, 1864-03-19


business, he retraced his steps, and at the
White House, a marriage engagement took
place. ot eaaI
Washington and his wife frequently Visi-
ted Annapolis and Williamsburg, the respec-
tive capitals of Maryland and Virginia For
fifteen consecutive years, he was member
Of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and Mrs.
Washington spent much time with him at
williamsburg during the sessions. Both
fond of amusemsnts, they frequently attend
ed the theatrical representations there and at
Annapolis, that entertainment being then
recent imports5ion from England, the first
company of acsors, Hnder the direction OF
Lewis Hallam, having first performed in tie
MARYLAND capital in 1852. They also attend
ed balls and parties given by the fashionable
people of Annapolis and Williamsburg, and
frequently Joined in the dance. But after
the Revolution, Washington was never known
to dance, his last performance was in minu-
ct, of which he was very fond, on the occa-
sion of ball given at Fredericksburg, in
honor of the French and American officers
then there, on their way north, after the
capture of CORVALLIS, towards the close Of
1881.
DAILY WORK.
The labors in his library, and visit to his
stables, usually occupied the hours before
breakfast After making frugal meal of
Indian cakes, honey and tea or coffee, he
would mount his horse and visit every part
of his estate where the current operations
seemed to require his presence, leaving his
guests to enjoy themselves with books and
papers, or otherwise according to their choice.
He rode upon his farms entirely unattended,
opening the gates, pulling down and putting
up the fences, and inspecting with a careful
eye, every agricultural operation, and person
ally directing the manner in which many
should be performed. Sometimes the tour
Of his farms, in the course Of the morning
might average, in distance, twelve or fifteen
miles and on these occasions his appearance
was exceedingly plain. The late Mr.. Gusts,
his adopted son, has left on record adescrip-
tion of him on one of these occasions, in the
latter years of his life, which he gave to
gentlemen who was out in search of Wash
ington: ..r. .r ....
"You will meet, sir" said young Custis
to the inquirer, with an old gentlemen ri
ding alone in plain drab clothes, a broad
brmmed white hat, hickory switch in his
hand, and carrying an umbrella with long
staff, which is attached to his saddle-bow-
that person, sir, is General Washington. -
The umbrella was used to shelter him from
the sun, for his skin was tender and easily
affected by its rays. ..1-r
THE Beginning OF THE WAR.
Washington was at Mount Vernon only a
few weeks at time, from the summer of
I774 until his retirement from the army in
1888. He was in the first Continental Con-
gress, as we have observed during the au-
tumn of 1774 was absent upon military
services much of the time during the winter
of 1775, and was a member Of the Virginia
Assembly in the spring, when Patrick Hen
nv made his famous war speech, which was
closed with the burning words T." What is
it that gentlemen wish What would they
have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as
to be purchased at the price Of chains and
slavery Forbid it, Almighty God know
not what course others may take, but as for
me, give me liberty or give me death p
With these words of Henry ringing in his
ears Washington returned to Mount Yer
non, and prepared for a journey to Phila-
delphia, there to take his seat as a member
of the second Continental Congress just
at the close of a mild April day, while he
and his neighbor Bryan Fairfax, with Ma
ior Gates, were discussing the stirring events
at Williamsburg, connected with the seizure
of powder belonging to the colony, by the
royal governor, and the bold stand taken by
Patrick Henry--events which were then
arousing every republican heart in Virginia
to action-a messenger came in haste from
Alexandria, bearing the intelligence of blood
shed at Lexington and Concord. That in
intelligence made deep but widely differ
entimpressions upon the minds Of the three
friends The gentle Fairfax, even then in
elined to enter the gospel ministry, which
he afterward adorned, was drawn, by the ties
consanguinity and ancestral reverence, to the
side of the parent country. He was much
distressed by the tidings from the east, for
he perceived the gathering Of cloud Of mis-
cries for his country, and the peril Of all So
cial relations. Gates ambitious Of military
glory, and eagerly looking for the hOnOrs
and emoluments of Office, for which he had
long played the sycophant in London, was
delighted by this opening Of an avenue to a
field eff action wherein they might be won
while Washington communing with the in
tuitions of his oS:iies:g Sisg spirit became thoug ght
full and reserved, and talked little, Ut wise
ly on the subject But he resolved nobly
and firmly to go zealously into whatever con
ficts might rise for the defence of the liber-
ties of his country. All regarded the event
as the casting away Of the scabbard, as the
severing blow to colonial allegiance.
The Winstead Herald very coolly pub
fishes the following among It's marriage no
tices. How many unfortunate bridal par
ties will see the point - Married-At the
Metbodist church in this village, on Tues