St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-28

darkest days of the Revolution never ex-
pressed a doubt as to the ultimate success of
the cause. For the seven years of the rero-
lutlonary period. she was separated from
her husband most of the time; but during
those years. with unvarying regularity, she
would go into her room three times day,
and on Bonded knees implore the protection
of Heaven for her husband, coupled with a
prayer for the success of the American
armies. An old gentleman told me that his
father mad once heard WASHINGTON say there
were times in the Revolution when he had
more faith in the efficacy or his
wifes prayers than in the efforts
of the Continental congress to back,
him up in the struggle. 1t is known
that during his two presidential terms WAsH-
INGTON often consulted with his wife about
matters of state, not because of her superior
knowledge of public affairs but because he.
loved and trusted her, and rejoiced that there
was one being in all the world to whom he
could go in the full assurance that his conf
dence would never be betrayed.
fTf -
With all his great qualities WASHINGTON
was man of irascible temper, sometimes
marked by violent outbursts. There is a
neig hborhood tradition that his wife was the
only one who could control him when he
was in fit of anger-usually by persuasive.
methods, but. if occasion required, by an as
sertion of will power. One story l remem-
Der is that Mrs. WASHINGTON had a colored
maid who unwittingly fell under the gener-
ais ire one day. and he ordered her to be
logged. Knowing that the girl did not de-
serve so severe punishment for light
offense, Mrs. WASHINGTON interposed
with request that the sentence be COM
No. l.
and insisted that his orders should be obeyed.
The oyerseer was summoned from the field
and directed to carry out the instructions of
the lord of the manor. Matters had pro-
ceeded far enough for Mrs. WASHINGTON to
see that if she wished to save her maid from
an unmerited punishment she would have to
assert her authority. Argument and persua-
sion had failed to convince her husband that
he was wrong, and if she had been the meek,
submissive little woman that history makes
OF her, there would have been a we'll whipped
colored girl on the plantation that day. But
there wasn't. MARTHA WASHINGTON was not
the woman to see a wrong done, even though
it was being done under the instructions of
the greatest man America ever produced and
that man was her husband. She deliberately
walked up to the overseer and took the cow
hide from his hand. Then she led the girl
into the library, where her husband was en-
gagged with his papers, and, addressing him
in firm but respectful tone, said: 'Sire,
you can command armies and rule q nation.
but you have no right to usurp my authority
as mistress of this house. This girl belongs
tie me, and when l want her punished I will
order it to be done" 1t was WAsHINGToN's
first surrender, but he had to pull down his
flag. He recognized the validity OF his wife's
authority, and yielded.
TfF
Imaginary wealth is sometimes more enjoy
able than the real thing Last Friday two
little girls apparently about ten years of age,
were coming down Summit avenue. They
were the children of poor parents, as their
ragged clothing testified, but their smiling
faces indicated a happiness that the elder
VANDERBILT never knew. They had stopped
in front of two of the finest residences on
the avenue and were imagining themselves
the possessors of them. IF 7 lived here
remarked one to her companion, land you
lived over there we would come to see each
other every day, wouldn't we:" YES" re-
piled the other little tot with unkempt hair,
but you could only come to see me i'll the
afternoons. You see my mornings would be
taken up with looking after my servants
''That would be all right" retcrted the first
speaker, because l would want to take
drive every forenoon, anyhow" And then
they laughed ana started on run down the
avenue, happier than the real owners of
these fine establishments. because they had
no taxes and street assessments to be both
cred about
SJTNDAV Oh A. TER