Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-02-21

SECRETARY.
prised of my wishes:-low K squat (well
made, boys would suit best If emigrants
are not to be had. there can be no doubt
that some OF the dutch servants in the
family could susily procure such as are
| wanted from among the citizens.
When Washington found it necessary
to take house in Philadelphia a COM
mttee of citizens limited something
about paying the rent thereof but
the president firmly declined to have
anybody but himself pay it. However,
he seems to have had some difficulty in
arriving at fair figure owing to vari-
Gus improvements made necessary by
his occupancy and to the apparent in
disposition Of the owner Robert Nor
ris. to set a price Of rental. He writes
to Mr.. Lear:
near 50 Pr. Cent to the rent Of the house
occupy; for I ,oeil remember my desr-
ing you 10 inform the Committee that
must and could know upon what terms
was to Innabit the House and vt. you told
me they had fixed the Rent at 5o0f Pr.
Annum.
Washington's secretary made trip
to Europe in the fall of 1893. A black
smith was needed on the Virginia plan
tations Accordingly the landlord wrote
TO Mr. Lear:
II 1t should be convenient. and perfect
ly safe for you to engage for me. on rea-
sonable terms complete Black Smith.
you would oolige me by doing so. AS there
are laws in England prohibiting such en-
gagements under severe penalties, and
such may exist in other Countries. you
will understand me clearly that for no
consideration whatsoever would l have
you run the smallest risk of encountering
them-you know full we'll what kind OF a
smith would suit my purposes. He
must have a character on which you can
rely not oriy as a complete workman for
| a farm, but as an honest. sober and in
dustrious man. II he comes on wages
| they must be moderate; with or with
out wages. he must be bound to serve ne
three years-four would be better.
Washington sometimes became in
| dignant at the derelictions Of house
servants. which shows that a present
day problem was in existence then
He writes:
On the 2sth. wrote you two letters.
| In one of them intended (but forgot iD
to have made a request that you would
| enquire after the lad that used to wait
| at Suffers civilian l think his name was)
whose servitude had expired. and II disen-
gagged and his character good, as wen as
| handy, to engage him for me at eight
Dollars p. Month. with the other allow
ances known to yoW being what I am
now obliged to give. to the most indifrer-
ent set of servants / ever had.
The common opinion Is that Wash
ington was such an austere parsonage
that he never deigned to smile or crack
a joke A postscript to letter to
Mr.. Lear Just after he left Philadel-
phia and the presidency in 1907 has a
humorous touch. The ex-president was
arranging to have ais things sent back
to Mount Vernon, to which he was re-
firing to end his days in peace and
quietude. He gave instructions to have
the crate packed in some old carpeting
to keep it from scratching. 1.-THE bed
stead which Nelly Gusts slept on be
longs Mrs. Washington says to me.
Let this and the trundle under 1t be
sent In the Vessel" After various 9th
! er instructions and Washington's ha
bitual expression Of affection, regard
ETC., with which he closed all his let
tiers to his secretary came the post
script: ION one side am called upon
to remember the Parrot, on the other
to remember the dog. For my own
part l should not pine much II both
were forgot"