Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-01-15

Would the reader like 10 know the feA.
SOM Ges. Washington himself tells. lie
mentions in his diary that one morning IN
February, 1859, he went out to where my
carpenters were hewing, the said carpen'
tcrs beins black slaves. 81 found,' he
wrote, "lhat four Of them, namely, George,
tom, Ike aud young BLY,, had only hcv.
ed one hundred and twenty feet since
Yesterday at tea O'clock surprised at
this mcagTc result Of days labor OF four
men, be sat down to see how they managed.
Under the spell OF the masters eye they
worked faster, but still in . wonderfully
bungling and dawdling manner. He re-
cords that after they had prepared log for
cutting into lengths, ''they had spest twen-
~. Ave minutes more in getting the Cross
cut seq, standing 10 consider what ~ %,
saving the stock in two Places etc. He
found that the four men had done exactly
one mans work the day 4efos4 seppoetnE
thsJ could work no faster than they had
done while he watched then. sud tlns one
intelligent, active laborsr could do about -
much hswing - they would IA : geek
Here We have the reason why man pos
eessing one hundred and one cows had "
by batter. If,this was the 60 eith the
~ taenses In Virginia, and one Of the
ricAest. wboe must have beso tlD condition
Of ~ esdisasy Plantations
Much Of biz dms, however, - sPeot IN
taking care II these dilatoFy and uncalcula-
ting laboesrs. II . malignant dIsase heoke
ont among them, Il was the master Who
alone had the nerve and energy 10 make the
requisite arrangements. The smallpox
once ravagcd his negro quarters. He enters
in his deiiy
after taking tho doctors drsetions in
regard to my people, | set ont fer my quar-
ters, and got there about twelve o'clecks
time enough to find everything in the NJ
most confusion, disorder AID b4ckwardness
my ovesseer on his back with broken leg.
and not half crop, especially Of ground
prepared"
In these desperate circumsfaaees, with
the dead to bs burisd, the dyisg y 10 CON
forted, the sick to be administered 60, aud
the we'll to be tranquslised, the master pro
ceedsd to arrange hospitals, separate the
sick from the we'll, provide nurses and give
instruction IS to the treatment Of the dis
ease.
Such was some Of the empleyments Of
Washington when be was Virginia plant
er. His pleasures were few, bur they vsrs
such - hs kesnly enjoyed. W. learn ffou,
his diary that be hunted. during the season,
sbout tsicc week, and II 10 plain thas
these were his happy days. There are
scores Of entries like the following:
"Went hunting aftse breakfast, and
found fox 1t Muddy Hole, and killed her
aftss chase Of bettss than two hours, and
after freeing her twice, the last Of which
times she fell dead out Of the tsss, aftee
being there several mipsees spqassatly
usll."
There were balls occasionally q Alsxan-
dris, and We find Washington attending
them, and entseing into the kumoss and
gayetiss Of the entertainment With much
spirit.
The usual coufse Of . day q Aoune
Vernon Was sometimes like this: The
master rose early, shaved and dressed him
self, except that his queue was arranged b1
n servant. His FIRST visit was 70 the stable.
Il Il rscoedcd that be once applied, With
his own right strong arm, . s,irrup Strap .
the shoulder Of the groom who had allowed
4 favorite horse to stand all night in the
sweat and dust Of q days hunt. think
know gentleman in the Ledger office who
the least difficulty. After little breakfast
Of corn cake. honey and tea. the General
would tell his guests, if he had any, and he
usually had. to amusc themselves in their
own way till dinner time, Offering them his
stables, his hunting, and fishing apparatus,
his boats and his books to their choice.
then he would mount his horse and ride
about his farms. returning at half>p two,
in time to dress for dinner at three.
lie was always dressed with care for this
meal, as On all occasions Of ceremony. lie
liked plain dishes, drank home>brewed ale,
and vas particularly fond OF baked apples,
hickory nuts, and other simple products OF
the country. II vas his custom to sit .
good while At the table after dinner, eating
nuts, slipping wine, and talking over his
hunts and his adventures while in service
during the French war. His usual toast
spent in the family circle around the blax>
ing wood fire, and by ten o'clock, he WAS
usually asleep. Such wss the Ordimry life
Of this illustrious farmer at heue. before
his eoantry called him 10 delsnd 'hsr lib9-
ties; and Il was just Es kind Of life that
was best fitted to prepare him for the come
mand Of an army Of American farmers.
A couple Of daskies in Keokuk on Mon.
day last got into muss about Dinah Who
both claimed as his gal" Pistols we're
drawn and fred, and although the balls hit
two or three times, yet no blood was drawn.
The justice fined them each one dollar and
cost, and the dusky maiden was allowed to
draitla tho oriO;u.l cansa nf ,.,..-oi