Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-04-11
BETSY BRANDON's GUEST.
True Tale of How a Little Maid En-
tertained Gen. Washington.


Caroline Mays Brevard in ST. Mich
olas.-It was a bright spring morn.
ing in 1871 and the sun shone as
bright over the Brandon plantation
as it did in the county ~--- ii Sails
bury. Yet little Miss Betsy Brandon
sitting lonely and disconsolate on the
piazza of the great plantation house,
did not think Of the sunshine, did not
notice the gay tulips nOdding good
morning, did not listen to the merry
songs of the birds, for her thoughts
were in Salisbury and she longed to
be there.
For not more than an hour ago al
the family had driven to the town to
see Gen. Washington, who was to De
received there with great honor and
with as handsome a demonstration as
the brave, patriotic folk of the town
and county could make for him.
1t was a wonderful thing, this
southern tour of the general-now
president Of the united States. He
had Travelled in his family carriage
Ill the way down from Virginia,
through the Carolinas and Georgia,
near the coast to Savannah, and was
now returning through the up
country" stopping at Augusta, Cam
den, Charlotte and other towns. All
along the route people united to do
h ia n 9
who had followed his standard press
ed near to grasp his hand
And now that he was coming 10
Salisbury such grand things were TO
be zone! Capt. John Baird, in COM
mand of the Rowan light horse conf
pany," had gone to meet him at Char
lotte and escort him to Salisbury. y
company Of boys-one of whom was
Betsy's 0rOther-were to meet him
half a mile from town and march as
his escort with the men. And the
boys were to be uniform and were to
wear buck tails in their hats. And
Betsy's sister was to be one Of the
lie girls, all dressed in white, to
when he entered the town. Oh! it
would all be beautiful! Yet Betsy
must stay at home.
Was it not a little hard? And was
it altogether strange that 12-years-old
Betsy, in spite of self-control taught
by the strict old-time discipline, must
from time to time, wipe away the
gathering tears?
Yet not every one had gone to Sal
isbury, for after a while Betsy was
surprised to see two gentlemen riding
up the avenue. On reaching the
house they dismounted, and-a gen
tleman of very grand and handsome
appearance-bowed low to the little
maid and asked if she would be kind
enough to give breakfast to two
tired wayfarers.
Betsy curtsied, in a pretty, old
fashion, and said that as all the
grown people had gone to town to
see Gen Washington. she was afraid
the breakfast might not be very nice,
but she would have something ready
in little while, and would they
please be seated on the piazza.
Z am a plain old man." said the
gentleman who had spoken, land
only want cup of milk and a piece
of cen bread The plain Old
man. was very dignified and courte-
Gus, and there was something in his
bearing so noble that somehow his
little hostess felt that here was a
man fit to stand with the greatest. Il
promise you he continued, that you
shall see Gen. Washington before
any Of your people do
How that might be, Betsy did not
know, nor did she question. Fo
there was something about this un-
expected guest that won her trust
from the beginning. So she hurried
away to the kitchen to Interview old
Dinah. Then, while Dinah was max
ing ready the hoecake, and Cindy
was setting the table, Betsey herself
ran down the hill to the spring house
for the milk and butter. In little
while the simple repast was ready.
and lie guests were hidden to par
AXE of it.
Betsy was pleased. as any hostess
would have been, to see how the
1 broa l-fac+ NOS o-;ova5 :,