to be found in the hosptabe mansion Of Mount
Vernon.
Inyarabyneat and clean in his person. with clothes of
the oi-ashioned cut but made of the best materials
WASHINGTON required less waiting upon than any of
his age and condition in the world single body SER
want attended in his brush his clothes, comb and
tie his hair become very thin in his last days, in
the odfashioned queue and rarely with powder and to
arrange the materials of his toilet This toilet he made him
self in the simplest and expeditions manner giving
the possible Of his precious time any thing
relative TO his person When rising four o'clock he
lighted his own Candles made up his fire, and went dill
gently work without disturbing the sumbers of his
numerous household.
In the last days at Mount Vernon DESTROYS of riding
pleasantly the General procured from the North two
horses Of the Sarraganset breed celebrated saddle
horses They were well to look at, and pleasantly
gated under the saddle but scary and therefore
united for the service Of who liked TO ride quietly
his farm occasionally dismounng and walking in his
fields inspect his Improvements. From one of these
horses the General sustained heavy fall, probably the
only fall he ever had from horse in his life 1t in
November late in the evening The General accompanied
by Major Lewis Mr. Peake IA gentleman residing in the
ne ghborhood) the Author Of the Recollections and
groom returning from Alexandria to Mount Vernon
Having halted for few moments the General dsmount-
cd AMI upon rising his srrup again the Narragansett
alarmed at the glare from FIRE the roadsde sprasg
from under his rider who came heavily the ground
our.saddles were empty in instant, and rushed up
10 give our assistance fearing he hurt; it un
necessary The vigorous old upon his feet again.
br ng the dust from his clothes; and, after thanking
rs for our prompt assistance observed that he was not
hurt that he had had very complete tumble, and that
il was owing that horseman could wellavoid
or control that he only poised in his stirrup and
had not yet gained his saddle when the scary animal
sprang from under him Meantime all Of our horses had
gone off al full speed It night and four miles
were to lie won ere we could reach destination The
Chief observed that our horses had disappeared, it
only remained for us to take IL foot and with manly
strides led the way We had proceeded but short dis
lance march, dsmounted cavaliers, when our
horses hove in sight Happily for us some Of the ser
Of Mr. Peake whose plantation hard by in re-
turning home from their labor encountered our flying
steeds, captured them, and brought them to us. We
speedily remounted and soon the lights at Mount
Vernon seen glimmeriug in the distance.
Upon Washingons FIRST retirement in 1888 he became
convinced Of the defective Of the working animals
IN the .-riculture Of the Southern States, and
set about emedyng the evil by the introduction Of mules
of horses the mule being found 20 live longer DC
les liable TO diseases require less food and in every
to be more seryiceabe and economical than the
bore in the agricultural labor Of the Southern States
In to 1888 scarcely any mules to be found in the
American Confederation few had been imported from
the West Indies but they Of dimnutive size and Of
little value So soon as the views this subject Of the
nstrious farmer OF Mount Vernon known abroad,
he received present from the King Of Spain Of jack
and ty iennies selected from the royal stud at Madrid
The jack called the Royal Gift was sixteen hands high
Of grey color heavily made and Of sluggish DISPOSE