The Penn's Grove record., 1897-02-19
BORN "a, 1882.

AO Mho NhRAcAS "a N0vo ~ 6AOnt bOAgA-
osity. The real man may be studied
to the best advantage in his CORES
~pondence and in the writings of o few
dispassionate men who came in per-
sonal contact with him.
He could write q Cumming letter in
the most unmistakable terms, and he
always insisted upon his dues to the
uttermost farthing, being equally ex.
act in rendering to others what was
due them. He was one of the best
business men of his time, and it was
as much because of this quality as any
other that he was enabled to sustain
himself at the head of the army SO
long and finally sc successfully. 1t
might have been the money of the
widow GUSTS that gave him his high
position to start with, as old David
Burns told him once, but having that
position his business habits qualified
him for the rest.
Some anecdotes illustrating these
traits Of characer are related in Park
inson's Tour in America" Parkin-
son was an English farmer who came
to this country in 1898 to take one of
W~ashington's farms to cultivate, but
when he saw it he declined it. saying he
would not have it as a gilt. He was,
however. treated very well by Wash
ipgton and says OF him: "To me he
appeared as a mild, friendly man; in
company rather reserved, in private
speaking with candor. His behavior
to me was such that Ishall ever revere
his name. General Washington lived
q great man and died the same. I am
of the opinion that the General never
knowingly did anything wrong, but
did 10 all men as he would they should
do to him." He then goes on to relate
some stories he heard. At a ferry
owned by Washington, General Stone,
III crossing, offered the ferryman a
gold moidore in payment. The ferry
man objected to taking it, for the rea-.
son that he had no scales to weigh it,
and that if it proved short of weight
General Washington would make him
stand the loss, as we'll rs be angry
with him. General Stone then said he
would allow a deduction OF three pence
on the price, and the ferryman took
it. The next Saturday when he set
tied with Washington the moidore
was found to be only three half-pence
short, SO Washington had the ferry
mar returnto General Stone the three
half-pence he had o%verpaid.
Another time q tenant called at
Mount Vernon to pay his rent. He
laid out the money on q table and it
was four pence short. Washington
called his attention to the deficit.
The man threw down a dollar and
asked to be credited with the surplus
On the next year. No, that would not
do; he must make the exact change.
He consequently was obliged to ride
to Alexandria, a distance of nine miles,
to get change and make out the precise
sum. Numerous stories OF this kind
we're afioat in Washington's lifetime,
and some of them have been pro-
served. They show the character OF
the man-exact to a nicely in all his
dealings, and yet he refused a salary
for his services in the army during
the war, and only required of Con-
gress the payment of his actual ex.
penses.
William Maclay, a Senator from
Pennsylvania during the first Con-
gress, kept a journal, and in it there
are several descriptions of Washing
ton. Maclay dined with him several
times. Once be says:
1t was the most solemn dinner ever
| sat at. Not a health drank fcarce
a word said until the cloth was taken
away, Then the President, filling a
glass of wine, with great formality
drank to the health of every individual
by name round the table, Everybody
initiated him, charged glasses. and
such a buzz and "health, sir" and
'health, madam" never had l heard
before. Indeed, 4 had like to have
been thrown ont in the hurry but l
got a little wine in my glass and passed
the ceremony. The ladies sat o good
while, and the bottles passed about ;
but there was dead silence, almost.
Mrs. Washington at last withdrew
with the ladies.
Maclay goes on to say that he ex-
pected the men would now begin, but
the same stiffness remained. Tie
President told an amusing story at
which everybody laughed, and jay
told the anecdote of the Duchess OF
Deyonshj:e electioneering for Fox,
and there we're several other smril
attempt at gayety. The President
played n a fork during the time.
Atriking th~idge' Of the table with