The Ordway new era., 1913-10-17

udlly III Tue Ueep ldDOT OF WOTkluS OUT
the sufficient remedy of a reused and
united opinion. though he deemed
them personal to himself. and knew
his own fame In danger to be undone
by them. did not break the steady self
possession OF Washington's life at
Mount Vernon.
Its astonishing the packets of let
ters that daily come for him. from
all parts of the world" exclaimed an
English visitor; but 1t was not till he
had struggled to keep pace with his
correspondence unassisted for a year
and half that he employed secre-
tary to help him.
Letters of friendship require no
study" he wrote to General Knox;
"the communications are easy. and
allowances are expected and made
This is not the case with those that
require researches. consideration. rec
objection, and the ID knows what
to prevent error, and to answer the
ends for which they are written
He grew almost docile, nevertheless.
under the gratuitous task OF courtesy
thrust upon him. His gallantry, bred
In him since a boy, the sense of duty
to which he was born. his feeling that
what he had done had in some sort
committed him to serve his country
men and his friends everywhere,
though 1t were only in answering
questions. disposed him to sacrifice
his comfort and his privacy to every
one who had the slightest claim upon
his attention.
Submits to the Painters.
He even found sitting for his por-
trait grow easy at last. ''In for a pen
ny, in for a pound. is an old adage."
he laughed. writing to Francis Hop
kinson. II am SO hackneyed to the
touches of the painters pencil that
am now altogether at their beck: and
sit like patience on a monument
whilst they are delineating the lines
of my face. At first I was as
impatient at the request. and as rest
i've under the operation, as colt is
of the saddle. The next time 1 sub
mitted very reluctantly. but with less
fiouncing. Now no dray horse moves
more readily to his thill than l do
to the painters chair"
Besides the failure Of the public
credit, 1t concerned Washington to
note the fact that, though he kept a
hundred cows, he was obliged to buy
butter for his innumerable guests.
He saw to 1t that there should be at
least very definite and efncient
government upon his own estate. and.
when there was need. put his own
hand to the work. He often works
with his men himself-strips OF his
coat and labors like a common man."
measures with his own. hands every
bit of building or construction that is
going forward, and shows a great
turn for mechanics" one Of his guests
noted. amidst comments on his great
ness and his gracious dignity.
Unchanged BY War.
1t was such constancy and candor
and spirit in living that took the ad-
miration OF all men alike upon the
instant: and his neighbors every day
saw here the same strenuous and sim
pie gentleman they had known before
ever the war began.
1t was through the opening of the
Potomac, after all, the thing nearest
his hand-that q way was found to
cure the country of its malady OF
| weakness and disorder.
Washington had been chosen presi-
dent of the Potomac company. that 1t
might have the advantage both of his
name and of his capacity in affairs;
and he had gone upon a tour of in
spection. with the directors of the
company, to the falls Of the river in
the summer of 17S5, keeping steadily
| to the business he had come upon,
and insisting upon being in fact a
private gentleman busy with his own
affairs, despite the efforts made every
where he went to see and to enter
tain him; and it presently became
evident even to the least sanguine
that the long-talked-of work was real
ly to be carried through.
| Plan RIdiculed by Baltimore.
A visitor at Mount Vernon in the
summer of 1885 found Washington
quite pleased at the idea Of the
Baltimore merchants laughing at him.
and saying it was ridiculous plan.
and would never succeed. They be-
gin now, says the general, to look a
little serious about the matter, as
they know 1t must hurt their com
merce amazingly"
The scheme had shown its real con
sequence in the spring Of that very
year, when 1t brought commissioners
from the two states that lay upon the
river together in conference to devise
plans OF cooperation.
Commission at Mount Vernon,
Both Virginia and Maryland had ap
pointed commissioners, and meeting
had been set for March. 1855. at Alex.
! andria. For some reason the Virgin
ian commissioners were not properly
notified of the place and time of con
ference. The meeting was held
nevertheless. a minority of the Vtr