The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
wAsHINGToN's KINDLY WAY.
General Greene's Daughter and tn
Great President

Martha Littlefield Phillips. who was the
granddaughter of Gen. Nathaniel Greene's
youngest daughter contributes to the jan
uary Century 'Recolections of Washington
and His Friends" taken down from the
lips of her grandmother. She quotes the
fcaoWing account of her grandmother's first
meeting with Washington:
The second great event of my early life"
said she. was my first interview with Gen.
survives Of the love and reverence for
Washington which inspired the children of
the revolution These sentiments were ex-
cepticnally strong in my brothers and sis
tiers and myself, because in addition to the
sentiment of patriotism was the personal
regard we held for Washington as our IA
theirs intimate friend and immediate COM
mander
My mother had deeply imbued me with
the honor in store, and had drilled my be-
havior to meet all the probable require
ments of the occasion. / was for example,
TO rise from my seat for presentation to
General Washington. and after rendering
him my profoundest courtesy, stand at ease
ana modestly answer all his possible ques-
tons, but at the same time keep religiously
IN the background where all the good little
girls of that day were socially referred.
The eventfui day came, and l was taken
the longed-for visit. We were graciously
welcomed by Mrs Washington but my
heart was so thick with futtering, and my
tongue so tied, that | made but a stutter-
ing semblance of response to her kindly
questions At length the door opened and
General Washington. entered the room. I
with the intention of making a courtesy
and declaiming a little address previously
taught me; instead of which l dropped on
my knees at Washngton's feet and burst
into tears. All the resources of dramatic
art could hardly have devised more effec-
tive coup. Washington stopped anditenderIy
raised me, saying with a smile, Why, what
is the matter with this foolish child? The
words do not have a tender SOUND. but Lam
guage may not convey the gentleness of his
manner and the winning of his softness OF
his voice, as he wiped away my tears with
his own handkerchief, kissed my forehead.
and led me to seat as he might young
princess. He sat beside me, and with laugh
ing jests brought down to the plane of my
appreciation. banished my sins from my
eyes, rescued me from humiliation, and
brought me back to composure. He
guarded me from my mothers outraged
the drawing room, had me placed
beside him at the dinner table and
with his own hands heaped, all the good
things on my plate. After dinner he took
me to walk in the garden, and with an in
telligent STOPPING to my intellectual stature,
and a sympathetic understanding of my
emotional state and need, he drew me into
talks on the themes of my daily life, and
won me into revelations Of my hopes and
quaint and pretty picture, that of the fa-
nous warrior statesman and patriot turn
ing from great affairs, and lending himself
20 the task OF making happiness and charm-
ing the confidence of a shy and frightened
child. And Sc proud and happy was the
little girl thus made that, seventy-fve years
afterward she lives. with tears of joy In
her eyes. to tell the story to her grand
daughter"
How about Mrs. Washington, grand
mother? How did she impress you? 1
asked
The fact is" she replied, 81 was so alb
sorbed on that occasion with General Wash
ington / paid very little attention to hH
wife. She took small note of children, and
the only recollection that comes to me of
her in that first interview is that she
handsome, of dignifed carriage, and was
dressed in a rich figured silk; with an en-
brodered apron around her waist, and a
dainty kerchief folded about her neck and
shoulders"