Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
L H E FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH,
CHATTING ABOUT WASHINGTON.
Some Personal Gossip About the Father
of His Country.

some ferSOnaI GOSSIP ABOUT the rather
of His Country.
TALK WITH DIR. TONER, WHO Is NOW EDITING
1NGToN AS FARMER-HIs HOME LIFE AND
PERSONAL HABITs-THE FAIRFAxEs
The stretch of Louisiana Avenue that leads
from the busy Market Space up hill of gentle
incline to the courthouse was once a place of
notwithstanding residences, but fashion for
sock it years ago and took its flight westward
Now 1t seems to serve a sort of connecting
link between trade and the profession of law,
for nearer Market Space stores, banks, and in
surance Offices monopolize it, while further
along lawyers signs begin to appear, and as
one approaches the courthouse he gets entirely
out of the atmosphere of trade into that of
sheepskin and briefs. In this thoroughfare,
about where the stores leave off and the law
yers' offices begin STAR reporter sought and
found a gentleman who knows George Wash
lngton, DIR. Joseph NJ. Toner, distinguished as
generous patron of science. an antiquarian
and the donor to the Congressional library of a
valuable and extensive collection of books.
DIR. Toner, Indifferent to the changes time has
wrought in his neighborhOod. resides there
contentedly in bachelor quarters he has occu-
pied for years. He may be said to know George
Washington because he has been engaged for a
number of years editing the diaries of the Father
OF his Country. This is with him labor of love-
and he has given much more care to it than
one could afford to bestow upon a work in
tended for publication for speculative purposes
IN DIR. TONER'S OFFICE.
The cozy Office into which The STAR reporter
was ushered was crowded with tables desks.
and book-shelves, all strewn with manuscripts.
scrap-books, pamphlets, and papers of all
kinds And the doctor was there himself. his
round, unwrinkled, clean-shaven face shedding
sort of genial glow over all. He has for
years been engaged in collecting all kinds of
curious and valuable information. But he has
devoted much of his time and means to ex-
tending his knowledge of Washington. With
George Bancroft, the historian; the late w. W.
Corcoran Hon. Horatio King and Others COM
posing the Washington Monument Society. he
for many years fostered the patriotic idea that
resulted eventually in the completion of the
splendid shaft that forms the most conspicuous
object in the city. He has been in correspond
ence with nearly every person in the
United States who claims kinship
with Gen. Washington, and has shelves filed
with the information he has gathered about
Washington his neighbors and his times. The
diaries OF Washington he has succeeded in I'M
earthing cover fully the period from 176O to
ll75. Then there is time during the reyolu-
tionary war when Washington seems to have
been too busy to keep diary. The diaries OBJ
n.
Washingtons daily life again in 1881 and follow
him down through the triumphant closing of
the war; and through his terms as President to
his retirement to Mount Vernon. DIR. Toner
has thrown light upon many of the pages by
means of copious notes OF his own, and the
work already covers 5000 manuscript pages
He told The STAR reporter that he had not
given thought to the matter Of publishing this
work; that he would be satisfied to have it when
ne Is dead deposited in its manuscript form in
the library of Congress- In securing copies of
diaries and other authentic writings of Wash
lngton DIR. Toner has gone to much expense
and trouble to secure literally exact copies,
faithfully reproducing all of the pecuiarities of
the original Washington was not a good
speller," he said land used capital or small
letters without much discrimination"
II should like" said The STAR, Ito have you
who have become well acquainted with
Washington to describe him just as he appears
IN your mind to-day"
DR.. Toner smiled good naturedlv Then shut
his eyes for moment and passed his hand over |
the closed lids. Then he began to tell about |
Washington.
wAsHINdToN's PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
HE was of tall, regular figure" said the |
doctor, 'rather spare than feshy, with large |
bones, large hands and feet. He had blue |
eyes, and dark, though not black, hair, a |
prominent nose, firm. well-formed chin, and |
large mouth. His brows were prominent. and, |
in advanced life, covered with long. shaggy |
hair. His natural inclination on the farm was |
to retire early to bed, except when visitors de-
manded his attention in the discharge of his |
social duties He was an early riser and fire.
quently rode over one or more of his panta-
tons before breakfast. As a general rule he /
was rather Indifferent to what the world recog-
nlzes as choice dishes. preferring regular /
diet. His breakfast usually consisted of corn
cakes, fish, eggs and middling, or what we now |
call breakfast bacon. His dining hour on the
farm was 3 o'clock, and, according to his |
Diaries 1t was q rare occurrence when there |
were not several and even as many as a dozen
visitors or neighbors at his table"
''Was he of abstemious habits?" asked THE
STAR reporter.
''There is no record from the beginning to
the end" said DR.. Toner, "of his ever having
been indiscreet in the use of wine or alcoholic |
liquors. There Is not q vestige Of evidence or
a surmise, even among his enemies, Of his ever
having been imprudent. The use of wine with
him was q social or ceremonial matter, Just as |
was his custom Of asking a stranger sojourning
with him to 60 fox-hunting. He would provide |
fine horses, call to hounds, and give his guest |
an exhilarating ride for a few hours and then |
return to work. 1t was not at all an uncommon |
thing for Washington to go fox-hunting in the |
morning, then go to breakfast and afterwards |
go to the courthouse or elsewhere attending to /
his business, which suffered no interruption on \
account of the sport. The modern idea of fox |
bunting is that it is allied. with idleness and /
dissipation. With Washington and his cotem-
tons"
The STAR reporter having mentioned that an /
account-book preserved in the National mu- /
scum made record of Gen. Washington's gains /
and losses at cards. DR.. Toner remarked that /
in those days in America, as in England even /
in more recent days, it was the custom to play /
at social gatherings for small stakes.
There is only one instance mentioned in
the diaries" he said, ''of his playing cards at /
home. 1t was q rainy day and there was a /
company OF six or eight gentlemen at Mount /