davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21

mas bonfires. The overseers were glad when
all was safely over, but Christmas come but
once q year and with 1t brings good cheer.
Every man must have his sheer, apple cider
and simmon beer" Plenty of both was always
provided for them, and from the Mansion House
could be heard the high falsetto and rumbling
bass notes as they sang and danced.
At the mansion itself all was order and
pleasant expectancy. This was home where
guests were always present Madam Martha
would brook no short commons at any time,
table bounteously provided was a point of honor
to her, and on festive days about all that could
be added was in the nature Of imported
delicacies, fancy hot breads and mysteriously
put together from old English recipes jealously
guarded and treasured pastries and cakes and
choicer vintages. Besides, Martha Washingtons
disposition was as charitable as her meat
houses and store rooms were capacious.
THE early settlers had not been mistaken In
selecting the banks of the Potomac as the
garden spot; both forest. field and river were
teeming with food. Over century later Mrs.
washington's delicate little Patt" could be
fed on wild swans and wild bees honey had
; she liked 1t better than the woodcock's plump
breast, or that greatest of all big game deli
cacies, a bit Of broiled buffalo hump from
herd or two still roaming IN her adopted
fathers West Virginia wilds, might be remem-
bered by her.
- The Potomac, "one OF the hneSt rivers IN
the world" as the great man himself named it,
was lowered over by so many canvasback
ducks that one shot from Uncle Toms old
musket brought down enough for days, and
old Jack, who claimed to be the son, taken In
. slave raid from his father, an African king,
kept the larder supplied with the best Of fish.
In the diary, that limitless source of in
formation there Is a brief entry for one Of
the earliest Christmas dinners at Mount Yer
non years before the good Martha's time
There was company at dinner as usual for he
says: :" We dined on an Irish goose
some beef, etc., ETC., and drank a health to
our absent friends" This Christmas entry is
especially interesting, as it shows the early
adoption Of his lifelong toast, offered with
Madeira, port or champagne, according to the
occasion, and varied only by a word or two:
"T0 our absent friends" and ITO all our
friends"
There were friends in plenty at all times.
And relatives. virginia colonial society was
vast network Of cousinship; those who were
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21

not connected with one side Of the house were
members Of the other side! Families were
usually large, 10 or is sons and daughters
caused no comment and even 20 were not un-
known. Hospitality was the first unwritten law,
or rather it was the law written on the heart.
The combination of these large families, hospi-
tally, easy times and the fact that no lady
ever was gainfully occupied, resulting in con-
tnual house parties.
There was no formal calling on certain days,
with q cup of thin tea and an airy two-bit
sandwich for refreshment, but welcome to
home and board for as long as it suited q
guests convenience. These guests never came
walking or unattended-no little coupe neatly
parked on the side driveway-but as like as
not coach and four, the coach filled with
charming ladies and big bonnet boxes, and the
-four required stabling and grooming At
tendant SWANS frequently came on horseback
The roads were always bad in Winter, and
oftiInes fairly impossible. Grooms were posted
when the probable arrival Of guests was known
to render assistance, if necessary, should the
coach be mired to the hub or overturned.
In ordinary times these guests spent the day,
they spent the night and II the weather was
uncertain they spent the week. If circum-
stances were stil more uncertain, and a guest
ore whom the Master had no cause to distrust,
he stayed until his circumstances mended them
selves Invitations for special festivities, such
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21

