The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-08-14
nal s gOgLl a M 60 U S.
[From the Hearth and Home
An Evening a0ith the Past.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

BY GRACE GREENWOOD.
II is curious fact that though there are ye
living those who remember washington, ane
though innumerable memoirs OF him have oeen
w,i,ren few details Of his private life, Of his daily
walk and conversation, are extant. Was 1t tha
he had so few homely human traits and happen
inos-,hat he was too ideal and heroic for gos
s;n9 Il il that Jenkins is Letter result OF ar
and riviIization? In every direction in which
We have looked for anecdote, for little charac
-.r;s,ic personal habits and modes Of expression
we have been more or less disappointed Weem:
te,rayed our infant credulity, and, later, Curt;
KEEP, The word Of promise to our ear, 20 break i
To our hope.
Washington is almost as much stately
stalking Ossanc shade in the recolections OF his
adnnted son AS in the pages OF his most dry and
formal historian. We cannot imagine little
Washington ever having climbed on to great
>Washiugton's knee played with his watch-seals,
or geloped about on his gold headed cane. There
is no indication of his ever having been caressed
or aogred by his grandmamma's august hns-
hand vel there must have been such dear and
intimate associations and recollections.
In looking over Watson's annals the other
dav, fastened with avidity on the author
sketch of old Hannah Till, who for six years
served in the establishment Of General Washington
n
Think what a rich mine Of Ethiopian reminis-
ceuceI But the old annalst seems to have feared
10 work il. though he pleasantly adds TO his
meagre report More might be said, but 1t
might SAVIOR of gossip to say more. She has since
gone 10 her reward And it was full time, for
the estiuable Hannah attained to the somewhat
over-ripe age OF Il hundred and five.
On the question of her master's piety, old Han
uah's testimony is not very explicit: She 'ex-
gecied that he prayed, bat she never knew that
he did
When the subject of his occasional profanity is
Sroached. we feel that that important and long
DISPUTED question is TO be settled for man
p,av possibly be hero to his valet, but never a
saint 10 his cook. We feel that we are to have
the final Judgment of the kitchen tribunal on the
most sacred and august character OF modern
times ret here also Hannah is a little erasive.
Her repjy. nut in rather stilted language, was
that ideas about religion were not very strict IN
those DAYS, and that she thought the General did
not always guard the sin OF profanity, IN mo
ments of excitement. Then she pensively added
that she well remembered an occasion when she
had the honor TO so move that serene and lofty
spiri, from its habitual equipoise, that he called
her IA cussed old fool, which is satisfactory as
far AS II goes. Yet one scould like to known
whether the occasion was muddy coffee or under
done fapjacks
In Haverhill, Mass, they have pretty tradi-
lion about Washington. When he visited that
Town. on his Northern tour in 1889, he stopped
at pubic-house. As the night was chilly, the
landlady decided that his bed should be warmed,
and for that purpose filled with Goals her best
brass warmng-pan, and sent it up to his cham
her in the hands of her fair young daughter.
The tradition goes on to say that this modest
maiden was so overcome by the sight of the great
mau. standing on the hearth, winding up his
watch, that she hurried through her task, but in
;ripoiug from the room she unluckily, or luckily,
as the event proved, stumbled and fell, and that
Washington aot only lifted her 10 her feet, but
kissed her.
Well was it for the immortal chief that no
Tackee Prince Giglio appeared upon the scene,
10 come down on that anoiuted head with the
warming-pan.
New. they have in Philadelphia u tradition
which strikingly contrasts with the above. When
Washington was residing in the Presidential
Mansion on High-street, new Market, some pain
iers were engaged in painting the upper hall,
aud one of them, gay young fellow, meeting
Que morning. at the head of the stairs, favorite
maid of Mrs Washington, not only barred her
passage, but kissed her. Taken by surprise, the
damsel sent forth scream which brought the
Father OF his Country in alarm from his cham
ber Immediately on the offence being made
by 10 means a small one, and kicked the unlucky
painter down stairs
Where, save in the great character ofa Wash
ington, may we find united such amiable weak
ness, and such severe virtue
Awhile since, in looking over a Philadelphia
Directory for 1897, my heart gave great bound
ss came upon this entry
%'W WAsHlSGroS, GEORGE, l90 High Street"
To the disgrace Of Philadelphia, that house,
second only in historic interest to Independence
Hail. was many years ago demolished.
But, for a few charmed hours of md-sum-
rner evening, that mansion has stood again for
me, and Washington has walked before my eyes,
sin his habit as he lived /; and yet the only magic
r,njuration was the clear memory Of Il graciou:
old man, who, in his early childhood, was &
neiehher OF Washington, his parents living,
believe, on Sixth-street, near High.
Atthe house of friend in Philadelphia, | Wa
so fortunate as to meet Mr.. Robert E. Gray,
man past fourscofe, but wonderfully we'll pre-
served-lookng much younger than his years
a gentleman of the old school in courteousuess o
manner in elegance and neatness of dress, statel
in6yure with fresh aud han dsome countenance
In person and demeanor, hereminded me strcngl
OF Waller Savage London as | saw him in hi
sishty-hrst year.
Vixen asked this noble relic of the past 70
his rrcoiisctions Of Washington, he said 'BleS
van | have little to tell. | was so very youn
=, tbs lime when knew him, that have onl
childish recollections, mere trifes, which WI
scarcely interest YOU On my assuring him tbs
these were just the things wanted TO hear, b
talked modestly and with much questioning,
the old days of Philadelphia, and o the gref
President and his household.
In his childhood, be said, the place where
then were, on Tenth-street near Arch, with u
roar of the great city about US, was quite IN u
rural districts He remembered going to batf
in a little pond, near the corner OF sixth an
Arch streets, secluded and shaded spot. Higl
street, the fashionable avenue, was only paved
far up as Ninth, but it was planted with rows
the Lombardy poplsr nearly out TO the Schuy
kill. and was the fayorite Sunday promedade
the citizens.
sWashington's house., said Mr.. Gray, wi
thought q very fine mansion. 1t was what WI
called "a house and half-that is, the hall WI
not in the middle, but had two windows at Il
right. and one window al the left. 1t was tW
stories and half high, with dormer window
II was rented for the President of Robert Morri
but originally belonged to Galloway, the Tory
WAS Washington the stately and formal pc
sonage he has been represented 2
Yes, he was very digni6ed gentleman, vii
the most elegant manners-very nice in his dres
careful and punctual. | suppose he would
thought a little stiff nowadays.
Did you ever hear him laugh heartily =?
why no. never did.
WAS he always grave, as you remember hir
or did he smile now and then
why, bless you, yes, he always smiled {
children He was particularly popular wi
small boys When be went in state TO Indepe
dence Hall, in his cream-colored chariot, draw
BY six bays, and with positions and out-rideI
and when he set out for and returned fro
Mount Vernon, VS. boys were on hand; be cou
always count US In, to huzza and wave our hi
for bin, and he used to touch his hat to us