The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-28
For the r. s M.-Household
NEwREKNE. Nav Is.

w hat has become OF the Household.
| think the lady members of it must all
be busy with their spring house clean
ing. For myself | must say, as our old
black nanny used TO, ''Ise's been
wrastlin' in the body and the sperit
both, chile. and haint had no ambition
for nothing but the fight" My ''wras-
tie" has been with caligraph. which
came TO me one bright morning by ex-
press, without one word of direction as
to use For a day or two it was like
the dog and the bear, nip and tuck, !"
as to which would win. But our editor
will witness for me. if necessary, that |
have come out ahead, and am so delight
ed with my acquisition that / wish every
member OF the Household had an in
strument like mine. To-be-sure, my
impertinent youngest does say, that.
Judging from its occasional spelling, the
early education of mothers pet was
neglected" for with every intention of
striking the right letter / sometimes
strike the one next to it; then, too, in
response to the warning bell, will pull
the roller back to begin a new line but
forget to turn it, so | write over the one
just completed, and neither the best
compositor nor "a Philadelphy lawyer
could decipher the double characters
But comfort myself with the hope
that practice will make perfect, and the
certainty that, with my left hand par
TALLY paralyzed and my right nearly
useless from gout, 1 could not write at
all without a caligraph, lame as L am, l
can operate with one finger of either
hand. But L did not sit down to gossip
about my ''great-grand child" as the
aforesaid youngest calls it, but to tell a
little bit of the unwritten history of
Newberne. in which the housekeepers
came gallantly to the front to sustain
the reputation of their town for hos pi-
tality and good cheer.
Historians tell of the visit of General
Washington 10 the city of elms' in
1870, but only those, who have heard of
it from their grandmothers know how he
was entertained while here. There was
no good hotel, if there was any at all in
the place, ,and it was decided that, as the
guest of the town, it would not be prop
er to take him to private house. The
father of John Stanly, SO we'll known in
the history of North Carolina as a
Statesman and lawyer. had died Just be
fore completing handsome family resi-
dence. which is still known among old
New bernians as The Staniy House. '
His estate being somewhat involved.
his son. as his executor. thought it best
not to finish or furnish the house at
once, consequently the family had not
moved into it, though it was habitable.
This house DR.. Stanly, in response to
an appeal from certain ladies placed at
their disposal, and after hearing their
plan. heartily cooperating with them.
Many hands made light work, and in a
few days the house was completely fur
nished and supplied by contributions
from tile homes of the citizens of New
berne. Each housekeeper brought her
best carpets were laid. mirrors and pic
lures were hung, bedsteads put up, fur
niture placed, glass, china and silver
brought in. and goodly store of pre-
serves, pickles, cakes and pies, and 9TH
er goodies, deposited in the pantry ready
for use. A middle aged widow lady of
elegant manners and fine appearance
was elected to preside with a full corps
of efficient family servants under her ;
aud when General Washington arrived
he was taken, as he supposed, TO a
boarding house, and took his ease, with
his staff. at his inn. His horses were
stabbed in the stable of Tryon's palace,
in the halls of which he held his recep-
tions and transacted business. When
the party were leaving an aide waited
on the lady of tie house to settle Gen.
Washington's bill. and said he was or
dered by his commanding officer to e1-
press the satisfaction given by her en-
tertainment of the party.
Great was the surprise when she de-
clined all payment. saying that Gen.
Washington and his staff were the
guests of the town. Gen. Washington
came himself, on tho repart Of his aide,
TO assure her that he had supposed him.
self at boarding house where he could
pay for the trouble the party gave. She
replied
1T was the wish of the citizens of
New berne, sir, that you should so sup
pose. They desired that YOU might feel
perfectly independent and at home
AT least, madam" said the courtlY
gentleman, ''let me remunelate you for
the trouble you have been put to and
the wear aud tear of your furnilure.''
Neither the house nor the furniture
is mine, sir, and l have simply had the
honor OF being selected to represent the
town.
She then, in reply to his questions,
told him how almost every family il the
place had contributed to furnish the
house, adding, I'VE shall all in future
value the articles used here more highly
than any other in our possession
And they did, my DEAR said the
old lady, Miss Attmore, who told me
The story my mother kept for years
the curtains which her mother had hung
in the bed room used by General Wash
lngton
Before leaving. General Washington
wrote an autograph letter to the citizeus
of Newberne, which, in acknOw ledge
ment OF the use of his house was pre-
sented to Mr.. Stanly. | give below a
copy of this letter which received
from Mrs. Susan Stanly, the widow oil
one OF Mr.. John Stanly's nephews.
The original was carried out of the State
by one of his sons. NJ. b. c.
To the Inhabitants Of the to,rn Of Neu-
Jerne
GENT+EMEE-l express with real
pleasure the grateful sentiments which
your address inspires. | am much in
debted, in every personal regard. TO the
polite attentions of the people of New.
lerne. nor am ! less gratiiied by the I
patriotic declaration on the 81 uatiop o
our common country.
Pleasing indeed is tie comparisor
which retrospect Of past scenes affords
with our present happy condition, 'anG
equally so is the anticipation of wha
we may still attain and long continue