The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-03-07
MEMORIES OF WASHINGTON.

l have spent much time in the
grass grown streets of Alexandria,
Va, chatting with the old citizens
about George Washington, and
gathering together such traditions
of him as have come down TO them
from their fathers, writes the
Washington correspondent of the
Cleveland Leader. Washington
died in 1899, and there are none
in Alexandria old enough to have
known him, but Alexandria was
his business place for years. He
lived at Mount Vernon, only nine
miles away, and his marketing,
buying and general business was
done at Alexandria. He voted
there. He had a little office built
on a lot which he bought when he
was u young man, and it was only
few years ago that it was torn
down. Alexandria was, in fact,
his nearest town, and here he came
to dance at the hotel parties, trade
at the stores, aud to talk politics
on the street corner. Mr.. William
Crane the youngest man | talked
with was perhaps fifty years old.
Mr.. Crane said: "The last OF the
old men who knew Washington
personally passed away about
twenty years ago, and il is very
late to attempt to get authentic in'
formation about him. was born
in Alexandria, and | have been
engaged all my life in studying
Washington's character, aud have
talked with all the old citizens Of
Alexandria, for the past thirty
years and more, in regard to him.
lie would begin to address the
crowd on the greatness of Wash.
ington and tell them anecdotes
and gossip concerning him. i
have made an especial study of
Washington as "a young man. The
traditions of Alexandria represent
him as very proper young fellow,
six feet tall, rather stately in ear.
riage, and exceedingly fond of
horses. He liked to try new
horses, ahd it is said that during
a single day he rode ten different
horses into Alexandria. Every
one tells me he made figure on
horseback. lie sat straight and
had thorough command of his
steed. This straightness be kept
|
until the last. He is said to have
danced u good deal as young man,
and to have been very fond OF
balls.
| have no doubt that he danced
somewhat, but | do no think he
ever unbent himself to any extent
The dance Of anti.revolution DAYS
was far different from the waltz
! aud the fantastic german Of the
present. The minuet, for instance
is more like funeral than ball
room skip, and Washington could
easily move through this without
appearing anything but eminently
respectable. | have no doubt
that he drank glass Of wine OF
whisky now aud then, as was thu
custom in those days, but ] dom
think he ever frequented the tav
erns or gossipped at the dogger
les.
AS to his circumstances as ;
young man, they were rather poor
, and he learned habits of business
which stood him well in aftel
years. He did not begin to make
money until he became surveyor
and then he made it very fast
earning twenty-five dollars a day
As 10 his business contracts, be
lieve he was very liberal in making
a contract, but he was very rigiC
in exacting its fulhllment. HI
wanted everything set down ii
the agreement, and | have seen s
contract of his employing an over
seer in which he stipulates tha
the overseer shall have the right
to be drunk for a week at Christ
mas. He probably knew the maj
we'll enough to know that he woult
get drunk anyhow, and not wish
ing to have any trouble with him
made this stipulation in his con
tract
"Hsve you heard anything of hi'
relations with his wife ~
Nothing, save that they were
of the most amicable nature. Hii
marriage, you know, was case o.
love at first sight, and in one o
the few love letters which now
exists Of those he wrote her aftel
his marriage, he speaks very ten
derly of her, and addresses bel
as My Dear Patsy Mr.. Curtis
said Washington wore his wife''
picture in a locket tied around hi'
neck to the day of bis death. Ht