Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-11
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
wAsH1N6reN's FIRST OFFICIAL
 VISIT.


 During the first few months of Wash ington's first year as president he suf- fered from violent illness and was confined to the house in New York. But Aufdst found him convale9cent and pre- parations were made for his first, off
 cial visits, which was to be to the New
 England states. He left New York on
 Thrusday, oOt0ber IS, 1fSs, and was ab-
 sent one month less than one day. He travelled in his own chariot drawn by
 four handsome private secretaries on horseback -- By the following Sabbath the president had reached New Haven. In the forenoon he attended services at Trinity church and in the Afternoon went to one of the Congregational churches, escorted by the governor, s the lieutenant governor, the
 mayor and the speaker of the assem- ply. They later dined with Washington. On Monday he left New Haven and l for a c6nsiderable distance he was es- | corted by a troop of cavalry, reaching l Hartford on TuesdAy, where remained f until the following day. reaching 1 Springfield at o'clock in the afternoon. ! At Worcester he was received with great l ceremony, and to gratify the inhabitants 1 he rode through the town on horseback, | his chariot following in the rear. | On Saturday, the z4th, he reached | Cambridge and called and tarried for an 1 hour at the Cr4ieie house which had 1 been his Headquarters In l775. Then, in
 his continental uniform, and mounted on
 a white horne, he was conducted into Boston by military escort of more than
 one thousand meR,led by Gen. Brooks riumphal arch had been thrown
 across Main street. bearing in front the l inscription ITO the man vino united all II hearts" In his diary he t"nArks: "The l streets, the doom, windows and tops of 1 the houses were crowded with well-dress- ! cd ladies and sentleSnei"
 | Washington remained in Boston four
 days. during which the ladies of the city
 wove a sash of broad white ribbon, with
 c. w., in golden letters. encircled with Q
 laurel wreath. At a brilliant assembly
 which he attended At Concert hill. the Marchipness Traversay wore in addition
 to the sash above described. on the
 bandeau of her head, the initials G. W
 and an eagle set in brilliants on a ground
 of black velvet.
 A large and elaborate dinner was siv
 en to the president at Faneuil hall bI
 the governor and council. On the Sab
 bath Day spent in Boston, he attended services twice and visited the Frencl
 squadron in the harbor, where he wa | kings.
 From Boston he went to Lynn, to NA4rbleheAd, New5uryport, Portsmouth , remaining in the latter place from Sat urday, October 51, until wednesday , the 4th. On Tuesday during the stay pubkc dinner was given by the prin cipal officers of the New Hampshire gov
 ernment, the clergy members of the ba and private citizens.
 It. was his desire that his homewar
 journey should be without any publi reception whatever He returned by different route from that taken in Eoin
 to Boston and Portsmouth. and intereste n himself wfth every little detail of cour z try life which he encountered often halt 0 ing to converse with the farmers alon the Toad, questioning them about thei 2 crops.
 At Uxbridge he lodged at q small in = kept by MT. Taft. and the letter h " wrote back to the landloard after reacl r ing Hartford. accompanyins gift | . each of the young daughters. was tn
 basis of Ire romantic story, How wasi :, ington Made the Fortunes of Two App
 PioiSers," which was published som T years ago and widely read
 He stopped over the Sabbath. wfic e was the Sth of November. swing h e reasons as follows: "1t being cuntrar n to law and disagreeatie to the people # Connecticut to travel on the Sabbath Da 4 -.-and my horses after passing throug J. such intolerable roads wanted rest le stayed at Perkins tavern (which by tt 4- way is not a good one) all day-an d a meeting house being within a fe Ie rods ef the door, attended morning an B. evening service and heard very Ian l. discourses from Mir Pond"
 l. Washington passed through Mansfef l. spent the night of November in E. Hartford and passing again through Ne n Haven. he had reached his own house ss Franklin Square, New York. between n and e'eiaAk eR ExidAS. NovennhAs 1