The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-24
An Historic Virginia City
fredericksburg Capitazes Many Patriotic Features and
Preserves Historic Buildings of Colonial Period.

er be estimated, though it stands on
record as a most difficult achieve
ment.
This is the river, too, up which Cap
tain John Smith sailed in 1908 and IL
was near here that he was attacked
by the fierce Rappahannock Indian
tribe.
little more than a century later,
in 1892, George Washington was born,
and the same year Fredericksburg be.
came an incorporated city A few
more years and George was attending
Parson Marye's school in Fredericks-
burg.
George Washington made history in
more than one house in this Virginia
town. Lafayette stopped at several
houses on his visits here. Patrick
Henry, James Monroe, Charles, Dick
ems, and Washington Irving, are
among the other noted visitors. But
the most picturesque of all the famous
folk about whom Fredericksburg citi,
zens repeat old anecdotes is Mary
Ball Washington, mother of the Faith
er of his Country.
The Mary Ball house is one of the
main sights of the place. 1t is mod
est, credm-colored frame residence, a
story and half in height, with dor
mer windows projecting from the abb
ruptly sIoping roof.
GabIed Roof
Explained.
Why house should ever have
been built with a sloping second story
like this it is hard for US to imagine,
The explanation is that at one time
a tax was levied on all two story hous-
es and builders evaded. the tax by con-
structing steep gabled roofs over ar
attic story.
Most historians say that Mary Wash.
ington moved into this colonial resi-
dence when her son George was AZ
years old. 1t is certain that she spent
the last years of her life here Her
sons rise to fame made no difference
in her style of living. She knew no
excuse for idleness, and so long as
her strength permitted she continued
TO weave, bake, and direct her small
retinue of servants.
She drove daily in a gig across the
Rappahannock to the farm on which
her children had spent their child.
| hood. A spot on Main Street is still
pointed out as the place where Mrs
Washington always stopped her car
riage in order to drink toddy. After
taking this stimulant she would direct
/ her driver to proceed to the farm,
where she went about inspecting the
farm work and perhaps cutting slips
for her home garden. A jug of water
from the spring out of which her hus
band and children had once been &C
customed to drink was also carried
back to town regularly by Mrs. Wash
ington.
When Lafayette came to pay his re
spects to the mother of his great
friend, Mrs. Washington, then an old
woman, was found busily burning
weeds in her garden. She was dress
ed in plain homespun and wore white
lawn cap and straw hat on her head
She greeted the French visitor cordial
ly and took him into the house to hav7
spiced gingerbread and mint julep
i Most of the stories of Mary Wash
i ington stress the stern, Roman ma
i tron side of her character. She never
i INDUCED in demonstrations of senti
ment, yet she undoubtedly had a ten
der spot in her heart for her sor
George.
The honored and dignified Wash
1ngton was always just her son George
to his mother. There is a tradition
that one day he rode up with severa