The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-03-14
MARY WASHINGTON.

DEAR BULLETIN IL had hoped.hat the
intellectual women Of Cairo were too
busy with.criticising lectures and attend
ing the meetings. of the "Woman's Club"
to pay any attention to my sketch of
Christina, other than tn give II n hasty
reading before Church, OH the morning
you gave IL publicity.
But "A Woman" who seems TO have
read the sketch, without seeing the point
| wished to make, comes, in n kind of
pleasantly written article. and accuses
me of suggesting, by my use of the
phrase elegant ladies' the Mandy PANTY
typ of women, as models. My diction-
airy defines elegance to be 1.-THE beauty of
propriety." lll
In illustration Of my beau ideai woman.
] will sketch character from history of
later date than Christina time. Doubt
less fancy sketch would be- more inter
esting to some of your readers. but for
my purpose the life of woman Of ac-
tllal flesh and blood suits better than any
fancy, be it ever so brilliant aud lovely.
The one American woman. who, of all
Others seems most WORTHY of imitation. Is
Mary. the mother of George Washington
This assertion will not seem too sweep
ing, If we remember that to her influence
and training, we are indebted for "Thc
J Father OF his Country" If this coun-
try had Mother, certainly Mary WASH
ington was that mother. Thousands of
women have lived, and are living. as true
and noble lives as she did, but the cir
cumstances surrounding her life made it
more prominent. Therefore we are at lib
crty to speak Of her.
Born and reared on plantation near
the Potomac River more than hundred
years ago, her educational advantages
were, it is reasonable to suppose, very
limited. In those days most of the chill
drcn of the planters were educated at
home, many, by their parents or older
sisters, and others, by n governess or tu-
tor. The planters We're generally per-
sons OF culture from the best families in
Great Britain. and though living mile.
apart were social people. On one OF
these plantations Mary Ball grew up and
became such an interesting woman. that
Augustine Washington chose her for his
wife. We learn that they lived very
pleasantly. aud that their home was Wis
tied by the learned aud distinguished OF
the land. After a few years lac died. His
will exhibited his confidence in her ex-
ecutive ability, by providing that she
should not only have entire control of her
five children and her own property, but
oftheir's also, which consisted of plan
tation for each one, ranging from seven
hundred TO twenty-five hundred acres
This II can readily be seen was nc
trihing trust, and must have required du-
ring each year many days of travel over
roads that were oftentimes impossible
even for her coach with its four strong
horses; then, she must needs 20 on horse.
back. for we can we'll believe that bad
roads and inclement weather did not pre-
sent insurmountable obstacles to her col
lection OF rents, nor prevent her tobacco
crops from being shipped to the mother
country in time to secure the best prices
During this time she still lived on her
estate near Fredericksburg, very much
isolated from society, with only her small
children (the eldest not yet eleven years
old at his fathers death .)and her servant.
for company. Sometimes teaching her
children, always experimenting their cd
ucation, besides keeping an account o
her business, together with the c0rrespon
dence necessary, when the family shop
ping was done by written orders sent I,
London-more duties than fashionabl,
woman Of to-day could think of even
without fit OF "nervous prostration.
Mrs. Washington found time to begi,
each day, by calling the entire house
hold together, when she read lessor
from the Bible, and besought tn
Ruler of All to guide them through TN
r day
Her children grew up and settled il
+. their own homes. still she carried OF
+ her farming, i'm the same methodica
manner, living entirely alone with he
5 servants, who are said to have been mod
Y els of obedience and faithfulness.
= When the war Of the Revolution came
: the last act of Gen. Washington, betor
= going to take command of the Army
c was to move his mother to a house sh
l. owned in fredericksburg, that she Nigh
y not be exposed TO attacks of surrounding
II bands of stragglers. She did not give u
e her plantation, but rode out nearly ever
day. and going into the fields directe
II matters in every detail. She was no,
l. growing old and her son-n-aw offered I
;, relieve her of her trouble of looking al
J. ter her estate. Her reply was, tina
If since his eyes were so much younge
than hers, he might keep her accounts
N but the executive power must belong t
5, her alone"
4, In addition to caring for the wants {
l. her own household she sought ont tn
poor around her, and spent a part of eac
l. day in visiting them or providing 70
Is their wants, which were many during al
those dreadful years of war.
- Then the clothing for her people, an,