and win always be used in memory Of her
famous housekeeping. 1t seems fairly like the
fruit cake of today except for the explicit
directions as to the whites and yolks Of the
great number of eggs called for. The great
English plum-pudding was another all-day job
requiring expert supervision.
THE three days visit was followed by half .
dozen years at the mansion, years of stil
further growth and Of intercourse with the
worlds great citizens Mount Vernon now
shone In its greatest glory and such hospitality
has scarcely ever been recorded for any private
home. The world desired to see the man who
had brought the idea Of liberty to glorious
fruition. 1t came to Mount Vernon and mar
veled at the wisdom and great simplicity Of
this man.
While only an interlude between the Revolu-
ton and the Presidency, these half dozen
years were busy ones and fun Of responsibility.
The old social life went on, but doubly in
creased; his home had become, as he called 1t.
Q well reSorted tavern! The grandchildren
were his delight and his life was exceedingly
fun, with the ever-increasing circle Of friends
and admirers, the festivals and the great din
ners and always the care and establishment
Of the mansion. A homely little note In some
of his papers tells that with all the hundred
and one COWS on the plantation he had to buy
butterl There were 81 riding and coach horses
kept for the family and guests and some 40
house servants, including the seamstresses, the
Spinners and weavers.
But the general went calmly ON his way. He
rose at o'clock as he had always done, spent
an hour or 20 In his library and paid a visit
to the stables before breakfast at T. q
guest happened to be down in time he was
rewarded by o visit to the war horse Nelson,
the beautiful horse ridden by Washington when
the sword Of CORVALLIS was surrendered, and
Blueskin, Washington's favorite hunter. After
a simple breakfast of tea, Indian corn cakes
and honey the General offered the resources
Of his home to the guests and went his
ride about his farms. At the o'clock dinner
he ate sparingly, while the others made q
banquet One Of these dinners is thus de-
scribed by guest:
1.-THE dinner was very good, small roasted
pigg, boiled leg Of lamb, roasted fowls, beef
peas, lettuce, eucumbeTs, artichokes, ETC., pud-
dings, tarts, ETC.. etc. We were desired to ca1
wine. When the cloth was taken away the
toast was given, AN our friends"
The Christmas ball was usually held in Ayex-
andria, Lady Washington making the Carlysle
House her headquarters for the time. The
ninuet, the quadrille and the Sir Roger de
Coverly with its new name of Virginia reel,
for the final number. It was whispered that
TO dance with the general was the secret desire
Of even the youngest lady there, while the
older ones, whether they had husbands or not,
did not scruple to press his hand more than
the dance warranted, so brave figure had he
and so gallant h4s manner.
The six years katerlude Is ended by another
call 70 public Me and Washington again hAAe
ContIR&ed on Seventeenth Page
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
HORTICULTURAL EXCHANGE
WORKERS Enjoy FEAST

Celebrating the end Of the apple
packout. grand feed was spread for
the crew OH long tables in the w. B.
Fl. E. at noon last Friday. We had
fried chicken, and fricasseed chicken,
roast pork, baked beans, potato salad,
fruit salad, macaroni salad, in fact,
all fifty seven varieties; pickles, buns,
sandwiches and PIE pumpkin with
whipped cream, lemon, apple, mince
and SO on, infinitun. Individual cap
acities being limited no one person
could sample them all but every fell
low did his noblest.
The occasion was married by no
speeches, all being too full for ut
terance.
We missed having Mrs. Haskell and
Mrs. Dawson for the dinner. The
latter was quite i'll and the formers
little son was sick.
Mr.. Wade treated the crew to cigars
and candy. The ladies--one especial
ly--missed the cigarettes, but they
took some cigars instead.
Well, goodbye till next years.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Getting Ready to Build
New Bridge Across Columbia

All the soundings, borings, tests,
ETC., as well as the high and low
water marks of the Columbia river
in the vicinity of Roosevelt and Ar
lington, are now registered on blue
print, 22x36, prepared by Engineer
]. +. Hoss.
Exceptional good rock formation
was encountered on all the tests. The
low water of the Columbia river at
this time gave the engineer and his
crew a much better opportunity than
has perhaps been afforded on any
bridge construction across this river.
The bridge will be 2720 feet long.
This includes the total length from
the street in Arlington Immediately
behind the Union Pacific depot to
the approach on the Washington side
at Roosevelt.
There will be six deck trusses of
ESQ feet, three on each side of CEN
ter, and the thru truss in the CEN
ter will be 800 feet. There will be
eight 60-ft. girdle spans on the Ore
gon side to connect with main street
away back of the depot, and seven
60-foot girdle spans on the Washing
ton side which will take it close to
the S. P. & S. railroad tracks.
This bridge is considerable shorter
than most bridges across the Column
'bia, it being only 2720 feet The Hood
River bridge is 1900 feet. -Sunnyside
Sun,
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Commissioners and
Treasurer Named in Suit

