The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1899-02-16
FARMER WASHINGTON.
Em pioy ments In Which Our First Pres
idesit Passed His Declining Years.


idesit Passed His Declining Years.
eGrandpapa is very well. and much
pleased with being once more Farmer
Washington wrote Nelly Custls
March 10. 1877. four days after Wash
ngton and his family had arrived at
Mount Vernon. John Adams had been
naugurated President aud Thomas def
'ersOn Vice President. and Washington
lad been present at the scene. After
President Adams had delivered his
speech and taken the oath of office. he
-etlred Then there was a little scene
,latlon of good form. Vice President
Jefferson. instead of retiring from the
lall Immediately after President Al
inns. waited for the ex-Pre>ident 10 fol
ow his successor; but Washington. a
master of courtesy. insisted on the Vice
Presidents preceding him. Reluctant
y Jefferson yielded.
John Adams wrote 10 his wife that
Washington seemed TO enjoy triumph
over him. "Methought heard him say,
Ay. l am fairly out and you fairly
n See which OF us will be happiest"
In the eha-aber was a multitude-and |
believe scarcely a dry eye but Wash
ngton's.p
Farmer Washington began at once re-
pairing the Mount Vernon mansion. sur
.onndlng himself with masons. joiner
and painters. HI wrote TO his old friend,
Oliver Woleott:
ITO make and sell little -four annu-
ally, to repair houses going fast to
ruin, to build one for the security of my
papers of public nature, and 10 amuse
myself In agriculture and rural pur-
suits, will constitute employment for
the few years / have 10 remain on this
terrestrial globe"
Il begin my diurnal course with the
SUM-" he writes 10 his former Secretary
Of War, James McIIenry; 'if my hire
line | send them messages of sorrow
'or their indsposition. Having put
hese wheels in motion, ! examine the
state of things further: the more they
ire probed, the deeper find the wounds
which my buildings have sustained by
IN absence and neglect of eight years.
by the time l have accomplished
these matters breakfast "a little after
seven o'clock Is ready: this being over,
mount my horse and ride round my
farms. which employs me until 1t Is
line to dress for dinner, at which l
,arely miss seeing strange faces, come
as they say out of respect for me. Pray
would not the word curiosity answer as
we'll? And how different this from
having a few social friends at cheer
'ul board.
"The usual time of sitting at table, a
walk and tea, bring me within the dawn
Of candlelight; previous to which, II
not prevented by company, | resolve
that, as soon as the glimmering taper
supplies the place of the great lumlnary,
[ will retire to my writing table and
acknowledge the letters have receiv-
I'd; but when the lights are brought
| feel tired and dlslnclined to engage In
this work. concelying that the next
night Will do as WELL The next night
i
comes, and with 1t the same causes for
,ostponement. and so on. Having given
you the history OF a day, 1t will serve
FOR year"
"At.no period OF my life" he writes
again, "haye been more engaged than
in the last six or eight MONTHS
Housekeepers will appreciate this la
I ssfrha aff Of " aanlr 10
slave) has been a most inconyenlent
thing to this family. and what rendered
It more disagreeable is that l had re-
solved never to become the master OF
another slave by purchase, but this res
,lutlon l fear l must break. | have
.ndeavored TO hire, black or white, but
I'm not yet supplied