The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-04-26
Washington as a HumOrIst.

The following letter is a copy Of one
/ from General Washington to his
orother-in-law Colonel BurBeIl Bas-
sett, OF Ethan, Virginia. Col. Bas-
sett married Anna Msris Dandridge,
the sister Of Martha Dlndridge who
was first Mrs. Custis, then Mrs. Wash
ingtOn. This letter has been treas
ured by Colonel BIssett's grandson,
who, until now, has refused to allow
it to be published. II is the only let
ter we know OF i'm which Washing
ton INDUCED in anything like humor.
MOUNT VERNON, 2Sth Aug, 1862.
DEAR SIR Il wss fsvoured with
your Epistle wrote on a certain 18th
Of July, when you ought to have
been at Church, praying as becomes
every good Christian Man who mas as
much to answer for as you have
strange it is that YOU will be so blind
to truth that the enlightening sounds
OF the Gospel cannot reach your Ear,
nor no Examples awaken you to a
sense Of GOOdness-eould you bni be-
hold with what religious zeal I bye
me to Church on every Lords day, it
would do your hesrt good, and fill 1t,
l hope, with equal ferYency-but
hark'ee-I am told you have lately
intro duced into your Family, q GER
tain production which you are lost
in admiration of, and spend so much
time in contemplating the just pro-
portions of its parts, the ease, and con-
venienees with which it abounds,
that IL is thought you will have little
time to animadverg upon the pros
pect OF your erc p5. &C., pray how will
this be reconeiled to that anxious
care and vigilance, which is 50 essen
eially necessary al time when our
growing Property-meaRing the To-
baecO-is assailed by every VillainOus
worm that has had an existence since
the days OF Noah (hOw unkind it was
Of Noah, now have mentioned his
name, to suffer such brood OF Ver-
min to get bird in the Ark p but
perhaps you may be as we'll off as we
are-that is, have no Tobacco for
them to eat, and there 1 think we
nieked the dogs, as think 10 do you
if you expect any mOre-but not with
out full assurance Of being, with q
very sincere regard,
d. Sir, Yr. Mo. Affect. & Obed.,
Go. WAsHINGTON.
P. 8. don't forget to make my
cOmpls to Mrs. Bsssett, Miss Dudy,
and the little ones, for Miss Dudy
cannot be elassed with small People
without offering her great Injustice.
l shall see you, expect, shOut the
first Of November.
To Coin Bassett, at Ethan.
The ''neW production" so much ad-
mired by Colonel Bassett. t. which
Washington jestingIy allades, was q
baby son and heir. Two daughters
had preceded this infant, and as the
estate, before the Revolution, was en-
tailed, 3 son had been ardently desired
by Colonel BIssett, who was the sole
representative OF his family; his
father, grandfather, and grest-grand-
father, having each been, like him
self, au only son. "Miss Dudy," was
Miss Judy Diggs, the daughter of a
neigbbOriug farmer and remarkable
for her size and strength. She had,
on one occasion, been induced to
Hrestle with young man, a guest at
Ethan, on condition he would treat
her with all due respect. The trial Of
strength aud skill went on for awhile
in perfect gOOd-nature, but the young
gentleman on finding that "Miss
Dudy" was getting the better of him,
lost his temper, and roughly handled
his amaZOnian adversary, whereupOn
her spirit rOse-she tossed him on the
floor, and, in spite OF all his efforts,
tied him hand and foot to await sen.
tence from Colonel Bassett.-ISeri6ner
for Nay.