The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17

Saratoga. Tenth, the convocation at
Saratoga. Eleventh, the sea fight off
Ushant. Twelfth. Montgomery. Mercer
and other fallen heroes entering
Elysiunl, and being greeted by Brutus.
Cato and others who had fought
tyrants. Thirteenth, Peace and her
train OF blessings.
The banquet was great and the arc-
works were greater. and, to crown
the day, there was splendid ball,
which was opened by General Wash
instor and Lucy Knox.
To the women of America the re-
view Of the army was nothing. the
banquet was a mere incident, and the
interesting, was only OF passing IN
,erest. TO them the most important
feature of the whole great celehra-
ton was the selection by General
Washington of his partner In the
opening ninuet, for the ball at Pluck
emin practically was The first official
social function of the republic, and
the partner OF the commander-tn-ch chief
would be looked upon as the !.rst
social aroiter of the republic.
There probably was lot of heart
burning over that minuet at Pluck
emin that winter night, but wash
ington chose we'll. He had rare tudg-
nlent in many things, and in mona
who danced with him that night re-
NAMED the social queens of America
for many years thereafter.
A rare blending OF the patrician and
the democrat was Lucy Knox. Her ia
Their was a royalist. and as secretary
of the colony of Massachusetts, had
been Mortified when he found his
daughter was in love with common
bookseller OF Boston town. Bad as 1t
was for her to love lowly bookseller,
1t was worse when the bookseller was
discovered to be an arrant rebel, de-
iant blasphemer against the divine
authority of the King, and an advo.
cate of force against royal order
Fortune played strange antics With
people in those days. The rich man
who was secretary of the colony cast
his daughter off when she married
the poor bookseller, yet Thomas
Fucker, secretary OF Massachusetts, is
Lucy Knox, wife of Major-General
Henry Knox, chief of artillery OF the
Continental Army and first war min
lister of the United States. The poor
bookseller of Boston developed into
one Of the most influential men OF the
new nation.
I There are few pictures to be hae
| now of Lucy Knox. Stuart. who paint
ed most of the celebrities OF the Rev
| dictionary period, painted her portrait
and, dissatisfied with the picture, de-
| stroyed 1t. Only drawings remain te
| show her beauty. That she was one
Of the handsomest women OF her time
Is undisputed. She had grace. dignity
| -I : ON tsy,,
| few better educated women In Amer
ca. That she had a lot Of courage het
| life shows.
Soon after her marriage 70 hhos
the battle of Lexington was fought
Boston practically was prison, Iei
eral Gage refusing to let the inhaol'
tants out for fear they would JON o. o.
| lend aid to the patriot army -
| the swords, guns and pistols POSSESS.
4 by private parties We're ordereo So1
| fiscatcd. A few weeks before the pa..
i tie Mrs. Knox quilted her nuspau ~
sword into. her cloak ana nllhins ne
way out fsthe city, joined nl1.' rlo a'
that time Until the war WAS enue'
her life was good dea .,.. 49, -, o4t ah'
From bunker Hill to YORKTOWN sh
,,a win her husband in nearly ever!
campaign Of the main army Appar
= y 3
as in the ballroom
,rhro,,rh the bleak winter at Vale
Force she sewed to make garment
for the half clad and half frozen me;
Of the army. she was not the onl
one Many OF the American officer
had lust as patriotic wives. and the
worked with her When the army wa
without shoes they wove rough foe
coverings out OF straw and reeds 70
the men to wear. There was no worl
M hardship no peril from which thes
women shrnnk. They served as nurse
10 the wounded and the III. and xthe
shnred mo better In the matter OF foo
and a little better In the matter {
clothing than the soldiers that hardes
winter in The struggle for liberty.
But Valley Forge and Monmouth ar
all the stages of the contest up [
Yorktown were no more trying to Lue
Knox than were the duties that deyelol
ed upon her beginning with the sure,
der, During the siege OF YorktoN
she and Mrs. washington Were togeth
at Mount Vernon. Often In after yea
she used to describe the agitation thu
felt at this time, the alternate hol
and fear w hich IN ossessed them at II
sight Of q messenger from the fror
hey knew1 that upon x orktow d