Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-24

By FREDERICK
J. HASKIN
AN HISTORIC VIRGINIA CITY.

white lawn cap and a straw hat on
her head. She greeted the French
visitor cordially and took him into the
house to have spiced gingerbread and
a mint julep.
Most of the stories of Mary Wash
ington stress the stern, Roman matron
side of her character. She never in
duleed in demonstrations of sentiment,
vet she undoubtedly had a tender spot
IN her heart for her son George.
The honored and dignified Wash
ineton was always just her son George
70 his mother. There is a tradition
| that one day he rode up with several
| officers to pay his mother a visit. She
saw them from the window, as the
story goes. and called out a greeting.
II have just finished baking pies"
| she added, land there IS enough for
YOU. George, and one Of your friends.
| So choose your man and come right
in" ,l
of W%ashington's visit not long after
the battle Of Yorktown. He had not
seen his mother throughout the years
of the war. though couriers had kept
her informed of his achievements.
II am glad to see o George. You
have altered considerably" was her
| calm greeting.
Neither mother nor son had any re
ference to make the victories or tame
! George was a fine son in Mrs. Wash
lington's eyes, and she took it for grant
ed that he should do great things.
When q delegation came that day
TO invite her to attend the Peace ball
she accepted g~raciously. She appeared
vt the ball the same night. dressed
neatly in a black silk dress, and plain
r4nal u,s+h +ahs nn2ar hap
chin. She stayed a while, responding
with dignity TO the compliments show
cred upon her and then she left the
brilliant company, saying, Come,
George; it is time for me to be at
home"
This Peace ball, given in honor of
Washington, is said by some historians
to have taken place at the Rising Sun
Tavern. one of Fredericksburg's most
historic buildings. Others hold that the
tavern has no rooms large enough TO
have been the scene of so elaborate
an affair. The dispute has never been
| completely settled, since Goth the ola
market house and the tavern have their
| supporters. armed with arguments.
The Rising Sun Tavern is not alto
gether dependent 0 nthe Peace ball,
however. in its claim to fame. 1t was
built by Charles Washington, and is
| standing yet on Main street, an ancient
| story and a half frame building that
has sheltered numerous great persons
in the height of its career.
When the Revolutionary war was
brewing, this tavern was regarded as
q hotbed of sedition because Of the
meetings of patriots held there. George
Washington was sometimes one of the
group.
Washington sat BY the fire in the
Rising Sun tap room and wrote that
famous entry in his diary, that he had
PLAYED cards and lost as usual, and
| that he was afraid those Fredericks-
burg fellows were too smart for him.
Lafayette stopped at the Rising
| Sun. and tourists climb the steep. stairs
| TO see the four poster bed IN the attic
story where the French hero slept.
Lafayette must needs have stopped TO
| avoid humping his head as he moved
| about the corners of his tiny bedroom
, with its sloping roof.
Fredericksburg il not satisfied with
its record for having so many famous
| buildings. The City is now planning TO
! add to its collection Kenmore, the
home of Washington's sister, Betty
Washington Lewis. Kenmore. in a
way, may already be claimed by the
city in that il is located here But IT
has been in private ownership and it
was in danger Of being put On the mar
ket and perhaps torn down when the
Betty Washington Lewis chapter of
the d. A. r. OF Fredericksburg came
to the rescue last spring. Through
this chapter the Kenmore association
was organized, and it is now raising
$4,000 10 buy the old estate and make
it into another of the Washington
shrines.