Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-06-20

uniform, followed by Washington and
Luzerne and their respective suites and
many citizens. 1t is said the Spaniard was
very rich. remember looking upon his
dead body with wonder, awe and admira-
tion, as it lay in state as we say, in the
room where we are now sitting, in his rich
ly-ornamented open coffin, lined with fine
cambria and covered with black velvet.
Instead of shroud, he was in full dress
suit of scarlet, embroidered with gold lace;
a three -cornered gold-laced hat, cued wig;
white silk stockings, large diamond-studded
knee and shoe buckles, prominent dia-
mond ring on his fingers, and from snperb
gold watch set with diamonds several rich
seals were hung. heard that he left his
immense fortune 10 his three daughters in
Spain, amounting to half million dollars
each"
"Was Mrs. Washington at headquarters
all winter?" I inquired.
"She same at about the middle of Janu-
ary," said Judge Ford, "when the snow
was deepest and the cold most severe and
the soldiers were suffering most. Her
presence was like sunshine. She had kind
word and act for everybody. The officers
accorded homage to her noble character;
the soldiers adored her and yet she was as
simple and softly dignified in her deport-
ment as pious matron ought to be.
! While she could entertain with great
cheerfulness, grace, urbanity and good
sense, she was seldom without knitting
work in her hands when receiving and en-
| tertaining guests. The suffering of the
soldiers touched her generous nature, and
she even interested the women of every de-
gree in Morristown in cooperating with
her in providing for the sick and suffering
in the army"
"And Washington"
HE was always grave, but never sad;
always kind, but never familiar, and he was
scrupulously just and thoughtful of duty
toward others.''
As an illustration of phase of Washing
toms private character, Judge Ford related
that when the patriot took possession of
MIR. Ford's mansion he made an inventory
of all articles which were appropriated to
his use during the winter. When he with
drew in the spring he inquired whether
everything had been returned to her.
''All but one silver SPOON" she said.
He took note of it, and not long after
wards she received spoon from Wash
ington bearing his initials-G. W. 1t was
preserved in the family as a precious
memento, and as such it was shown to me-
the next morning. Washington's tender
care for the comfort of Mrs. Ford (who was
the widow of Colonel Jacob Ford, conf
mander of the Morris County militia at tho
time of Washington's flight through New
Jersey, was often evinced. On the oeca-
sion of the night alarms mentioned, he al
ways went to her room, drew the bed-cur-
tains close, and soothed her with assurances
of safety. And when her son, lad of
seventeen, was brought home wounded
from Springfield, Washington's first care
in the morning was to inquire after the
sufferer.
Judge Ford was eighty years of age at
the time of my visit. He was well-formed
and erect in person, about five feet ten
inches in stature with his faculties appar-
emily not at all impaired by age. His mem
0ry of dates, names and events was re-
markable. The evening passed with him
was, to me, one of the most interesting and
profitable of any experienced during nay
pilgrimage to the relics, animate and in-
animate, of the period of the old war for
Independence. Our conversation took a
wide range of topics upon one subject
the Revolution and it's actors. As l rose
to depart, at ten O'Clock, the venerable
jurist invited me to pass the night under
his roof, saying, "You shall lodge in the
very room occupied by Washington and his
spouse" accepted the boon so kindly
offered, and soon retired.
From the window of that room, opening
southwark, witnessed at near midnight
all almost total eclipse of the moon. As
from that interesting observatory watch
ed the progress of the obscuration, and
then the gradual enlightenment of the
satellites, it appeared to me a most sgni6-
cant emblem of the political condition OF
America and of the cause of the patriots at
the time when, from the same window,
Washington with anxious eye had doubt
less gaxed upon the same orb on its silent
journey among the stars. 1t was the
gloomiest period of the war. For many
months the bright prospects of the patriots
were passing deeper and deeper within the
penumbra of British power and oppression;
and at the beginning of 1880 only faint
curve of light was seen upon the disc of
hope; the eclipse was almost total.
BENSON j. LOSING.