The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-07-11

Hg on IHmiiy pHy&lcsau. DON were
drawn to him by campaigning ties and re-
collections, and were ever welcomed at
Mount Vernon.
A style Of living prevailed among the
opalei Virginian families in those days
tina, has long since faded away The
houses were spacious, commodious. Ii ;
al in aA their appointments, and fitted to
cope with the Tree handed, open hearted
hospitality Of the owners. Nothing wss
more common than 10 see handsome ser.
vices OF plate, elegant equip ges. and su-
perb carriage horses-alI imported from
England.
The Virginians have always been no
ted for their love Of horses; . manly pas
sion. which 10 those days of cpulence they
INDUCED withou, regard to expense. The
rich planters Wed with each other in their
studs, importing the best English stocks.
Mention is made Of one Of the Randolphs
of Tuckahoe, who built stable for his
favori:e dapple grey horse. Shakspeare,
with recess for the bed of the negro
groom. who always slept beside him At
night.
Washington by his marriage had added
about one hundred ihousand dollars to hi.
already considerable fortune, and was en-
abled TO live in ample and digni6sd style.
His intimacy with the Fairfaxes. and his
intercourse with British officers OF rank,
bad perhaps their influence On his mode
Of living. He Rad his chariot and four.
with black positions in livery, for the use
of Mrs. Washington and her lady visitors.
As for himself be always appeared on
horseback. His stable wns we'll filed and
admirably regulated. His stud was thor.
ough-bred and in excellent order. His
household books contain registers Of the
names. ages and marks Of favori,e horses;
such as Ajax. Blueskis, Valiant. Aagno-
liz. IAN Ar.b) &c. Also his dogs chiefly.
fox hounds. Vulcan, Singer. Rnxwood.
Sweetlip.. FORSTER. Music. lockwood.
Tfuelove. &c. He was IN
early riser. often before dsybreAk in the
winter when the nights were long. On
such occasions be lit his own Ere, and
wrote or read BY candle light. He break.
tasted at seven IN summer, 1t eight in win
ter. Two small cups of tea and three or
four cakes Of Indian meal (cslled hoe
cake.) formed his frugal repast. Imme.
d,ately sfter breakfss, hs mounted his
hoise and visited those pAr,s Of the estate
where INV work was going on. seeing 20
everything with bis own eyes. and often
ii ing with lis own hnds.
Dil Wa served NJ two clock. He
ate heartily but WIS no epicure. nor criti-
cal about hi. food His beverage Vas
smsli beer or cider. and two glasses Of old
Ma eira lie took tea. OF which he WAS
very fond, early in the evening, and re-
tire for the night about nine o'clock
Il n6ned TO the house BY bad YEA
p ipers. pos up his accounts. or write let
t.rs. Easing IT of his line in reading.
n d occasionally reading abound to his
miiy.
He treated his negroes with kindness !;
attended ta their comforts /: was parlicu
larly careful Of them in sickness but
ne er tolerated illeness, and exacied
filhlul performance OF all their allotted
ta.k.. He had q quick eye al calculating
each mas cap ,biilt,ss. An entry in his
diary gives 3 curious instance Of this.
Four Of his negroes employed - carpen.
tiers. we're h~wing and shaping timber. Il
appeared to him. in noticing the amour,
OF work accomplished between two suc-
ceeding mornings, that they loitsred at
their labor. Sitting down quietly, he
timed daeir operations how long it took
them TO get their cross Gu, saw and other
implements ready how long TO clear away
The branches from the trunk Of . fallen
tree how long 10 hsw and saw it; what
time was expended in considering and
nsul,ing. and after oil. how much work
was effected during the time that he look
ed on From this he made his compnsa-
Il how much they uld execute in
the course Of . day. working a their
eass.
At another time, We end him working
for part OF two days with Peter, his
smith. TO make pillow on = new invention
Of his own. This, after two or three fail
ures, he accomplished. Then, with less
than his usual judgment. he put his two
chariot horses to the pillow, and ran 8
great risk Of spelling theo. in giving his
new invention tri.l over ground thickly
awarded.
Anon, during thunder storm. fright
ened negro alarmed the house with word
hat the mill 10 giving way, upon which
here is . general turn out OF ell the
forces. with Washington 1t their head.
and shovelinx gravel. during
pelting rain. to check the rushing water.
Was ,ington delighted in The chase. In the
hunting season. when he 70 { out early in
he morning to visit distant paris Of the
estate, where work wss going on. he often