Benton County commissioners
and Harry Forsyth, county, treasurer,
were named defendants in two suits
filed in the Benton County superior
court Saturday by bondholders in
drainage Improvement district No.
in Benton county.
The plaintiffs contend penalty in
terest on delinquent drainage assess
ments collected by the treasurer have
been placed in the county current
expense fund enormously when it
should be in the bond redemption
fund. The court is asked to direct the
county commissioners to make sup
Elemental assessment against lands in
the district, part of which have been
taken over by the county for delin-
quent taxes, to retire outstanding
bonds.
Mary M. Balsh of Yakima county
and the Bedvidere National Bank
of Bedvidere, N. j., are plaintiffs
in one of the suits and ask a re-
levy to raise $2715 for redemption
of the drainage bonds held by them.
Redemption of S4673.33 is sought by
A. Verhagen, Maude M. Wilkinson,
Holly O. Williams and ]. F. Halloran,
plaintiffs in the second case. Herald.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Disc AspARAGUs..BEDs
WHEN GRouND,ls FROZEN

In the opinion of many farmers with
whom have talked in regard to the
possibility of disking of asparagus
tops right into the ground without
previous cutting up Of the tops by
running them through cutter, this
can be worked out only upon the
heavier soils. Many say that on the
lighter soils the disk will cut through
in places and injure many crowns if
an attempt is made to disk in the
tops on this type of soil.
We have been informed however,
by some good growers, that if the
tops can be left until the ground is
frozen that they then will break
up very readily and that one Can
disk them at that time without dan
ger of injuring the crowns. Of course,
it would be necessary to disk again
later on in order to get the broken
up tops into the soil. but this could
be done early in the spring or late
winter. Sssss
We are firmly of the belief that
with soils such as ours, lacking in
organic matter, that steps should be
taken to get the tops back into the
soil. If this can be done by using
them as bedding for livestock and
then putting them back this is fine;
but if not, then we believe that steps
should be taken to either disk them
in at time when it may be posi-
BILE to do this, or working them up
through a cutter or possibly do as
one farmer did last year, stacking
them with the use of chemical fer
tilizers. which will break them down
into a artificial manure. Of course,
if the latter can be done right in the
patch this is much better and we
believe that this is much better under
the right conditions.
Cut asparagus. according to one
of the Stations, has composition Of
s-4-1O. With nitrates and phosphates
both deficient in our soils and with
apparently plenty of potash present
it would seem that the Commercial
fertilizers should carry large per-
centage of nitrogen first. phosphates
second and possibly little potash.
E. C. DURDLE
County Agent
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
INQUIRIES CAUSE CLUB TO
INCREASE GIFT ORDERS

Because so many have been heard
to express the intention of attending
the sale of gifts at the Woman's Gift
Tea next Friday, December 5, an adj
ditional number of articles has been
ordered from the hospital for disabl-
ed veterans at American Lake, among
which will be an assortment of table
runners as we'll as more baskets Of
different designs, and leather purses
and billfolds.
The sale will open with hot chick
en- luncheon to be served between IL
and 1 o'clock and will continue all af-
ternoon, sandwiches, cakes and cup
of tea being available at any hour.
All of the money for the sale Of
these gifts goes back to the veterans,
the club simply acting as selling
agent.
Although every effort is being made
to have a plentitude of gifts on hand,
early attendance will insure a wider
choice.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Interesting
Road Meeting
Say Delegates
North And South High
way Gets Good Boost
At Wenatchee

