New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29
WASHINGTON THE MAN.
AS HIS BEST FRIENDS KNEW HIM.


Weems the (soi disanD Rector Of Mount Yer
non" ] have not the slightest idea that Washing
ton was the prig and milksop that weems repre-
sents him / believe that George was always
good boy" better perhaps. than the average), for
his mother said So But he had temper-he was
always falling In love with pretty face-and
once or twice he was weak enough TO write poetry.
and love poetry at that, We're II is. and hope
you will not despise the author when you have
read it.
The young lady who inspired 1t was Miss Cary.
The original manuscript 1t is said now reDoses In
the archives Of the State Department; at Wash
ington:
Oh Gods, why should my Poor Poe Rss!sses' Heart
At last surrender to Gnpd rs fedih on DART
For her that Ptyess OF my grief and Woes
And VIII not on me Pity take;
Hn s %s aRlnE %SSer5's Ss
In deuded s.eep let my Eyellds close
That in enraptured Dreams | may
In a soft luliing s.eep and gentle repose
Possess those joys denied by Day.
The following list Of Washngton's sweethearts
has been preserved: Miss Frances Alexander.
daughter Of Captain Philip Alexander. from whom
! the city OF Alexandria was named. She was two
years older than Washington and was probably
his first love- Miss Mary Cary daughter OF
| Colonel Wilson Cary. Collector Of Customs at
Hampton. Va. Bishop Meade says that Washing
ton asked Colonel Cary's permission TO pay his ad-
dresses TO Miss Cary but was refused. She after
ward married Edward Amber who was great
swell among the colonial ar!stocracy, graduate
! Of Harvard, and owner OF large estate near
jamestown. He died at thirty five, and his widow
was n frequent guest at Mount Vernon after
| Washingtons marriage, "a his diary shows.
In a letter to my Dear Robin" Washington
/ tenderly refers TO the "LOwland Beauty" who Is
/ supposed 10 have been Miss Lucy GTymes. who In
1853 married Henry Lee ESD, and became the
mother Of the famous Light Horse Harry'-the
/ Custer Of the Revolution. Other writer's say that
/ the Lowlan1 Beauty was Miss Betsy. daughter OF
B William FauntlerOy. of Frederick sburg, Va, who
| also declined Washington's addresses.
In 1852 when he was about twenty years old,
| Washington addressed letter to Mr.. Fauntle-
/ roy. which has been preserved. asking permission
| to make proposal Of marriage 10 his daughter.
in the hope OF a revocation " a former cruel
sentence, and see If cannot find an alteration in
my favor"
This was the most serious love affair Washing
ton ever had except that with the Widow Gusts,
| which resulted in his marriage.
Miss Fauntleroy became the wife OF Thomas
/ Adams II Williamsburg. It is a tradition Of the
/ town that she married for money. and refused
/ Washington because be had less wealth than her
other lover 1T Is said. TOO. that after he became
famous and was invited to the town OF Williams
| burg as the guest Of the people. she watched
+ from a window the triumphal pageant as ne
/ passed horseback through the streets. and
| tainted.
1t was to Betsy Fauntleroy that the first
| poem" given above addressed
Four years after his affair with Betsy Fauntle-
| roy. Washington became enamoured OF MISS
| Mary Phlllpse daughter Of wealthy English
| man. who lived in a superb mansion on the Hud-
SON. near West Point. After a few weeks ac-
quaintance he proposed to her. and learned that
she was engaged 10 another. The successrul
sutton was Captain Roger Morris. who. with
Washington. was an aid TO General Braddock In
the fatal Indian campaign.
Two years after he Tilted by Miss Philipse.
he met the Widow Custis. fell In love again. and
was married to her on January II. 1883 about six
/ months after their first meeting In the follow
ing September he writes TO his cousin Richard
declining an invitation 10 visit England:
II am now. ! believe. fixed at this seat, with
an agreeable consort for life And hope to find
more happiness In retirement than | ever ex-
perenced amidst a Wild battling world"
The important question. Was Washington a
smoker" has been often asked, but never an
swered until now.
1t is in evidence that ne smoked or at least at
tempted TO smoke on certain occasion mad
this incideA IT from Mr.. John Schuyler a great
grandson Of General Philip Schuyler OF the
Revolution. Being at General Schuyler's house
Washington offered cigar, which he light
ed Tradition says the effect was so unpleasant
that he never tried another
At the triennial meeting Of the General Society
Of the Cincinnati at Mount Vernon in 1890 one
Of The sessions was held In the banquet nall OF
that historic mansion. II was proposed TO allow
no smoking but Mr. John SCHUYLER claimed the
right 10 smoke there because Washington smoked
IN the DarlOr OF his ancestor, ana the clalW was
allowed
Was Washington a humorst? On one occasion
he was visiting Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth
Of Connecticut and during his stay he went tc
the nursery where ne took his hosts twin boys
in his lap and sang the following song for their
amusement. 1t is entitled
THE DERBY. RAM.
As was going TO Derby
Upon a market day.
I the biggest ram, sir.
That fed on hay
Chorus:
That eyer was led on hay sir.
That ever was fed on hay,
I the biggest ram. sir.
That fed on hay,
Tow de- row d dow, dow,
Tow de de da
Tow ne de dow dow.
Tow de row de da
He had four feet to walk. sir,
He had four feet 10 stand.
And every foot he had. sir.
Covered acre OF land.
Chorus:
Covered an acre of land. sir etc
The wool upon his back. sir.
Il reached 10 the sky,
For | heard their young ores cry.
Chorus:
For heard their young cry. sir etc.
The wool upon his tail. sir,
Made three hundred yards of cloth.
For he IL In day
For he II in day. etc
The horns upon this ram sir
They reached up the mo0l
Niger climbed up In January.
And never came down TIL June
Chorus:
And never came down till June sir. etc
The butcher that his throat sir
, Was drownd-ed in the blood.
And the little boy that held the bowl
Was carried away IN the mood
Chorus:
Was carried away in the flood. sir, etc
Imagine Washington roaring this classic stav'
to please a couple Of youngsters
1t was said by his officers that no one ever hear'
Washington laugh aloud noted wag among
them laid wager that be would make the Gen
eral laugh aloud at a dinner that was about 10 b
/ given by MS staff Accordingly. after the cl0tl
had been removed and the wine had begun TO cir
culate the wag began To tell his story. The OF
| hcers were convulsed with merriment. but tn
} General only smiled or laughed silently. At nigh
one of the officers slept in the next room 10 hi
clfuht hot hen