Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-10-17
scanned With deep delIs and runs of water, and

Delvolr, anu far Deyon0, with lis range OF Ior-
ests and hills. and picturesque promontories,
affording sports of various kinds, and was a
noble hunting ground. Washington had
hunted through it with old Lord Fairfax, in
his stripping days: we do not wonder that
his feelings throughout life necessarily turned
to it.
These were, as yet, the aristocratical
days of Virginia. The estates were large,
and continued in the same familiesby entails.
Many of the wealthy planters were connected
with old families in England The young
men, especially the older sons. were often sent
to finish their education there. and on their
return, brought out the tastes and habits OF
the mother country. The governors of Vir-
ginia were from the higher ranks of society,
and maintained a CORRESPONDING state. The
established or Episcopal Church predomina-
ted throughout the ancient dominion, as it
was termed; each county was divided into
parishes, as in England leach with its paro-
chial church, its parsonage, and globe. Wash
ington was vestryman of two parishes, Fairfax
and Trurn the parochial church of the former
was at Alexandra, ten miles from Mount
Vernon of the latter. at Pohick, about seven
miles The church of Pohick was rebuilt on
a plan Of his own, and. in great measure, at
his expense At one or other of these church
es he attended every Sunday, when the wealth
er and the roads permitted His demeanor
was reverential and deyout. Mrs. Washing
ton knet during the prayers he always stood,
as was the custom at that time. Both were
communicants.
Among his occasional visitors and associ-
ates were Captain Hugh Mercer and DR..
Craik; the former, after his narrow escapes
from the tomahawk and scalping- knife, was
quietly settled at Fredericksburg the latter,
after the. campaigns on the frontier were over,
had taken up his residence at Alexandria, and
was now Washington's family physician.
Both were drawn to him by campaigning ties
and recollcctions, and were ever. welcome at
Mount Vernon
q A style of living prevailed among the op
ulent Virginian families in those days that has
long since faded away. The houses were
spacious, commodious, liberal in all their ap-
pointmeDts. and fitted to cope with the free
handed, open hearted hospitality of the own
ers. Nothing was more common than to see
handsome services of plate, elegant equipages,
and superb carriage e-horses-all imported from
England
The Virginians have always been noted
for their love of horses; a manly passion
witch in those days of opulence, they indulg-
ed, without regard to expense. The rich
planters We'd with each other in their studs,
importing the best English stock Mention is
made of one of the Randolphs of Tuckahoe,
who built stable for his savorite dapple-gray
horse, Shakespeare, with a recess for the bed
of the negro groom, who always slept beside
him at night
. Washington. by his marriage, had added
about one hundred thousand dollars to his al
ready considerable fortune, and was enabled
to live in ample and digni6ed style. His iu-
tiinacy with the Fairfaxes, and hisintercourse
with British officers of rank, perhaps, had
their influence on his mode of living. He
had his chariot and four, with black positions
in livery, for the use of Mrs. Washington and
her lady visitors. As for himself, he always
appeared on horseback His stable was well
filed, and admirably regulated. His stud
was thoroughbred, and in excellent order
His household books contain registers of the
names, ages, aud marks of his favorite horses;
such as Ajax. Blueskin. Valiant, Magnolia,
Can Arab etc. Also his dogs, chiefly fox
hounds. Vulcan, Singer, Ringwood, Sweet
lips, Forester. Music, Rookwood, Truelove
etc. = He was an early riser, often be-
fore daybreak in the winter, when the nights
were long. On such occasions he lit his own
fire, and wrote or read by candle-light. He
breakfasted at seven In summer, at eight in
winter. Two small cups of tea and three or
four cakes of Indian meal (called hoe-cakes)
formod his frugal repast. Immediately after
breakfast he mounted his horse and visited
those parts of the estate where any work was
going on, seeing to everything with his own
eyes, and often aiding with bis own hands,
q Dinner was served at two O'clock. He
ate heartily. but was no epicurc. nor critical
about his food. His beverage was small beer
or cider and two glasses of old Madeira. He
took tea' Of which he was very fond. early in
the evening. and retired for the night about
nine o'clock,
s " # confined to the house BY bad weather,
he took that occasion to arrange his papers,.
post up his accounts, or write letters; passing