Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-27
NO. 30.

| knee and shoe buckles, a prominent dia
mond ring ON his fingers, and from n superb
gold watch set with diamonds several rich
seals were hung | heard that he left his
immense fortune to his three daughters in
| Spnin, amounting to half million dollars
each"
"Was Mrs Washington at headquarters
all winter ~ inquired
''She came at about the middle Of Innu.
/ ary,' said Judge Ford. "when the snow
was deepest and the cold most severe. and
| the soldiers were suffering most Her pres
ence was like sunshine She had kind
word and act for everybody The officers
accorded homage TO her noble character
the soldiers adored her, and vet she was as
simple and softly dignfed IN her deport
ment as a 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 entertaining guests
| The suffering Of the soldiers touched her
generous nature, aud she even Interested
! the women of every degree 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 scrupulousy Just and thoughtful Of
duty toward others.
As an illustration Of phase Of Washing
tons private character, Judge Ford related
that when the patriot took possession Of
| Mrs. Fords 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 ev-
erything had been returned to her
! - IL but one silver spoon she sai1
He took note of it, and not long after
wards she received a spoon from Washing
ton hearing his intials-G. w. 1t was pre-
| served in the family as n precious memento,
and as such it was shown to me the next
! morning. WashngtOn's tender care for
the comfort Of Mrs Ford Cwho was the
widow Of Col. Jacob Ford, commander If
the Morris county militia at the time of
Washington's flight through New Jersey,
was often evinced On the occasion of the
night alarms mentioned, he always went to
! her room, drew the ed-curtains close and
soothed her with assurances Of safety. And
when her son, a lad of seventeen, was
brought home wounded from Springfield,
Washingtons 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
inches in stature, with his faculties appar
emily not at all impaired 10y age Hi, mem
Dry of dates. names and events was re
markabe. The evening passed with him
was, to me, one Of the interesting and pro
iitable Of any experienced during my pill
| grimage to the relics. animate and mani-
mate, Of the period Of the old war for indie
| pendence. Our conversation took "A wide
range Of topics upon one suhiect-the Rev
olution and its actors As rose to depart
at ten O'Clock, the venerable iurist 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, aud soon retired
From the window Of that room opening
southwark, | witnessed at near midnight an
almost total eclipse Of the moon As from
that interesting observatory | watched the
progress Of the obscuraton, and then the
gradual enlightenment Of the satellites it
appeared to me most significant 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 doubtless gazed 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 deep
er and deeper within the penumbra Of Brit
ish power and oppression and at the lie
ginning of 1850 only a faint curve of light
was seen upon the disc of hope the eclipse
was almost total Benson J. LOSING.