The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-12-16
The Wife Of Washington in her Work. DOM.
BY JAMES PARTON.

There are fine ladies, it is said, at pres
ent, who disdain the homely, honorable
duties of house keeping, thinking it beneath
them to attend to the comfort, happiness
and dignity of their families. If any such
there are, l should like to invite them to
look into the workroom of Mrs Washing
ton, at Mount Vernon, the apartment in
which the first lady of Virginia, in Vir-
ginia's palmy days, used to spend her
mornings at work, surrounded by busy
servants. Every great house in Virginia
had such room in old times, and ladies
plumed themselves upon excelling in the
household arts practiced therein. This
particular workroom at Mount Vernon is
described in old lette rs of the period, copied
and given to the world some years ago, by
the late Bishop Meade, of Virginia.
1t was plain good sized apartment,
arranged and furnished with a view to
facilitating work. At one end, there was
large table for cutting out clothes upon.
At that time, every garment worn by the
slaves had to be cut out and sewed, either
by the ladies of the mansion house, or
under their superintendent. The greater
part of General Washington's slaves work
ed on plantations several miles distant from
his home, and were provided for by their
several overseers; but there were great
number of househe I'D servants at Mount
Vernon besides grooms, gardeners, fisher
ut fho la1, of no
house had to hink and contrive. At that
broad table, sat skillful, nice-looking
negro woman, somewhat advanced in years,
with q pair of shears in her hand, cutting
cutting, CT .tting, almost all day, and every
day, the countless trowsers, dresses, jack
cts and hirts, needed by a family of, per-
haps undred persons, Everything worn
by the general or by herself, except their
best ou tside garments, which were imported
from London, were made in that room,
under the eye of the lady of the house.
All the commoner fabrics, too, were
home made. On one side of the room, sat
a yo ung colored woman spinning yarn; on
ano Their her mother knitting; elsewhere, a
woman doing some of the finer ironing;
here a woman winding; there little col
ored girl learning to sew. In the midst of
all this, industry, sat Mrs. Washington,
ready to solve difficulties as they arose,
and prompt to set right any operation that
might be going wrong. She was always
knit ting. From morning till dinner time
VIII ich was two o'clock-her knitting was
eldom out of her hands. In this work
familiar acquaintance, when they called in
the morning, but she never laid aside her
knitting. The click of her needles was
always heard in the pauses of converse
ton.
Her friends were surprised to see her,
after her eight years at the seat of govern
ment, instantly resume her former way OF
life. They found her as of old, in her
workroom, with her servants about her,
knitting and giving directions. One lady.
who visited her after the Generals retire
ment from the presidency, gives an instance
of her prudent generosity.
"She points out to me several pairs Of
nice colored stocking and gloves she I'D
just finished, and presents me with pa il
half done, achich she 6egs I acM finish ana
acear for her sake"
Thus she contrived in one and the same
act, to make present and give practical
lesson in industry. She was indeed a sig
nal example of that virtue, at time when
ladies of wealth and Importance could
scarcely avoid practicng it. She used to
speak of the time spent in levees and o thei
ceremonial duties as "my lost days"
The chief labor of the mistress Of 8
house then was in training servants. [rs
Washington, like the other Virginia lad les
had an eye upon the families of her sla YES
and most of them had very large familie:
and when she noticed little girl t. Ia
seemed bright and apt to learn, she would
have her come to the workroom, where SHE
would be taught to sew, and afterwaI ds
other home arts. In this way, the house
was kept supplied with good cooks, char I'D