Evening star., 1926-02-21

!
vidual, who liked to have
! the staircase and the furni-
| ture polished and the house well pre-
| pared when he returned to Mount
| Vernon with his bride.
! This Is revealed in an examination
! of several illuminating old documents
| that have just come into the posses
/ sion of the Mount Vernon Ladies
| Association.
The generals own account Of his
personal expenses from April to June,
| 1894, is kept with as great detail and
accuracy as any modern public budget
where red tape Is glorified and made
supreme. For instance, under Butch
| er's' he gives the items. bacon.
| tongues, turkeys. fowls. geese. bird
| while under the head scaled he en-
tered Holsters. crabs and oysters.
But it is in the letter written re-
bride that George Washington reveals
his kindness to all others in similar
positions. This new letter just
| brought to light was signed "G.
Washington" instead of the usual
Geo. Washington" He wrote:
Il have sent Miles on today. to let
you know that l expect to be up to-
| morrow. & to get the Key from Col
Fairfaxs which 1 desire you will take
, care Of. You must have the House
| very well cleaned & were you to make
Fires in the Rooms below it w'd air
them. You must get two of the best
BedSteadS put up-one in the Hall
Room, and ye other in the little din
ing Room that use to be, & have them
very well rubd & cleand-the Stair
| case ought also to be polished In order
to make 1t look well.
Enquire abt. in the neighborhood
& get some Eggs and Chickens, and
prepare in the best manner you can
for our coming; you need not however
take out any more Of the Furniture
than the beds, Tables & Chairs in
order that they may be we'll rubd
& cleand.
I am yr. Ed. &c.
&c. WASHINGTON"
The mention of Col. Fairfax in con-
| nectton with these new documents re-
calls other letters, diaries, and Incl
dents in the life of Washington which
have been found during the past year,
showing his interest in society while
he was still a young man and before
ne had met the charming Mrs. Custis.
AS surveyor. Washington went to
live with the Fairfaxes. George Will
liam Fairfax was boon companion
and very close and intimate friend Of
the young Washington at that time,
although somewhat older in years and
experience. Living with the Fairfaxes
| after his friend had married, he found
! In the companionship Of youthful Mrs
Fairfax, who was but eighteen, that
which interested him greatly. 1t was
a platonic friendship and innocent in
its character. yet his letters and his
diary show that he enjoyed greatly
the hours that he spent with Mrs.
sally Cary Fairfax. for it was her In.
terest in literature and history that
stimulated him and encouraged his
political aspirations. She prodded his
wavering ambition, for there Is evi.
dence that she recognized his genius
| and courage. This came at an i'm.
portant time. when Washington
needed a wider horizon.
Because Of his close companionshlp
and propinquity with this splendid
woman he came to have for her a
| mute. If hopeless. affection. His let.
ters at this time indicated that. Yet
| he never brought unhappiness to the
home OF the Fairfaxes.
However. his feelings almost over
flowed on the eve of military CAM
paign against the Indians. He wrote
| IN letter telling Of his loneliness and
his high regard for the great worth
and noble sentiments Of Mrs. Fairfax.
In later years he showed that he owed
much to this influence, and H-as quick
| to- say so on many occasions.
In those youthful days, while grow
ing to mans estate and before coming
under the captivating influence of
Martha, there is evidence a-plenty
that George was very popular with
the ladies'. Even at 16 he had expert
enced something Of the trials Of the
lever 1oe h tails IN his diary ok q