Wichita eagle., 1889-02-14
HIS PRIVATE LIFE,

/ His Homo Life and Social Surroundings.
/ The many letters that exist relating to
his private and personal affairs best exhibit
the home" side of our hero
The style of these is different from that of
his Official productions, and he naturally
/ stepped INTO one more easy when writing 10
a confidential friend on family matters re-
| lating to his home at Mount Vernon, or as
1t was to be arranged in Philadelphia while
he was President. But the style has the
directness and sincerity of all his writings.
/ 1t is apparent that he wrote without re-
serve. Understanding human nature thor
oughly, he deals wisely with men in small
things as in great; he is considerable and
forbearing, never hasty, but making all al
loWances where they could be made
Dishonesty, or suspicion Of it, he never
overlooks. In a letter to Mr.. Lear, his
private secretary, he suspects his steward
of extravaganza in spending too much for
supplies of the table kept for upper serv-
ants; yet he authorizes Mr.. Lear to retain
him if, on examination of his accounts, he
be found honest.
AS regards the minutiae seen in such let
ters-the details respecting his house, furni-
ture, servants, carriages, horses, positions
and their new jockey caps" and even to
trading for washing ''mangler which
Mrs. Morris proposed to leave IN her house
in Philadelphia. when, as President, he WAS
TO occupy it; as regards all these seemingly
petty details, they suggest a new test
whereby to try Washington let him be
tried by IT,
Shall we seek for comparisons, or, rather.
contraStsl
Napoleon played blind mans buff at St.
Helena. He ragged at his coronation because
some train-bearers were misplaced Crom-
well, as a lest, bedaubed with ink the face
of one of the judges, who, with Cromwell
himself, had just been condemuing King
Charles to death. Peter the Great enjoyed
frightening his entertainers by setting upon
them a pet monkey with which he always
travelled. The book of history records too
amply the child-like diversions among those
who have flourlShed on the SUBMITS Of re-
nown.
We hear none of this of Washington; no
idle whims, no studied or foolish eccentrici-
ties; none OF the buffoonery of ripe years.
They were not IN him; or If they were, self
discipline had extirpated them. as II had the
bad ambition and moral callousness that
have disfgured too many Of the great
AdiueS OF the GSTsC- ancient ana noUeFu,
while his matchless purity and deathless
deeds raise him above all This verdict IS
already pronounced by the most enhght-
ened and scrutiniZing portions Of mankind,
and time is silently extending its domain as
he IS longer tried by the parallels Of history
and by the philosophy of greatness itself.
In al has domestic affairs he held himself
as the head of well-ordered family, the
regulator of II al under maxims that best
conduce TO order because not too rigid. His
letters show that he was truly hospitable,
Kind, devoted TO his kindred whom he gath
ers around him, interesting himself In their
education and welfare, cheering them with
welcomes at Mount Vernon and soothing
them in sickness and sorrow. The kindred
Of Mrs. Washington alike share his solici-
tudes, paternal care and constant kind
ness. All this is disceruiole in his letters.
They point 70 heart afrectionately alive to
the best social and family feelings. We see
his attention to the comfort of has saxrrants-