The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-10-14

heart gave great bound as i came up
on this entry;
Washington, George,l9O High Street
To the disgrace of Philadelphia, that
house, second only in historic interest
to Independence Hall, was many years
ago demolished.
But, for few charmed hours of
midsummer evening, that mansion
has stood again for me, and Washing.
ton has walked before my eyes ''in his
habit as he lived )" and yet the only
magic conjuration was the clear men,
ory of a gracious old man, who in his
early childhood, was a neighbor of
Washington, his parents living, | be-
lieve on Sixth street, near High.
At the house of friend in Philadel-
phia was so fortunate as to meet Mr..
Robert <. Grey, man past four score,
but wonderfully well preserved
ing much younger than his years-a
gentleman of the old school in courte-
business of manner, in elegance and
neatness of dress, stately in figure,
with afresh and handsome countenance.
In person and demeanor he reminded
me strongly of Walter Savage Lander,
as | saw him in his eighty-frst year.
When / asked this noble relic of the
past for his recollections of Washing
ington, he said "Ble5s you, / have
little to tell. / was so very young at the
time when l knew him, that / have
only childish recollections, mere tri-
ties which will scarcely interest you"
On my assuring him these were just
the things | wanted 10 hear, he talked
modestly, and with much questioning,
of the old days of Philadelphia, and of
the great President and his household.
In his childhood, he said, the place
where we then were, on Tenth street
near Arch, with the roar of the great
city about US, was quite in the rural
districts. He remembered going to
bathe in the little pond, near the cor
ner of Sixth and Arch streets, "a secluded
and shaded spot. High street, the
fashionable avenue, was only planted
with rows sof the Lombdary poplar
nearly out to the Scuylkill, and was
the favorite Sunday promenade of the
citizens.
"Washington's house," said Mr..
Grey, "was thought a very fine man
sion. 1t was what was called "a house
and half'-that is, the hall was not
in the middle, but had two windows
at the left. 1t was two stories and
half high, with dormer windows. 1t
was rented for the President of Rob-
ert Norris, but originally belonged to
Galloway, the Tory"
"Was Washington the stately and
formal parsonage hehas been represen-
ted ,"
"Yes he was very dignified gentle
man, with the most elegant manners
very nice in his dress, careful and
punctual. l suppose he would be
thought little stiff nowadays.
"Did you ever hear him laugh hear
tily ?''
"Why, no, l think / never did"
"Was he always grave as you re-
member him, or did he smile now and
then ?n
"Why, bless you, yes, he always
smiled on children! He was particu
larly popular with small boys. When
he went in state to Independence
Hall, in his cream-coiored chariot,
drawn by siA bays, and postillions and
out-riders and when he set out for and
returned from Mount Vernon, we
boys were on hand he could always
count US in, 10 huZza and waive our
hats for him, and he used to touch his
hat as politely as though we had been
so many veteran soldiers on parade"
"Were you ever in his house, as a
child?'
"Oh yes after his great dinners he
used to tell the steward to let in the
little fellows, and we, the boys,
of the immediate neighborhood who
were never far off on such occa-
sfons, crowded about the table and
made quick work with the remain
ing cakes nuts and raisins.
washington had bad habit of
pacing up and down the large front
room on the firSt-floor, in the early
twilight, with his hands behind him
and one evening little boy, who had
never seen him, in attempting to
climb up TO an open window to look in
upon him, fell and hurt himself
Washington heard him cry, rung for a
servant, and sent him to inquire about
the accident-for, after all, he was soft
hearted, at least toward children
The servant came back and said:-
The boy was trying to get look at
you, sir, Bring him in, said the gen.
eral, and, when the boy came in, he
patted him on head and said: You
wanted to see General Washington, did
YOU p We'll, / am General Washing
tom But the little fellow shook his
head and said: No, you are only Just
man, want to see the President
''They say Washington laughed and
told the boy that he was the Presi-
dent and nad,, for all that. Then he
had the servant give the little fellow
some nuts and cakes and dismissed
him."
| | asked Mr.. Grey if he remembered
| the Custis children.
"Yes," he said / often saw them
at the windows or driving with Mrs.
Washington in her English COACH