Concerning the north and south
highway through this valley the Wen
atchee Daily World of Saturday said:
Representatives of the White
Bluffs district, here for the Good
Roads convention, are particularly
interested in north and south high
way thru their section to connect
with present main line roads. The
state has such a north and south road
from Oroville to Vantage and from
Richland on again to Umatilla, but
the section between Vantage and
Richland is still county road.
Sixty-four miles remain in this un-
completed section, according to F.
A. English and H. Chairman, spokes-
man of the White Bluffs party. Grant
county has Sc miles of this district
while the remainder is in Benton
county.
Towns along the route include Van
tage, Beverley, Wahluke, White
Bluffs, Hanford and Richland.
In journeying south to the southern
part of Washington or into Oregon
IS miles is saved by this direct route,
over the trip by the way of Yakima,
the White Bluffs gentleman state.
Others who were here for the con-
vention were D. S. Wilkinson, II.
Upton, Fred Gilhuly and Sam Allard."
The delegation reports an unusually
interesting and instructive meeting,
largely attended by good road en-
thusiasts from all parts of the state,
including many members of the leg
islature.
Among the recommendations were
the endorsement Of paved loop high
way and survey for 81 mile tun-
mel thru the Cascades.
A. G. McNeill of Prosser was se-
lected as the Benton county member
of the executive committee of the
association while T.. e. Johnson OF
Kennewick was the Benton county
member of the nominating committee
whose recommendations of officers
for the association for the coming
year were unanimously adopted by
the convention.
Frank w. Shultz of Wenatchee was
elected president of the association
for the ensuing year and Centralia was
selected as the 1881 convention city.
On their way home from the meet
ing D. S. Wilkinson, Fred Gilhuly
and F. A. English stopped at Rock
Island where under the direction of
guide they spent two or three hours
at the dam being built there across
the Columbia river for the develop
ment of hydro-electric power. They
report the work to be highly organ
lied and marvel in efficiency. More
than 5000 men arc employed there at
the present time, putting in "a hour
day. divided into three hour shifts.
Flood lights substitute for day light
between shutdown and sunrise.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
White Bluffs School Notes
Written BY Students.

The Boys and Girls Athletic Groups
will put on a tumbling show at the
high school auditorium, Friday, De-
cember 5. Watch for posters.
Schools were closed Wednesday,
November 26, and will reopen Mon
day, December /, the occasion being
the regular Thanksgiving holiday.
The Senior class at class meeting
held on Tuesday chose for their class
colors, baby blue and pink. Their
motto will be:
.The elevator to success is not run
ming;
the
Take
They have committee out looking
for class flowers that will be suitable.
They are expecting their rings to ar
rive on every mail.
Catherine Fry and Max Richmond
were made little sick by their small
pox vaccination and missed couple
of days of school. Cheer up, it's bet
ter to lose couple of days than a
few weeks and be desperately sick be-
sides-and think of all the make up
work you would have had to do.
=
We were sorry to have Marguerite
Oliver move to Richland, but are glad
that her family have bettered them
selves for the winter.
n
William Hall and Frank Smith are
back in school after staying out the
two weeks required by the County
Health Officer, DR.. Spaulding of Ken
newick, on account of their not wish
ing to be vaccinated against smallpox.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
CELEBRATE CLOSE OF
SEASON WITH DINNER

Although the work at the Cod
ding Heideman warehouse was fin.
ished last Saturday evening, the sea-
son was not officially closed until
Monday night when a sumptuous
dinner was served at Grange Hall
to the warehouse workers and their
families, about sixty-five in all being
present to emily the occasion.
After the dinner everyone listened
to Amos n Andy over Stewart
Warner radio the "great radio
backed by a great name" that was
installed for the evening through the
courtesy of Russell Miller.
Then followed an original program
of readings, songs and dance numbers
that was enjoyed by all. Speeches by
the two bosses, Mr.. Codding and Mr..
Heideman, were features of the pro-
gram which also included the pre-
sentation by the c,ew of a beautiful
electric percolator TO Mrs. Herman
Ieiaeman who 21l through the sea-
son has sought 90 oor,un'tlcs to make
-he workers happy. Mrs. Heideman's
birthday having occurred on the pre-
css,;.g day, lovely little birthday
cake with candles graced the eve
ring's feast.
The program closed with the read
ing by Mrs. Brougton Of a 'Will'' that
had been drawn up by three clever
Portals Of the crew. This document
carried requests of everything from
gracious smiles and musical laugh
ter to little apples.
Then the jolly crowd, its numbers
augmented by several friends who
had been invited in for the dancing
tripped the light fantastic until mid
night, music being furnished by Mr..
and Mrs. p. ]. Kalkwarf. A midnight
lunch was served before all departed
for their home.
T After finishing the seasons work
in our warehouse, Tom, James and
Louis Golden left Wednesday in
James car for their home in Okla
homa.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Ship 2 Cars of Lettuce
Daily from Pasco

