The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-08-04


and dgniied style His intimacy with the Farfaxes
and his Intercourse with British officers of rank,
had perhaps had their influence on bis mode of lv-
ing. He had his chariot and four, with black pos
tious and livery for the use of Mrs. Washington
and her lady visitors. As for himself he appeared
on horseback His stable was well filed and adj
mirably regulated. His stud thorough bred
and in excellent order. His household books con-
tain registers of the names, ages and marks OF his
favorite horses, such as Ajax, Blueskin, Valiant,
Magnolia, ian Arab &C. Also his dogs, chiefly fox
hounds, Vulcan, Singer, Ringwood, Sweetlips, For
ester, Music, lockwood, Truelove, &c.
He was an early riser-often, before day
break in the winter VIXEN the nights were long
On such occasions he lit his own fire, and wrote or
read By candle light. He breakfasted at in sum-
mer and in winter. Two small cups OF tea and
three or four cakes of meal called hoe cakes form
ed 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 ev-
cry thing with his own eyes, and often aiding with
his own nands
Dinner was served at o'clock. He ate heartily,
but was no epicure, nor critical about his food-
His beverage was small beer or cider, and two
glasses of old Madeira. He took tea, OF which ne
was very fond early in the evening, and retired Tor
the night about o'clock
If confined to the house by bad weather, he took
that occasion to arrange his papers, post up his
accounts or write letters; passing part OF his time
in reading and occasionally in reading aloud to the
family.
He treated bis negroes with kindness; attended
TO their comforts but tolerated ldleness, and
exacted faithful performance of all their allotted
tasks. he had quick eye at calculating each
mans capabilities An entry in his diary gives
curious instance of this. Four of his negroes, en-
ployed as carpenters, were hewing and shaping
timber 1t appeared to him, in noting the amount
of work accomplished between two succeeding
mornings, that they oitered at their labor. Sitting
down quietly. he timed their operations; how long
it took them to get their crosscut saw and other
implements ready; how long to clear away the
branches from the trunk of fallen tree how long
to hew and saw it; what time was expended IN con-
sidering and consulting and after all, how much
work was effected during the time he looked on
From this he made his computation how much they
could execute in the course of day, working en-
tirely at their ease.
At another time we find him working for part
of two days with Peter, his smith, to make pillow
on anew invention of his own. This, after two or
three failures, he accomplished. Then, with less
than his usual judgment, he put his two chariot
horses to the pillow, and great risk OF spelling
them in giving his new invention trial over ground
Tricky swarded.
Anon, during a thunderstorm, a enlightened negro
alarms the house with word that the mill is giving
way-upon which there is a general turn out of all
the forces, with Washington at their head, wheel
ing and sbovelng gravel, during pelting rain, to
check the rushing water.
Washington delighted in the chase. In the
hunting season. when he rode out early in the morn
ing to visit distant parts of the State where work
was going on, he often took some of the dogs with
him for the chance of starting a fox, which he oc-
casionally did, though he not always successful
in killing him. He was bold rider, and an adm-
rable horseman, though he never claimed the merit
of being an accomplished fox hunter In the height
Of the season, however, he would be out with the
fox hounds two or three times week, accompanied
by his guests at Mount Vernon and the gentlemen
of the ighborhood-especialy the Fairfaxes of
Belvoir, of which estate his friend George William
Fairfax was now proprietor On such occasions
there would be hunting dinner at one or other Of
those establishments, at which convivial repasts
Washington is said to have enjoyed himself with
unwonted hilarity. ---