The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-01
GEN. AND MRS. WASHINGTON


Interesting Recorections of Woman
Who Knew Them in Der Youth.
An interesting view of the private life
and personal characteristics of Gen. and
Mrs. Washington is contained IN a letter
printed in the New York Tribune of Sun
day. The letter was written in 1864 by
Mrs. John NJ. Bowers to Mrs Edward
Clarke. and is made public through the
courtesy of Mrs. H. ]. Bower of Coopers-
town, N. Y, and Observation-Disclosures
Morton
The letter is as follows: My earliest re-
COLLECTION OF Gen. Washington was in the
spring of 1871, when guest of my mother
at Hackettstown, n. j. Although but
three years of age at that time, distinctly
remember the grand appearance of that
great and good man The brilhancy of his
epaulettes. and his peculiarly cooked hat
and plume, made an impression on my
irfanJ mind never to be effaced. August
and dignifed AS he was, however, he could
condescend to amuse children. During an
interval of few minutes absence of my
mother from the parlor, the general placed
me on his knee and trOtting me merrily
thereon, sang the following ludicrous lines:
There was an old, old man, and an old, old
woman,
They lived in a vinegar bottle together,
SHELTERED alike from wind and from weather,
| They lived IN vinegar bottle together"
repeating the last line several times for
| chorus. When my mother returned to the
| parlor the gene al alluded t. what had &C.
Cured in her absence, saying: THE little
| jade wished to know how the old people es-
capped from the bottle, and before had
time to reply to her question she bal antici'
pated tie by saying: i guess, general, they
knocked off the neck"
We're any proof wanting to illustrate the
reverence inspired by the dignity and
superiority of the presence of the general |
might cite an auecdote of a Mrs. Giraffe
an ignorant woman, foreigner by birth,
| an inveterate tory, who resided near my
mother She had been accustomed since
| the commencement of the war to speak of
| George Washington as George, the re ell"
until at length curiosity, predominatlng
| over prejudice, induced her to catch a
| glimpse of him as he passed through our
hall, when she burst into tears and ex-
claimed. involuntarily: "Elealehl Elealeh!"
meaning Godlike and from that instant be-
| came a confirmed whig.
| When my mother resided at the Union,
| in Hunterdon county. New Jersey, Mrs.
| Washington was her guest two nights and
day, while on her way from New Wind
| or to Philadelphia. She came in her
chariot attended by Col Washington Ia
| nephew of the general ami two servants
| colored, coachman and waiing-maid.
| Ny mother was greatly pleased with tne affa-
bility and simplicity Of the manners Of Mrs.
| Washington, from whom she learned much
of the economy and good management of the
| Virginia housew ives. To ow her own
idea of economy, Mrs Washington re-
marked that in view of the high price Of
the goods at that time, she had ravele1 some
| old and almost worn out crimson satin
damask chair covers, which had descended
to her; had caused the same to be carded
and spun, and by the addition of cotton
yarn, woven, with a narrow stripe OF silk
and a wide one of cotton alternately, out Of
this fabric she had two morning dresses for
herself one of which she exhibited to
mamma, who thought it quite pretty.
In the wear 1885, when myself on visit
| to Philadelphia, | was presented to Mrs.
| Washington at her drawing room by Mrs.
ia per Moylan "a sister-in-law of Gen. Moy-
LAM, pa ticular friend of my mother, as
also of Mrs. Washington. Mrs. Moylan
called for me in her carriage at about 8
o'clock p. m. Mrs. Washington then re-
sided in the house owned by K bert Morris.
On entering the room we were led to
Mrs. Washington by Mr.. Hamilton grand
son of Gov. Hamilton of PelLsylvania),
who was master Of ceremonies that
evening. / distinctly remember seeing the
as | passed to tie far extremity of the
apartment, where Mrs. Washington sat and
received us very gracously. she was still
very attractive, although quite advanced
| in years. There was something very sweet
| and feminine in the cOuntenance. The
dress WAS of black satin, with white Grape
| inside, handkerchief lain in folds, cap of the
same material with double-quilled borders,
aud tied under the chin with white satin
bow On the right of Mrs Wash
iugton sat Mrs Robert Morris, majestic
looking woman, dressed in rich white
satin, with white Grape handkerchief and
turban. Next to Mrs Morris was Mrs.
Judge Peters, distinguished for her beauty
and elegance of manner, and arrayed in
pearl-colored satin, with Grape andkerchief
and head-dress. My friend Mrs. Moylan
was seated ny Mrs. Peters, and was attired
| in white satin, with white Grape hapdker-
chief and turban. Most Of the young ladies,
both married and single, stood or promenade
the room. Nearly all wore Grape or book
muslin dressed over silk, some of them being
| embroidered with silver and oteers with
| gold thread, the waist being short and the
train long and graceful. Grape cushi )ns
| for the head were much worn by married
ladies'. The young ladies wore their hair
| frizzed and thrown into curls, with black
velvet bandeaux richly studded with
| steel and paste, with graduated
! DlumoS (trOm LureD 10 uVo Wnlle OSCFlCu1,
making handsome head-dress when
tistefully managed. The silver flowers
covering the stems Of the feathers added
much to their brilliancy. Powder was
much used by both ladies and gentlemen.
| recollect the dress Of one young lady on
that occa ion. 1t consisted of a very fine
null muslin over white mantua silk, mol
crate train trimmed with broad white satin
ribbon, ornamented with black silk
velvet waters, richly spangled. Below
this was a quilting Of deep Brussels
lace, and quilting Of the same about the
neck and sleeves, white satin sash with
long ends, spangled, long-armed white kid
! gloves, white silk stockings and white satin
shoes, brown powdered nair, with black
bandeaux and white plumes, prettily ar
ranged These, together with a miniature,
handsomely set and suspended by gold
C al from the neck and large gold watch,
with cha elaine on the side, from which
! depended various rings and charms, COM
pieted the toilette.
| Among the distinguished guests observed
| Gov. Ross and wife, the latter magnih-
| Gently attired: also James A. Bayard and
| wife, of Delaware. the latter a beautiful
woman. Gen. Harry Lee was one Of the
most fascinating persons in attendance,
both IN regard to appearance and colloquial
powers. No one, however, could vie with
! the President, who stood unsurp assed III
| grandeur and dignity.
Alb ut a fortnight after this Mrs Moylan
| accompanied me in a morning call on Mrs.