Adlly 4HOAA eSSO
The lettuce season is at its peak
now with from six to seven cars be-
ing shipped daily from the two
shipping sheds. The Pasco Growers
are packing out four and five cars
each day and the other growers
from one to two. Growers state
that there is still much lettuce in
che fields and that if the weather
continues favorable for another ten
days or two weeks heavy shipments
will be made for some time yet.
The stuff is bringing approximate
ly $500 per crate f.. o. b. Pasco, the
price having raised a little the past
few days. Total shipments will run
far ahead of last year.
The Pasco Growers are employing
some 90 people in the packing, sort
ing, box making and loading. The
other group is working about 20,
making a total of about 80 people
engaged in handling the crop. The
two packing plants are very inter-
esting to see and is well worth the
time of anyone to go thru them.
Lettuce crates are piled to the cell
ing awaiting the packers. -Pasco
Herald.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
1t Was Reported To Us That

Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Miller and
children were visitors in Spokane
over the weekend, driving up Satur-
day and returning home Tuesday.
Postcards from the Nitzsches mail
ed at Oakland, California, Saturday,
reached friends here Monday. Good
trip-no flats-fine weather-aH well.
w. H. Keal drove over to Yakima
last Saturday and returned in the
evening with Mrs. Keal. The latter
is still weak from a recent operation
but is slowly regaining her strength.
Dan Burch and w. R. Kirby took
a truckload of dressed turkeys to
Yakima last Saturday. The turkeys
were from the Long, Burch and Hen
messy flocks.
Christmas Tuberculosis seals will
be on sale at the Woman's Club Gift
Tea next Friday.
Harry Parsel came UP from Port
land last Sunday and on his return
Monday was accompanied by Mrs.
Parsel and the children. The family
plan to make their home in Portland
until about the middle Of February,
when they expect to return to White
Bluffs.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Growers in Wheat Country
To Seek Federal Aid

A group of about a dozen CONNER
cial club members, county officials,
farmers and business men of this vi
cirity motored to Odessa, Wednes-
day to confer with farmers and bus
mess men there on the matter of get
ting federal aid in buying seed wheat
in this section of Washington.
Having been seriously handicapped
by both poor yields and abnormally
low prices this past year, serious
seed shortage problem confronts the
farmers of this district.
The federal government has a
fund of nearly $6O,000,Oo0, set aside
for this purpose and it is thought
that by the united efforts of the diff
ferent localities in this part of the
state that some aid will be granted.
-Waterville Empire Press.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28

]. B. Tromanhauser was confined to
his bed few days the first OF the
week, suffering from an attack OF
lumbago.
William Schwisow left Tuesday
morning for the Coast, expecting to
return today, Friday. He will bring
home Mrs. Schwisow and the children,
including the new son born in Bell
ingham, November 3.
c. R. Brownlow, former local man
ager for the Union Oil company, but
who is now stationed at Prosser, was
a White Bluffs visitor Tuesday.
Edward Schilling received letter
this week from the Chris Hlnderer
family at Douglas in which Mr.. Hind
erer said the family were all well and
wished to be remembered to old
friends at White Bluffs. Mr.. Hinderer
said there was five inches of snow
at Douglas.
Mrs. Ruby Moede, a former resi-
dent of White Bluffs, was married
last Sunday to Fred Sthromaier, a
wheat rancher near Lind, according
to letters received by friends here.
Mr.. Sthromaier was a widower with
three children.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-28
Turk Aviators To Land
In Pasco Today

One of the biggest days for tur-
keys in Pasco's history will be Sat-
urday, Nov. 29 VIXEN a dozen or
more of the popular birds will be
released from the roofs of buildings
all the way from Tacoma Avenue
to Fourth street. 1t will be case
Of finders keepers" and there will
probably be wild scramble for the
birds. They are being released as
part of the activities Of the open
ing Of the Christmas shopping per-
iod preceding the holidays.
Other entertainment arranged
will be a golf putting marathon
from Tacoma avenue to Fourth
street. In the evening there will be
a barrel rolling contest, full details
to be announced later.