The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-08-01

4 the idea of the cool and sedate Was
ington. the great champion of Anne,
can liberty, woe.worn lover in b
youthful days, "sighing like furnace
and inditing plaintive verses about Il
groves of Mount Vernon. We we
glad of an opportunity, however, Of PEE
etrating to his native feelings, and fin
ing that under his steady decorum an
reserve he had heart, of flesh, throl
bing with the warm impulses, of huma
nature.
The merits of Washington were know
and appreciated by the Fairfax family
Though not quite sixteen years of az
he no longer seemed boy, nor was b
treated as such. Tall, athletic ant
manly for his years, his early self train
ing and code of conduct he had devised
gave gravity and decision to his con
duct; his franknsss and modesty in
spired cordial regard, and the melan
choly of which he speaks may have pro
duced softness in his manner calcula
ted to win favor in ladies eyes. Accor
ding to his own account, female society
by which he was surrounded had q sooth
ing effect on that melancholy. Ths
charms of Miss Carey, the sister of the
bride seem even to have caused slight
futtering 10 his bosom which, however,
was constantly rebuked by the remem.
branee of his former passion 80 at last
we judge from letters to his youthful
conidents, rough drafts of which are
still to be seen in his tell tale Journal.
To one he addresses IS his dear friend
Robin, he writes: Ny residence is
at present at his lordship's, where 1
might, was my heart disengaged, pass
my time very pleasantly, as there's a
very agreeable young lady lives in the
same house { Col. George Fairfax's
wife's sister;) but as that's only adding
fuel to fire, it makes me the more unea-
sy, for by often and unavoidably being
in company with her, revives my former
passion for your Lowland Beauty
whereas was to live more retired from
women, I might in some measure alleyi-
ate my sorrows by burying that chaste
and troublesome passion in the grave of
oblivion" &c.
Similar avowals he makes to:anothcr
of his young correspondents, whom he
styles. "Dear friend john" as also
to female confident, styled Dear Sal
Iy," to whom he acknowledges that the
of the every agreeble young
lady, sister-in-law of Colonel George
Fairfax" in great measure cheesr his
sorrows and dejeotedness. The object
of his carly passion is not positively
known. Tradition states that the " low
and beauty" was Miss Grimes, Of
W Westmoreland, afterwards Mrs. Lee,
md mother of General Henry Lee. who
igured in revolutionary history as
9 Light Horse Harry" and was always
. favorite with Washington, probably
rom the recollections Of his early ten
lerness for the mother.
Whatever may have been the sooth-
ng effect of the female aooiety by which
,e was surrounded at Belvoir, the youth |
ound a moro effectual remedy for his |
in the company of Lord |
Fairfax. His lordship was q staunch |
and kept horses and hounds
n the English style. The hunting sea-
ON had arrived. The neighborhood
bounded with sport but fox hunting |
n Virginia required bold and skillful
lorsemanship. He found Warrington
IS bold as himself in the saddle, and as
ager to follow the. hounds. He forth
With took him into peculiar favor;
made him hunting companion; and it
Tas probably under the tuition of this
ard riding old nobleman that the youth
mbided that fondness for the chase for
which he was afterwards remarked.
Tradition gives very different motives
rom those of business for his sojourns
u the latter city. He found an early
riend and schoolmate, Beverly Robin
on, son of John Robinson, Speaker of
he Virginia House of Burgesses. He
Tas living happily and prosperously with
young and wealthy bride, having mar
led one of the nieces and hcirnieces of
Or. Adolphus Philipse, a rich laudhold-
r, whose manor house is still to be seen
n the banks of the Hudson. At the
ouse of Mr.. Beverly Robinson, where
Washington was an honored guest, he
let Miss Mary Philipse, sister and CO.
eiress of Mrs. Robinson, young lady
hose personal attractions are said TO
ave rivalled her reputed wealth. |,
We have already given. an instance
f WashiDgton's early sensibility to fe-
lale charms A life, however, of con-
tant activity and care, passed for the
lost part in the wilderness and on the !
.ontier, far from female society-and
If little mood or leisure for the indul-
ence of the tender sentiment but
ade him more sensible in the present ,
rief interval Of gay and social life, to !
,e attractions of elegant women, brought
D in the polite circles of New York.
That he was an open admirer of Miss
hilipse is a historial fact that he