Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-24
WASHINGTON'S
KINDLY WAY.
General Greene's Daughter and the Great
President.


Martha Littlefield Phillips, who
was the gran anddaughter of General Ma
thaniel Greene's youngest daughter,
contributes to the Century 'Recollec-
tions of Washington and His friends, y
taken down from the lips of her grand
mother. She quotes the following ac-
count of her grandmother first meet
ing with Washington:
''The second great event of my
early life, said she, was my first in
terview with General Washington.
But faint suggestion now survives of
the love and reverence for Washing
ton which inspired the children Of the
Revolution. These sentiments were
exceptionally strong in my brothers
and sisters and myself, because in adj
dition to the sentiment of patriotism
was the personal regard we held for
Washington as our fathers intimate
friend and immediate commander.
My mother had deeply imbued me
with the honor in store, and had
drilled my behavior to meet all the
probable requirements of the occasion.
I was, for EXAMPLE, to rise from my
seat for presentation to General Wash
ington, and after rendering him my
profoundest courtesy, stand at ease,
and modestly answer all his possible
questions. but at the same time keep
religiously in the background, where
all the good little girls of that day
were socially referred.
''The eventful day came, and I was
taken by my mother to Mount Vernon
to make the longed-for visit. We were
graciously welcomed by Mrs. Wash
ington; but my heart was so thick with
futtering, and my tongue so tied, that
/ made but a suffering semblance of
response to her kindly questions. AT
length the door opened, and General
Washington entered the room. 1 felt
my mothers critical eyes, and adj
vanced with the intention of making
courtesy and declaiming the little
address previously taught me; instead
of which I dropped on my knees at
Washington feet, and burst into
tears. All the resources of dramatic
art could hardly have devised more
effective coup. Washington stopped
and tenderly raised me, saying with
a smile, Why, what is the matter
with this foolish child?' The words do
not have a tender sound, but language
may not convey the gentleness of his
manner and the winning softness of his
voice, as he wiped away my tears with
his own handkerchief, kissed my fore
head. and led me to seat as he
might young prisoner. He sat be-
side me, and with laughing jests,
brought down to the plane of my ap-
probation, banished my sins from my
eyes, rescued me from humiliation,
and brought me back to composure.
He guarded me from my mothers out
ragged eyes, kept me with him while
in 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 din
ner he took me to walk in the garden,
and with an intelligent stopping to my
intellectual stature, and 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
fears. 1t has always impressed me as
quaint and pretty picture, that of
the famous warrior, statesman, and
patriot turning from great affairs, and
lending himself to the task of making
the happiness and charming the con
tidence of shy and frightened child.
And so prOud aid baDpy was the little
girl thus made that, seventy-five years
afterward, she lives with tears OF Joy
in her eyes, to tell the story to her
granddaughter"
''How about Mrs. Washington,
grandmother? How did she impress
vou?" [ asked.
''The fact is, she replied, 81 was
SO absorbed on that occasional with
General Washington, paid very
little attention to his wife. She took