The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-02-21

returned home after peace had been
made, until 1889, when he became
, President; (3) from 1897, when he re.
tired from the Presidency, to 1893,
when he died. During the war and
during his Presidency he visited the
place occasionally, but only for a few
days at time.
Some delightful glimpses into his
happy home life are given by Paul
Wilstach in Mount Vernon" publish.
ed by Doubleday, Page & Co.
When George Washington became
master of the Virginia mansion 1t was
not nearly so large as It is today, for
he built the banquet hall on the north.
the library on the south, the third
story, the verandas, colonnades, piazza
and tower, the great barn and many
of the other outbuildings, besides lay.
ing out and planting the gardens.
1t was not until after his marriage
to 1.-The charming widow" Martha Dan
bridge Custis, in 1859, that the family
life really began.
With Mrs. Washington came the two
children of her former marriage. Mar.
tina and John Parker Custis.
These four were the nucleus of a
busy and extensive life on the estate.
The gradual accumulation of shoemak-
ers, tailors, smits, carpenters, wheel
Wrlghts, masons, charcoal burners,
farmers, millers, hostlers, house and
outside servants, and overseers all
with their families, constituted an
army of several hundred Everything
and everybody that had no relation to
the 'hig house. as the masters dwell
ing on a Virginia estate has always
been called, fell under the direct juris-
diction of Colonel Washington
The house servants and all those con-
.nected with the domestic side of life
in the big house were the RESPONSE
bility of Mrs. Washington.
After the fashion of most old Vir-
ginia homes, the kitchen was in a de-
tached house next to the big house,
and professions of pickaninnies car
ried the heaped dishes across the
lawn into the family dining room. The
modern or even the now old-fashioned
cookstove was unknown. The altar of
this temple was a great fireplace with
an opening which would accommodate
half dozen grown persons. Here
andirons held wood cut to cord size.
and often oak logs which strained a
brace of black backs to lift into place
Cranes of iron, wrought in the black
smith shop over the hill, swung steam
ing kettles above the glowing Goals.
Quarters of beef young sucking pigs,
and rows of fowl, game and domestic
were roasted on spits. Corn pone and
sweet potatoes nestled in the ashes.
They refurnished the house almost
throughout, ordering the goods from
London, where the Virginia colonial
danes did most of their shopping,
though it was then more distant than
is Japan today.
They both were early risers, though
breakfast was not early for all the
household. Washington in winter
often made his own fire in his library.
and there. over his corresl onderce aud
accounts, did an immense amount of
work in few hours. Mrs. Washing
ton rose when he did and directed the
beginning of the days domestic duties
into easy and ordered channels. After
breakfast he rode out on ono of his
horses to overlook the laborers On the
various farms into which he divided
Mount Vernon estate, and returned,
according to Gusts, 'punctual as the
hand Of clock, at a quarter to three
and retired to his room to dress.
as was his custom Mrs. Washington
chose the first hour for religious de-
votion in her own room, an unfailing
custom her life long. Dinner was a
mid-afternoon meal after the Southern
tradition washington rarely ate any
supper, though 1t was always spread
for his household and guests. When
at Mount Vernon it was his habit to
retire at nine o'clock"
Before the Revolution Mount Yer
non bore its share of the open-handed
hospitality which distinguished vir-
ginia colonial life. The brief call of
visitors, whose home base is near by,
was practically unknown. Distances
were great, travellers came with their
own coach and horses and servants,
and an arrival meant additional places
at the masters table and in the serv-
ants hall, additional beds, and stabling
and feed for from six to twelve horses.
1t was part of the flexible, cordial So
cial system, and the hospitality and
provision was on large scale. Every
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