Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-24

OIlIy Ndsb OSLs 49,
If a city car have a hobby, the
hobby of Fredericksburg is certainly
its historic past. 1t has been claim
ed hat Fredericksburg has more an
cient. reminiscent, and historical
buildings than any other town of its
size in the country, and the claim,
we are told, has stood unrefuted.
Fredericksburg's patriotic and an
~tiquarian societies have delved into
records and they have reverently
preserved what they could of the an
cient buildings about which tradi-
tons cling. The result is that an
! historic atmosphere o~verspreads the
town down to the very edge of h
business districts, where automobiles
dry goods and groceries are being
sold in lively, twentieth century
fashion. Outside of these busting
streets Fredericksburg is a beautiful
quiet old place with attractive homes
set in old fashioned gardens. and
with the Rappahannock flowing by
at n side.
The river has its share of historic
association, especially at this point.
This Is the place where Washington
threw a stone-or as some biograph-
| ers, say, a Spanish dollar-across,
| ~ kA4SAA wal IVA 14hS& A
course of the Rappahannock has
changed considerably, SO that the
feat a no longer be estimated,
though it stands On record as a most
difficult achievement.
This Is the river, too, UP which
Captain John Smith sailed in 1908
and it was near here that he was at
tackled by the fierce Rappahannock
| Indian tribe.
A little more than a century later,
in 1892, George Washington was
born, and the same year Fredericks-
| burg became an incorporated city.
A few more years and George was
attending Parson Marye's school in
Fredericksburg.
George Washington made history
in more than one house in this VIZ
ginia town. Lafayette stopped at
several houses on his visits here.
Patrick Henry, James Monroe,
Charles Dickens and Washington IT.
wing are among the other noted visi-
tors. But the most picturesque OF
all the famous folks about whom
Fredericksburg citizens repeat old
anecdotes Is Mary Ball Washington,
mother of the Father of his Country.
The Mary Ball house is n OF the
main sights of the place. 1t is a
modest, cream-colored frame resi-
dence, a story and a half in height,
with dormer windows projecting
from the abruptly sloping roof.
Gabled Roofs Explained
Why a house should ever have
been built with a sloping second
story like this it is hard for us to
imagine. The explanation is h a at
go ti-,a n TOW Wac lQUia6 IN all rUN
story houses and builders evaded
the tax by constructing steep CAB
led roofs over an attic story.
Most historians say that Mary
Washington moved into this colonial
residence 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 diff
ference 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
childhood. A spot on Main street il
still pointed out as the place where
Mrs. Washington always stopped her
carriage in orCer 10 uriuk d touuy
After taking this stimulant shs
would direct her driver to proceed
to the farm, where she went about
inspecting the farm work and per-
haps cutting slips for her home gar
den. A jug of water from the spring
out of which her husband and chill
dren had once been accustomed &c
drink, was also carried back to town
regularly by Mrs. Washington.
When Lafayette came to pay hi
respects to the mother of his greal
friend, Mrs. Washington, then an OLE
woman, was found busily burnini
weeds in her garden. She was dress
ed in plain homespun and wore
| white lawn cap and a straw hat OF
her head. She greeted the French
visitor cordially and took him int
the house to have spiced gingerbread
and a mint julep.
Most OF the stories of Mary Wash
ington stress the stern, Roman mat
ron side Of her character. She nevel
INDUCED in demonstrations of senti
ment, yet she undoubtedly had
: tender spot in her heart for her sol
George.
: The honored and digniied Wash
ington was always just her Sol
George to his mother. There v