Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-27

luck, as you young leuOWs say now.
FIRST VISIT TO MT. VERNON.
at was in such an outft-for boys arrived at
the dignity Of bifurcated apparel at much
younger age in those days than they do now
that early in March, 1897, 1 first remember Wis
lting Mount Vernon, being then a youngster of
four years. 1t was on the occasion of WASH
ington's return to home and domestic life at
the termination of his second presidential
term. Among a vast concourse OF neighbors
and friends assembled to welcome him was my
father. who had taken me with him. The occa-
sion was made one of general rejoicing Peo-
pie came focking in from all parts of the vast
estate.
THE MT. VERNON OF OLD.
''Those who are familiar with the Mount YER
non Of to-day, with its 200 acres, can scarcely
realize that in Washington's time it numbered
several thousand. 1t was originally known as
the Hunting Creek estate, but when Lawrence
Washington, Georges half brother, inherited
1t from their father, he rechristened it Mount
Vernon, in honor of the British admiral under
whom he had served in the disastrous cam
palgn against Carthagena, in South America.
At his death it descended to his daughter
Jenny, and when she died soon afterward it
became the property of George Washington.
1t was great domain, extending for miles
down the Potomac, below Alexandria.
when the beautiful young relict Of Col.
Daniel Parke Custis-a colonial belle at fifteen,
bride at seventeen, and widow with two
children at observation-disclosures Mrs. WASH
$1,000 acres of land, 800 negroes and $50, 900
invested in the best securities Of those days.
The large domain thus added to Mount Vernon
made Washington one of the largest and
wealthiest landowners of his day.
A LIBERAL ENTERTAINER.
mo man was ever more liberal in the enter
tainment Of his friends and neighbors than
George Washington. Those were the days
when every well regulated plantation or farm
had its 'still-house. in which the golden grain,
garnered with a sickle-for the originator of
five fingers, the forerunner Of the reaper and
the moving machine, was then alike to fortune
and to fame unknown-was transformed into
whisky which did not make men crazy, and
which sold for from So to IS per barrel. 1t
was one Of the staple productions of Mount
drank Welcome home and long life to General
George Washington" in a bumper of it that
would excite the horror Of modern advocates
of constitutional prohibitory amendments
DIGNITY OF PRESENCE.
~ have looked upon many mighty men.
have seen the great Napoleon in the full flush
of his pride and triumph. have seen George
IV-'the First Gentleman of Europe l have
personally known Lord Byron, Sir Walter
Scott, Daniel O'Connell, Daniel Webster, and
many others of the men most famous in affairs
of government, arms, literature, craftsmanship,
and oratory. but never have l seen any other
man who impressed me, child though was, as
possessing such massive grandeur and dignity
of presence as did Gen. George Washington
when he stood upon the verandah at Mount
Vernon and in a few simple well-chosen words
thanked us for our demonstration of welcome.
The impression that he then made upon my
childish mind can never be effaced, and of all
the great men whom / have seen since none
has been able to depose the Father of His
Country from the pedestal of superiority over
other men upon which placed him in my heart
that day.
IN QUARTERS AND BANQUET HALL.
''Down in the negro quarters numerous pot
pies were cooking in ten-gallon kettles and
many juicy 'possums were roasting before
brightly blazing wood-fres We had no coal
In those days, and the winter wood-pile of
a prosperous planter would make householder
of the present day think that there had been
freshet in the neighborhood.
Then in the grand old banquet hall of Mount
Vernon, Washington and his country neighbors
sat down to one of the old fashioned rural Vir-
been despatched, the tables were quickly
cleared away, and the big boys and gals went
swinging around in circle singing,
ave are marching, marching to Quebec
While the drums are loudly beating"
"Oh, those were halcyon days indeed in sOle
Virginny' when neighbors met together-rich
and poor alike-at log rollings, barn raisings,
when the work was done.
WELCOMED HOME.
81 have spoken of the banquet hall at Mount
Vernon. Together with the library and the
piazza overlooking the Potomac, it was one of
oh nf Al
added to the old mansion in 1885, Two years
previously, on December %, 1873, Washington
had performed the browning act of his heroic
career by giving into the hands of Congress his
commission as commander in chief of the
armies of great country which owed its indi-
vldual national life so largely to him.
ION the following night-Christmas eve. 1888
as plain Mr. and Mrs. Washington. he and his
wife were welcomed to Mount Vernon with Just
such another neighborly demonstration as I
have attempted to describe above, and of which
have often heard my father tell. The fame of
Washington and of the rapidly.growing nation
which he was regarded as having begotten,
drew so many visitors to Mount Vernon that the
enlargement of the house was necessary for
their fitting entertainment
There crowd upon me to-day with strange
evidences the memories of my subsequent
visits to Mount Vernon, and of the many times
saw its master in the nearly three remaining
years before death closed his earthly career on
December IA. 1893
wAsHINGToN's HUMAN SIDE
mo man ever had a more intensely human
side than Washington. 1t was common talk
among the people Of our neighborhood that he
had strange weakness for purchasing lottery
tickets. There were also rumors that he had
what old Tony Weller would call "a am'ble
weakness for falling in love-platonicaly or
otherwise-with pretty young women, and was
greatly annoyed when the aforesaid Young
women refused to fall in love with him. Many
OF our nelghbors even went so far as to say
that he always traded horses to his own adj
vantage, and Never swap horses with WASH
lngton, finally became a sort of proverbial say
ing In that section of the old dominion.
Though he was unquestionably the richest
and most prominent American of his dav, he
was an unconscionably bad speller as every
body knows. l have often heard my father saw
that Washington had great passions, but held
them in magnificent control; and that, though
talkative to confidential friends he
was slngularly taciturn when there was any
likelihood Of what he said being repeated or
made public. He always asked blessing at
table, where he had his glass of wine or
mug OF beer at every meal and was a healthy,
cheerful, active man, who enjoyed life as if it
were worth living.
CLOSE BUSINESS SUPERVISION.
No man was ever more thoroughly famil-
lar with every detail of his affairs or
ever gave to his estate q closer personal
supervision. His natural dignity was SO
great that he could well afford to
do. and did do, many things that were very
unusual for planter of his condition and time
Those were the days when the women pulled
the fax while the men broke, 'swingled' and
hnp Ealla Il a,.1% h. 4 -.