The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-20
Washington the Man As asmaa es SIDE d. s $=$ i$; 5

Washington had never said a word In
INC public which showed i belief in
| Christianity H.
lie was fond of dancing. afternoon
lcas and plcnlcs. His diaries refer over
! ana over again 10 his attendance nj
balls, Even during The revolution he
thduiged thIs iondness for the terpsi-
chorean art at tho quarters of his Gen
erals, and IT is recorded that once dur
ing inns time his eNcollencv and Mrs.
oreen danced upward of three hours
without once sitting down" And Gen
erai hnox wrote that at one OF these
ropts we danced all night The
n'ghtt that lie resigned his commits.
sion IN Annapolis "the general danced
In every set, and when sixty four he
was stlll gayiy tripping the light fan
tastIc His diaries arc also full of
references to his drinking. here and
yJhere, afternoon tea. which AT Mount
vernon was regularly served upon the
Wlac portlco facing the river, and
which during the war was as punctual-
~ served at the generals headnuar-
ters. At Mount Vernon he ceremo-
nlousl II powdered his hair for dinner,
at which were served the Injuries Of
the day, including wine-often cham
pagnee-vwith which he toasted ''All our
trends - He, was very fond of the
theater, and when president frequently
entert aimed at box parties and when
In hls twenties had an ambition for
amateur acting. In bis younger days
he was also fond of crcuses, puppct
shows, wax works and concerts.
Although reserved and always dlgui-
ned among strangers, among his inmost
circle Of friends "no man seemed moro
to enjoy gay converse ton, though, - AS
Madison wrote "he took littlo part in
it himself Yet he was ready with his
reply when occasion offered. Once
while he was commander in chief. Gin
ton sent him a letter addressed simply,
- Mr., George Washington, - Glancing at
the address, he said to the messenger:
This letter rs directed TO a planter in
the state of Virginia. | shall have it
delivered to him at the end of The war.
Till that time it shall not be opened. -
And shortly there came, under a flag of
truce, another dispatch, addressed TO
. His EXcellency. Gen. Washington -
Yet he suffered from stage fright when
called upon 10 make n speech. and when
Adams started 10 propose him to Con-
gress for general of the continental
darted ont OF the chamber.
He had high temper. but kept 1t
under close control. "if, however, it
broke its bounds, he was tremendous
in his wrath, - wrote Jefferson. Gil
bert Stuart said that .'all his features
were indicative oil tue strongest and
most ungovernable passions. and, had ne
been born in the forests. he would have
been ths fercest man among the saw
age tribes
Was a Sport.
Washington was born speculator. Az
Mount Vernon he was constantly eu-
gagged IN land deals, and during the revo.
luton he tried TO get a share in priva-
tccring enterprise. He was also an en-
tbusiasiic patron Of the raffles and lot
teries which were fashionable in his
day.
From the time that he was in his
twenties until he was we'll advanced IN
his sixties he made repeated entries on
his accounts of sums ranging upwards
TO 90 pounds, invested in lottery tickets.
When thirty-four he made l6 pounds on
6 pounds thus invested. lie put up |
pound in a rattle for necklace. ]
pound, 4 shillinCs for chance on the