River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-05-02

roun' up to his waist in de watah,
a-swearin' an a-cussin' when de seine
git hung on a log"
Swearing and cursing!" we ex-
claim. Surely not! They say that
Washington never swore in his life"
well, dunno" said the old darby,
shaking his hand obviously. "Ireckon
de gin'ral was mos like any yether
man what ain sickly; an when de
seine got hung up, why spect he jes'
nachally took on an swore like any
body else. I've seed right smaht O.
seine haulin' in my day, but nevah yit
see a seine took off hang without a
pow'ful sight o. cussin'. Anyways.
when de shad an herrin' season was
done up de gin'ral jes' have bis seine
boat fixed up for bawge, an in dat
he come to chu'ch. My ole gretgran'-
pap say he often seen him teckin' snuff
wild de preacher jes' by de do, an
talkin' bout de crops wild de folks.
Vas, sab, OATS a pow'ful ole chu'ch,
/ sho' huff
Here was history indeed, and lit
tie later we were able to verify it, so
far. at least, as concerned Washing
tons attending service in the little
church, and hauling a seine on his own
fishing shore.
This old church is surrounded by old
colored people and very old poor white
people, who carry the traditions which
were handed down to them through
two generations, and they all agree
that Gen. Washington frequently at
tended this church across the river
from his home, because in some sea-
sons the roads were well-nigh i'm
passable, so that he could not go to
old Pohick church, nor to old Christ
church in Alexandria. They say that
whether the general was himself
anxious to go every Sunday or not, his
wife insisted upon it; and that is one
of the reasons he would be rowed over
the river to church in extremely bad
weather when the roads were too
heavy.
Less than a quarter of mile farther
down the river road we came to the
parsonage, and the European exploit
ers of ancient dwelling places cannot
show anything more quaint or an
cient looking, albeit their houses are
surely much older. For the times of
it's occupancy, this must have been a
large, pretentious brick house of the
colonial period, having a fine broad
hallway through the entire middle
portion, a very wide stairway, with
galleries above. The brick walls are
as sound as ever. and it must have
been an elegant home a century and a
half ago. but the interior has been
abused. Very little of the stucco work
remains; just enough TO show that the
walls and ceilings were once beautiful
ly ornamented by skillful workmen
The paneling and laboriously hand
cut scrolls decorating the walls are
badly broken. But these, the arched
cupboard in the dining-room, and the
folding inside shutters in the deep re-
cessed windows, show that the par
sonage was extensively built. The
rector must have had as grand home
as he had in England, and his sur.
roundings were much more romantic
Besides he had the satisfaction, as he
ate his shad. bass, lamb chops, beet
and corn pone," of knowing that he
was a sure enough missionary to the
heather. Under the circumstance, in
this elegant home, how he must have
enjoyed himself.
One day in the near future, we viii
take day off and ramble down the
Virginia side Of the Potomac. and see
some other quaint historic places.
SMITH D. FRY.