Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-07-16
WiSlilNCTGN'S LAST DAYS AT
NI0lrNT VERNON,

w u hhS
gencer an article, Of which it says,
awe have The pleasure of inserting the
annual contribution Of our venerable
and respected friend, Mr.. Gusts of Ar
lington, from his valuable stock of 'Rec-
objections Of the last days at Mount
Vernon and private Memorsof Wash
Iinglon.' As lime recedes, these memo
rails increase in interest, and il is 10 be
regretted that they are not given 10 the
public entire and in durable iorm."-
We give the Article, and know that it
!. will beread with avidity by our readers
The year 1888 was in its last month;
Washington had nearly completed his
sixty-eighth year; the century was fast
drawing TO close, and with i. this great
mans life. Yet the winter of his age
had shed IFS SHOWS $50 kindly upon him
as to mellow without impairing his fac:
ulties, both physical and mental, and to
give fair promise Of additional length
Of days.
Nor was Washington unmindfal Of
The sure progress of time, and Of his Ii
ability 10 be called al any moment 10
"lhat bourne from which no traveller
returns" He had Tor years kept a will
by him, and after mature reflection had
so disposed Of his large property as 10
be satisfactory to himself and 10 the ma
ny who were so fortunate and happyas
TO share in bis teslamentary remem-
brance.
The last days, like those that prece-
ded them in the course Of long and
we'll spent life, were devoted to con-
slant and useful employment. Alter
the active exercises Of The morning,
in attention 10 agriculture and rural al
fairs, in the evening came the post-bag,
loaded with letters, papers and pamph-
lets. His immense correspondence,
both at home and abroad, was promptly
and fully replied to. No letter was un-
answered. One OF the best bred men
Of his time, Washington deemed it q
grave offence agains, the rules Of good
manners and proprie.y 10 leave letters
unanswered. He wrote with great IA
cility, and it would be difficult matter
to find another, who had written SO
much who had written so well. His
epistolatoly writings will descend to
posteri,y as developing superior pow
ers oil mind. General Henry Lee once
observed 10 the Chief .'We are amazed,
sir, al the vast amount Of work you ac-
complish." Washington replied, "Sir,
l rise at four O'Clock, and great deal
of my work is done while others are
asleep"
So punctual a man delighted in al.
ways having about him goodtime keep
or. In Philadelphia, the first President
regularly walked up 10 his watch-ma-
ker's Clarke, in Second Street, 10 COM
pare bis watch with the regulator. At
Mount Vernon, the active yet always
punclual larmer invariably consulted
the dial when returning from his morn
ing ride and before entering his house.
The affairs of the household took Or
der from the masters accurate and me-
thodical arrangement Of time. Even
the fishermen on the river watched for
the cooks signal wheE to pull in shore,
so as to deliver his scaly products in
lime for dinner.
The establishment Of Mount Vernon
employed a perfect army oi servants,
yet to each one was assigned certain
special duties, and these were required
to be strictly performed. Upon the ex-
tensivo estate, there wasrigid discipline,
without severity. There could be no
confusion where all was order; and the
affairs Of this vast concern, embracing
thousands oil acres and hundreds Of de-
pendants, were conducted with as much
ease, method, and regularity as The af.
fairs of an ordinary homestead.
Mrs. Washington, an accomplished
Virginia housewife Of the olden time,
gave her constant attention 10 all mat
ters oil her domestic household, and by
her skill and superior management
greatly contributed to the comfortable
reception and entertainment Of the
crowds Of guests always 10 be found in
the hospi!ablo mansion of Mount Ver-
non.
Invariably nea, and clean in his per.
son, with clothes oil the old-lashioned
cut, but made Of the best materials,
Washington required less waiting upon
than any man Of his ege and condition
in the world. A single body-scryant
attended in his room to brush his clothes,
comb and tic his hair, (become very thin
in his last days, worn in the old-lash-
ioned queue, and rarely with powder)
and 10 arrange the materials Of his toll
ct. This toilet he made himself, in the
simplest and most expeditions manner,
giving the least possible amount Of his
; precious time to anything relative 10